The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1913-02-27

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A@~a 6ussa aaa ema A. Gear
liause aud Coaufg BuiienF Tor AZ
ste tnss whth . 'FegFres ~ Tx
laemeg n uiineaaea ~hp v#fe call
aa % tiiaes Hss9 prs mahl9 ffota
ths osamracsiou os ere cauu lionss
n La RFwsi loeaasen iA 1884 Ths
balaiar firw eauHfattsd sas "a
tmaiier eimeneinn2 Aha iats# aisouI
iK4s aaa Nv extended as n maks
ibe noan rpon Ai.0ei double 10
f8fmef eEs gamf farther improve
mtam ~ the hmldsnr Were made
atoul 1859 b Iht County ths root
Al that tlsue hFifr raised several
fo~a siili later a. addition Nas
bulh comprising she judges rom.
lApsrfw paom ans jury room and
TeaeFal refaiw Were made Al a ssill
later date There u no record Is 70
who paSd me ~ pence 81 tho earlf
eeiaip ~ me building bat the r.
pGira mnBs Within Feeent years
hayg bneu paid for by the conaiy
fhe Court House was erected upon
he so-eMllod meeting honss. lot
tcinE plege of pghlif land In the
center n the village u Manchester
belonging 10 The town The first
addition to the coutt House Vas
cr~,ea upan this piece q land
but use second addition. made about
I l99o was built upoB land bcionging
/ 10 the Equinox Hoiel Company
There Is no ree0rd Of any trans
fer ~ lb@ tltle 10 the land 90 which
he Court House stands. from the
Town 70 the County or 10 any other
party. ana there la no record show
ing any title Of the County 20 said
land except 10 said piece on the east
end outside u the meeting house
lot. on which the addition was
erected about 1909 There WAS nc
evidence In the case that the County
contributed 10 any way 20 the funds
Tor the building OF the Court Huus,
8ln 1899 During all the time IN
which the memory Of witnesses re-
latsa TO the Court House has beet
used for County purposes aud b
the County for the purpose Of hold
ling once year the Bennington
County Court therein; aud during
very large part OF the time one OF
the rooms 81 said building has been
I'm use a. Probate office, and dur
ing the latter portion OF the time
at least. the building has been in
charge OF a jauitor who was employ
ed by the County aud paid by the
Counts. The Court room has been
used FOR religious meetings thea
trieal performances, eaucuses, fun
erals. and FOR town meeting pur-
poses every other year, as well az
Tor purposes Of fire district meetings
and village meetings The bell In
the building has been used as the
/ ire bell for the village Of Manehes-
ter as occasion required. Formerly
The Court House was unlocked and
the people came and went for the
purposes OF public meetings without
asking leave OF anyone who repre-
sfnted the County. latterly the build
ing has been locked and several keys
provided. One Of these keys mas
been IN the possession of each OF
The following men The Probate
Judge, the County Clerk, aud the
janitor There does not appear e
have been any question OF title OF
claim Of title made by anyone 70 oc.
cupy the Court House. aside from
the County. aud against the rights
Of the County. and no claim of right
to occupy appears TO have been
made Until within few years, when
this claim was made IA behalf OF the
Village Of Manchester. The Tow
held a town meeting in the Court
House in 1886, aud beginning with
1872 It held meetings there ~every
alternate year until within the last
few years. and for the last Is year
Il has been the place of meeting OF
the incorporated Village. and pre-
ylous 70 that for 22 years by the
fire district of Manchester which
was terdtorially eo-cxistent with
the Incorporated Village and whose
and rights were taken oyel
under its charter by the incorporate
cd Village
fhe room IN the northwest corner
0f the Court House now occupied by :
the Town Clerk Of Manchester was
occupied as early as 1889 as
dental office. Charles +. Oryis.
dentist at that time. cut dooi
through, painted and papered bn;
room for the use Of II one year, but =
saa unable 10 state with whom he
made such arrangement The room /"
gas afterwards occupied by Judge =
.oveland Muuson as law office toi g
many years, but II did not appear
lnder what arrangement. For some =
ime while he was occupying this p
ffice Judge Munson was Town o.
Jerk During portion of this y
me az least, Judge Munson was 6
Nv partner OF Judge Burton who OF
Jas Probate Judge This room has q
ecently been occupied by the Town ~
lefk Of Manchester. which occu
ancy has occasioned the bringing Of y
,e sui, Ia question TO determine ~
he title Of the Court House pro e'
ry 81
For many years after ifs con
ruciion. and until 1872. the Town W
40 not held is meetings III the
curt House with the exception Of
L. saa.sffsts b.EA a. flgr ,ba, .ae ~