Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-04-28

they cannot point to a single real accom-
plishment as a result OF their efforts. To
itemize q few of the things accomplished
by our board Of trade, / would refer to
the following:
To the committee on postal, telephone
and telegraph was referred the matter of
the new contract for electric lighting
our offer to bear half the expense Of an
investigation was accepted by the ball
IFS Gas before reported) and during the
past year a contract has been made at
a much lower rate with improved lights.
The new Industries committee have
had a strenuous life, as 1 am competent
to judge, having been active with them,
and we are proud Of the result of our
labors. We have succeeded, as no doubt
you are all aware, in securing for Brat
tleboro the Felch & Pier Chair company,
who are now established on Williams
street, with a payroll of 20 men, and
think the future will show that we made
no mistake in our investment in their be-
half, as we consider this a very substan-
tial addition to our community. While
they may be small at present we antici-
pate great things in the way of increase
in their business and trust that In a
short time they will become an important
factor in the industrial development of
Brattleboro.
In relation to the Fort Drummer Mills,
preciate the task which was undertaken
to raise the required amount of capital to
bring that large industry within our
borders and l wish to say right here
that had it not been for one Of our mem
bers and his associates this could never
have been accomplished. I wish to ex-
press my appreciation and, l believe, the
appreciation of the entire membership of
this board of trade to the committee
which IL was my pleasure to appoint to
assist in raising funds for this enterprise.
1 am pleased to announce that work will
be begun Immediately on the erection of
the mill and it Is the intention Of the
company to begin installing their machin-
cry by August l.
Altogether, we can probably say that
the efforts of the Brattleboro board OF
trade for the year past will bring to the
town an aggregate of 5000 capital for
| new industries.
While the functions of this organiza =
ton are to encourage new industries,
! find that they become invaluable In pro-
tecting the people from investing in in
dustries which are not desirable. / have
in mind five or six different propositions
which were given considerable considera
| ton by representatives coming here and
our making expert Investigations, and
in each case finding the proposition un-
satisfactory. We have been instrumental
| which may or may not benefit our com
| munity, one of which is our influence ant
| work towards procuring more hydra nts
| for the village; the getting of 175 more
| names for our census; the good road!
automobile trip in connection with tn,
| Bellows Falls board of trade, in which
we took all of the representatives o
| Windham county for a ride, which wa.
followed by more or less of this beins
| done by other organizations in the state
| the result being that a large appropria
! ton was made for good roads al the las
| Legislature. In relation to the railroad
| situation, every effort that could be mad
! through this organization was made, AM
up to this time we cannot point to an,
satisfactory results, but as long as Their
| is life there is hope. The board ha
been instrumental in securing a plot O
| land on which suitable tenements can b
built for the operatives of the new For
| Drummer Mills, and this was done to pro
tect the proposition in so far as allowing
no increase in valuation to prohibit tn
| sale of lots; so that the tenementS coul
be built to show a fair return on tn
| investment. And I wish to emphasiz
the fact that the obligation still remain
on the citizens of Brattleboro to provid
these tenements by the time that tn
mill is built. This is one of the condi
tons on which the mill was brought her
ny lHe people WHO Illdnccd Ine large
portion of the proposition, and we mus
consider ourselves obligated to that ex
tent
Our membership remains practically tn
same We have lost from our mids
during the past year only one membe
Col. Fl. E. Taylor, whom we all miss, a
he was one of the most public spirte
citizens of Brattleboro.
I would like to make the folowin
recommendations for your considera tior
In relation to our committees, I believ
that we could get as satisfactory work
each director was chairman of som
committee, he to select five member
to act with him. / would also recommen
that the proper committee take up tn
question of a half holiday for clerks dur
ing the months of July and August an
canvass among the merchants relative
this matter; this is done in cities and /
some other towns of this size. Also this
We support the bailiffs in their article i
the village warrant in regard to an apprc
priation for ornamental poles for lightin
Main street.
The Brattleboro board of trade has be
come an important factor in the industrii
development of our town and Of the stat
Of Vermont. 1t is recognized freely a
one Of the most progressive organization
of the kind in the state, and, while 1t
subject to the knocker who has his lit
hammer constantly with him, 1t has bee
demonstrated beyond doubt that when "
undertake by united action to accomplis