Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-18
GROWTH OF VERMONT CITIES AND
TOWNS.
(From the Barre Times.)

The Barre Times discusses the census
bureaus estimates of population in Yer
mont, which, curiously, do not include
Brattleboro in the list of large towns
The figures for the so-caled five largest
cities and towns are as follows: Burling-
ton 2l,541, Rutland 14,417 Barre II, 7O6 Ben
mngton $3.50, st. Johnsbury 1851. We
imagine that all of these figures are too
small. The Times speaks of the piping
town of Brattleboro." and thinks it would
not be surprising if it numbered among
the 500 class For the benefit of the
contemporary we will sa: that no town
IN the State has forged ahead as rapidly
is Brattleboro in the past four years
and all the indications on which popula-
ton figures are based tend to show that
Brattleboro'S population at the present
time is between 5000 and 10000 We be-
lieVe our home town ranks fourth among
the large communities of Vermont to-
day. and In banking business, postoffice
receipts, etc, which are something Of an
index to towns business, 1t is ahead
of Barre, Bennington and St Johnsbury
There is no doubt whatever that Brat
tleboro has been making considerable adj
vance IN population during recent years
ana we are inclined to think that the
town is well along with St. Johnsbury
ana Bennington at the present time
however, there always is a tendency for
local 2timators to set the figures too high
because, perhaps, Of excess of enthusi-
assn, with the result that when the ac-
tual count of noses is made the figures
are disappointing. such enthusiasm,
for instance, seems to cause the Rutland
News to go contrariwise to the estimates
OF the census bereau and to assert with
1lnality that Rutland now leads and has
lead for several years past, all other YER
mont towns in the matter of growth"
When as matter of careful calculation
the census bereau gives Barre the great
est growth of the cities and large towns
III the period from the time of the last
census In 1910 to the present time. The
cdiculdtlons IN the census bureau give
the annual growth of Barre as 23l people,
as previously stated in this paper, while
the same calculations give Rutland a
growth of 2O7 annually There ;s NOT
much difference, to be sure. but mas
much as Rutland's population was some
what in excess Of Barrels in 1910 natho-
NAUTICAL computation would give Barre n
percentage of growth somewhat moro
marked than the actual figures would
indicate we trust that the esteemed
contemporary is prepared to give other
communities in Vermont certain degree
of credit for progressivsm, while at the
same time 1t is exuberant over the
growth of its own community.
For our part, we are pleased that Rut-
land is doing so well as the estimate of
the census bureau shows also that Brat
tleboro is feeling quite big over its size
The positions taken by both the contem-
poraries mentioned reveal that a new
spirit has come with the renewed impetus
TO growth and that the number of grow
ing towns is increasing In such a man
ner as to counterfeit the decline or stag
nation OF many other communities. Every
bit Is going to help boost Vermont's fig
,'ures of actual population In 1920, a thing
IMuch to be desired