Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-01-16
CONVENTION HALL TALK.
u. l.. Powell Declares That Aldermen
should DO something in the Matter.

Man /. Powell Monday night put 1t
squarely before the board of aldermen
that it was up to them" to do some
thing towards getting a convention hall
for Burlington Mr. Powell stated that
he did not come before the board welded
to any one scheme for providing the city
with adequate facilities for taking care
Of conventions. but he believed that some
thius should be done towards a conven-
ton hall and that It was up to the board
70 take the initiative. Mr. Powell APP
peared before the board at their adjourn
Cd meeting and at the conclusion OF his
remarks a motion was made and adopted
that the question Of a convention hall be
referred to Mayor Roberts so that MIR.
Roberts could consider the matter and If
De thought it advisable he could call the
board together in special session to con-
slider the matter
one OF the chief arguments advanced
by Mr. Powell was that 1t might be nee
cssary TO get some Legislation to enable
the city 70 build a city hall in the flu
turc. He said that the city attorney
should be requested to look into this phase
of the matter and that even II the city
took nc step at present towards building
a convention hail the necessary legisa-
tiou should be Introduced at the present
session OF the Legislature. The city would
tLon bo I'm It position to go forward with
any project it might wish to in the flu
turc.
Nj. Powell told the board that at
recent meeting in New York of the Am
crioan Lar association the matter of COM
ing to Darlington was considered. He was
obliged TO tell the members of that as
500 iatOn that while this city had the
foremost hotel accommodations in the
state 1t was lacking in convention hall
ac, ommodatiOns. The consequence was
that the bar association decided to go
to Montreal Nj. Powell pointed to the
fact that the Dairymen and Sugar Max
ers had voted not to return to Burlington
next year because of the lack of conVen-
ton hail accommodations.
If 1t Was a question of putting a con-
Vention hail on the market square that
would accommodate 1850 people, then
Mr.. Powell declared he was for such a
PROJECT or for any other that would in
sure the city an adequate building in
which to entertain visitors. At all events.
he urged the board to do something"
that would secure for Burlington the
presence of large conventions in the tu-
turc.
James T.. Burke who accompanied MIR.
Dwell to the board meeting, was not so
conservative in his arg Lments He deplor-
cd the fact that the board had already
authorized the expenditure Of $1,000 for
repairs to the present city hall building
and in a lengthy argument which he
admitted was a little late, urged the board
to consider the proposition of a new city
hail. Mr.. l'urke also made use of the time
worn arguments that the city has out
grown the present building and was driv-
ing conventions away from Burlington by
delaying in building adequate accommo-
dations.
In reply to Mr.. Burke's remarks, Alder
man Cowlcs stated that the matter of
the repairs to the present building had
been settled and unless there was some
valid reason that question should not be
reOpencd. Mr. Cowles. however. said that
the question of a convention hall was am
entirely different proposition and should
be considered as such Alderman Drew
allucd to the fact that in spite OF all the
arguments about conventions going else
where, there was no other city in the
state that had the hotel facilities for ac-
Commodating convention visitors.