Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-04-05
$4IO WAS SUBSCRIBED
Enthusiasm for West River VAL
ley Development
Opinions Expressed by Several Speakers
In the Board OF Trade Meeting Held
Friday. Night.


In the Board Of Trade Meeting Held
Friday. Night.
Not as many members as usual attend
ed the board Of trade meeting in Grange
banquet hall Friday night on account of
other attractions, but 1t was an inter-
esting meeting and the new train SER
vice which is assured for the West
River valley and the effect which 1t
probably will have on the summer bust
ness in the towns along the railroad were
discussed. John II. Ware of Townshend,
president of the West River Valley as
ISOLATION, was a guest and made remarks,
and subscriptions to the amount of $40
were made toward matching, dollar for
dollar, the amount up to $500 which the
West River towns are raising for a
fund for advertising the advantages of
the valley as summer resort. After
the business meeting an excellent buffet
luncheon was enjoyed, provided by II.
l.. March.
The first matter of business was a
vote to make the dues of nonresident
members So year, the dues of resi-
dent members remaining at So Presi
dent NJ. c. Houghton then called on
Clarke c. Fits, chairman of the com
mittee appointed to secure improved
train service. Mr., Fits reviewed the
negotiations with the Central Vermont
the railroad in acceeding to the request
of the committee had furnished the
means for making the valley thrive.
Efforts for securing summer boarders
and residents will be centralized in New
York and Boston. A movement already
is under way to put the main highways
up through the valley in the best posi-
BILE condition. Mr. Fits urged the bust
ness men to support the effort for de-
Veloping the valley as whatever helps
those towns helps this one.
President Ware of the West River
Valley association said the towns were,
cooperating to their fullest extent and
already had raised about $1,000. Letters
were coming every day, he said, from
former residents who wanted to con-
tribute. He thought the city people were
the best kind of people for repopulating
the back farms as they have money to
do with and show disposition to learn
how to use it to the best advantage.
Secretary H. C. Rice of the association
said the mistake which the board made
of advertising for summer people with
out having places provided for them
would not be repeated and that the as
ISOLATION would have the goods to de-
liver first A list of boarding places is
being prepared, also a list of parcels of
real estate for sale. Booklets will be pre-
pared giving information relative to
boarding places and available real estate
and a card index will be kept so that in
formation relative to all phases of the
question will be instantly available.
Charles r Crosby thought the oppor-
tunity which this county had for de-
veloping the summer business was great
er than that of any other county in the
state. He hoped to see a railroad con-
meet this town and Wilmington within
a few years 1t is easy enough to raise
money when we wish to, as is shown by
the fact that $4,000 has been raised for
wrestling matches in Brattleboro since
last fall Mr.. Crosby said his firm would
head the subscription paper with $50.
Fifty dollars also was subscribed by L.
E. Holden for Holden & Martin. Mr.
Holden, who is chairman of the trans
portation committee, said he thought the
movement to develop the West River
valley was the best thing the board OF
trade ever had undertaken
Postmaster Kttredge Haskins pledged
$50 toward the fund. The young men
and women from New England have pop
ulated the West he said, and have made
it what it is today He pledged his
efforts TO secure better mail facilities tc
keep pace with the better railroad IA
clities He thought the government
would be willing to furnish mail clerk
on some of the trains to facilitate the
delivery of mail, in place of the present
| closed pouch service
John r Kaine thought the best way
| TO reponulate the farms would he Il