The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-03-24
BRATTLEBoRo FRIDAY, MARCH "a, 1911
A RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT


its fifth anniversary next month. Its Iii
thus far has been one Of continuous eiior
TO make this town bigger, better and NOR
prosperous in every way, and its record Q
accomplishment along these lines is worth
of a brief review at this time. One of th
first matters that the board took up afte
its organization in 1906 was that OF i'm
proved railroad service - something IL
which il has been actively interested eve
since. II had much to do with bringing
about relief from the freight congestion
which so annoyed local shippers in 1907
and was instrumental in securing Satur
day night train from Brattleboro TO Yer
non while the construction of the Con
necticut river dam was in progress. Its
protest against the curtailment of passen
ger service on the Sunday paper trans was
in no small measure responsible for the
restoration of this service Immediately. IL
made il possible for local merchants to Sc
cure fruit shipments during the summer in
time for delivery to their customers be-
fore noon.
Early in 1908 the board of trade started
the move for new passenger station on
the west side Of the tracks. and has been
working for this greatly needed improve
ment ever since. 1t paid for the Brattle-
boro & Vernon electric road charter which
was granted by the Vermont legislature of
1908 and has kept the charter valid by
paying the state tax since then. However
the local railroad controversy is settled this
charter will prove invaluable in giving
Brattleboro the facilities it needs. During
the recent session of the legislature the
board of trade worked theoretically in be-
half of the proposed Vermont Valley char
ter, contributing 500 to send delegation
of local citizens to appear at the commit
tee hearings. By persistent effort the
board of trade induced the Central Yer
mont management to remedy the unsani-
tary condition of the toilet rooms in the
present passenger station. 1t also brought
about the installation of public telephone
booth in the station, to the great convent
ence of the public.
To secure new industries for Brattleboro
the board of trade has striven with zeal
and persistence Its, representatives have
written hundreds of letters and travelled
hundreds of miles investigating all sorts of
propositions. 1t played prominent part |
in getting the Fort Dummer mills to To-
cate here, taking charge of raising the
100000 necessary to secure the big tex
tile plant and buying the real estate need
ed for the mill site and for the homes of
operatives. Something like $4,000 has
been spent by the board of trade on this
proposition 1t also contributed $500 to
the Felch & Pier Chair company which
is now located in the old Williams shop.
Matter exploiting the advantages of Brat
teboro as a town in which to live and do
business has been sent to all parts of the
country, and the superiority of this sec
ton as a summer resort has been so sue
cessfully advertised that accommodations
for vacationists have proven hardly equal
to the demand
The board of trade has worked unceas-
ingly for better highways. 1t bore the ex-
pense of a good roads convention in Brat
tleboro in the summer of 1906, and last
fall joined with the Bellows Falls board
in taking the representatives and senators
of this county on trip of inspection over
modern highways in adjoining sections OF
Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 1t
has helped to beautify the streets of the
village by sharing the expense of caring
for grass plots and flower beds. In 1906
it took complete and accurate local cen
sus which gave Brattleboro a population G
Of 1928, and it brought about the correc- a
lion Of errors that were made in the United :
States census of last year. 1t is RESPONSE {
BILE for the new street signs which the vii
lage put up year or two ago, and for the
iron settees on the common. 1t used its
efforts to secure an adequate appropriation
for government building in this town, C
and with other boards fought for the pas t
sage of the White Mountain forest reserve :,
bill. 1t began the local agitation for cheap a
sr lighting rates and bore half the expense h
If getting an expert illuminating engineer 7
to come here and make report on local
requirements. 1t prevented an increase of
ire insurance rates in Brattleboro at a
lime when rates were being advanced all
'ver the country, and did great deal to- :.
ward getting for the town the adequate q
ire protection it now enjoys. 1t secured f,
IN immediate and permanent improvement s
n the local telephone service, contributed
literally to the Safe and Sane Fourth of q
July observance Of last year, paid for Sun "
lay street sprinkling last summer and put \
quietus on bogus advertising schemes. q
The foregoing summary of what the Ii
'oard of trade has done, incomplete though W
undoubtedly is, ought to convince every a
nan in Brattleboro of the value of the Or
The benefits of these accom-
llshIhents accrue rot to the members
lone but to each individual resident of the
own. Even those who have been prone to - =,
mock the board of trade must in fairness Of
Omit that they are living in more pros IL
erous and progressive community as re- SC Sc
ult of its work. And if the get-together h,
pirit is properly nourished from now on, st
he 15,000-in-1915 slogan may not be an m
die dream after all. al
is
Taking as its text situation which has in
nvolnpaI In h< -