The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-04-24
BY NJ QUAD

The village of Plum Hill was and is
situated fourteen miles from the near
est railroad. To reach 1t you have to
srive the fourteen miles In wagon.
You have to drive over three noun
talns and two rivers, and the ascent
from the outside world is 900 feet
On certain day not many years ago
Plum Hill was quiet. 1t was serene.
There was an OK team standing in
front of the only store in the village,
and there were two men sitting on the
postoffice steps. Nobody apprehended
a great excitement--one that was to
upset the place and make things bub'
BILE. 1t was tin peddler who brought
the news. He came from the town OF
Crow Valley, village just about as
big and ten miles away. Grow Valley
was the rival Of Plum Hill 1t had
two stores to one, but its altitude was
Dnly 1893 feet.
The news brought by the peddler
was that Grow Valley was moving for
branch line out to the railroad. II
she got it-and she was determined
to have it-then goodby to the prestige
of Plum Hill.
There was hurrying to and fro, and
there was public speaking. A branch
railroad had been the dream Of Plum
Hill for years, and now Grow Valley
was to step in and steal the reality
away.
Squar' Latham, the village Justice of
the peace, nominated himself a COM
mittee of one to investigate and report,
also to head a subscription list and
pass 1t around. Money would induce
the railroad company to construct a
branch to Plum Fill, and money 1t
q patriot to the core.
The Plum Hill Banner took up the
matter and printed a double loaded
editorial. An old picture of fat car
was used to arouse enthusiasm and
infiame the public mind. Plum Hill
was called upon to defend the breast
works to the last drop of blood. II
they stood back and played second fid-
die to Grow Valley, then could 1t be
said of them that they were no longer
the sons of Bunker Hill.
The day of the mass meeting came.
There was an outpouring Of the pa
triots. Flags waved and men cheered.
Squar' Latham was ready with his
figures. He had spent a week figur-
ing. He had got things down pat. A
part of the work and the glory must
be given to the tin peddler. He had
toiled like a hero. In addition they
had driven over to the railroad and
consulted with the freight agent, two
trackwalkers and a boarding house
keeper. The men had given their opin'
ions and estimates on the enterprise
1t had been asserted and generally be-
lieved that a branch line to Plum Hill
owing to the mountains, would be inn
possible on account of the cost
The squar' had started out expect
Ing to run up against this objection
but he had some news to commune
cate-soms news TO delight. He had
figured and figured and figured, and he
could not make the cost of the line
over $1,000 to bring the iron horse
snorting and putting into Plum Hill
That sum could be raised in ifteer
minutes. It could be raised then and
there-aye. ten times that amount-but
be would move among the patriot;
with a subscription paper and give al
chance. In years to come he wanted
every Plum Hitler to have the priv
lege Of pointing to the snoring, pufiinl
locomotive and rolling palace cars anC
be privileged to say;
Look at EN-, gentlemen l helpet
TO do it,
The meeting adjourned to meet on
week later TO hear the squar's hnal re
nort. The boom was on almost befor