Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-09-15

Public exercises will take place on the
Thayer farm on Maple street next Mon
day afternoon at $50 o'clock, when the
corner stone of the Austine Institution
for the care and education of the deaf
and blind will be laid. The building
which is the latest of Brattleboros hu-
manitarian institutions was made pos
sibe by a bequeSt of $50, 600 by the late
Col. William Austine, an appropriation of
$4,000 by the Vermont legislature and
the cooperation of Howard NJ. Eustis
of Mobile, Ala, nephew of Col. Austne
Mr. Eustis is the residuary legatee and
his consent to the steps taken to obtain
a courts decree determining just what
use should be made of the Austine be-
quest has been of great assistance to
the trustees
The program will open with a selection
by a male quartet, after which prayer
will be offered. Chairman John Calvin
of the board of selectmen will then make
a brief address, to be followed by Or.
Merry d. Holton of the board of trustees,
who has been one of the most active ones
in carrying forward the plans for the es-
adjustment of the institution. DR.. Hol-
ton will give an address and will intro
duce Mr.. Eustis, who win lay the corner
stone, making appropriate remarks
Music by the quartet will conclude the
program.
The corner stone has been made ready
by the c. II. Grant Granite company of
this town. 1t is of granite and on the
under side a hole has been cut for the
reception of a copper box This box will
contain the program coins of 1911, copy
of this weeks issue of each of the two
Brattleboro newspapers and other docu-
ments, and as long as the foundation
stands these records will be preserved,
beyond the reach of human hands.
The facts concerning the Austne be-
quest have been published in The
Phoenix from time to time, but as a copy
of this issue is to be enclosed in the
box to be placed within the corner stone
next Monday a history of the fund is
given herewith for permanent preserva-
ton.
+, The establishment of the Austine In
stitution was made possible by bequest
in the will of the late Col. William Aus
tine of Brattleboro, supplemented by an
appropriation by the Legislature of 1910.
The section of the will relating to the
subject was as follows:
Fifth: give and bequeath to the town
of Brattleboro, Vermont, the sum of
$4,000 in trust toward the establishment
of a hospital in said town for the tenn
porary treatment of strangers and local
inavlids peculiarly situated. The hos
pital will be erected and governed by a
board of five trustees and the first select
man of the town, all residents of the
town, and three members to be reputable
physicians. The board will fix the con-
ulllOIS OF dullllSSlOu anu eSldDllSI rules
for the government of the hospital, it
being understood for a time at least that
all patients who are able to do so Will
pay such fees for treatment as the trus-
tees may require. The board will be COM
posed of DR.. George f. Gale, president
Dr. a. /. Miller, DIR. G.. r. Anderson,
Charles a. Miles and George c. Averill,
president of the Vermont National bank,
and is empowered to fill it's own vacan-
cies as they may occur"
C11 ID
army officer. He died in the Brooks
House, Brattleboro, Sept. 4, 1904, of con-
geston of the brain, in his Goth year.
He was a veteran of three wars the
oldest graduate of West Point on the
army rolls, and the oldest retired officer
of the United States army. He served in
the Florida war against the Seminole In
dams from 1888 to 1912 as adjutant of
the third artillery. During the war with
Mexico he took part in the siege of Vera
Cruz the capture of San Antonio, and in
various battles, and was promoted for
signal ability and gallantry. On account
of i'll health he was granted leave of alb
sence from 1854 to 1861 and in the latter
year he assumed active duty in the
garrison at San Francisco harbor, where
he was appointed major of the third ar
tllery. He retired from active service
in 1862, but he continued to serve as su-
perintendent of the mastering and vol
unteer recruiting service of Vermont at
discharge and was in Brattleboro in the
same line of duty until November 1866
After his retirement he lived quietly in
the Brooks House until his death.
Howard NJ. Eustis of Mobile, Ala, the
resduary legatee, reported to the pro-
bate court Sept. 5, 1905, that he was
ready to pay over the bequest and the
court ordered it paid to the town. !
division of sentiment existed as to wha
kind of an institution should be estab
liGba6 and al annual No
decree was taken in behalf of the estate
Stipulation for judgment was filed Apri
30, 1906, and the county court decreec
that the bequest be paid to the trustees
In the previous session of the legisla
ture The Austine Sanitarium'' in
corporated. The legislature of 100
changed the name to The Austine In
stitution" The trustees became satisfe
of the impracticability of investing an
administering the fund for the spech
purposes named in parag graph 5 of Col
Austine's will and on April 10, 1910, the
brought bill in chancery asking for
decree empowering them to use the fun
and income for establishing and carryin
on in Brattleboro and for the benefit o
the people of Brattleboro and of the stat
and strangers an institution for tn
treatment and education Of certa
classes, in particular persons unfortunat
and incapacitated by reason of defect
of one or more of their senses, either q
speech or hearing or sight, or person
mentally defective.
In the bill in chancery the petitioner
mentioned the existence of the Memoria
hospital maintained largely by the in
come from the Thomas Thompson estate
which was ample for the needs of tn
community; the Home for the Aged an
Disabled, administered particularly fc
the care of aged persons and the Bra
tleboro Retreat, for the care and treat
ment of persons afflicted with menti
disorders.
Chancellor Willard w Miles issued
decree May a. 1910, authorizing the trus
tees and their successors ITO use tn
fund provided and established by III
said fifth paragraph of the will of sal
William Austine, and the interest an
income thereof or so much as they ma
from time to time deem reasonable, prl
dent and proper, toward and for the es
Enlistment, maintenance and carryin
on OF an institution for the care, educs
ton and training OF unfortunate or do