Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1915-03-05
STATE NEWS.

Charles w. Phelps, aged SO years, one
of Dorset's oldest residents, died Tues
day as a result of fall which frac-
tured his right hip. His death sewers a
marriage relationship of 62 years, as he
was married to Dims Hillord, Nov. TO-,
1852, and she survives. Their whole
married life had been spent in Dorset
Ira Smith, whose death at the Odd
Fellows Home in his 99th year was
noted last week, for over half a cen
fury and until his 95th year acted as
gatekeeper at the Caledonia county
fair. He was a native of Irasburg, but
most of his life was spent in st. John s.
bury and Passumpsic.
In fire early Saturday the handsome
private car Mariquita, owned by DR.. w.
Seward Webb, son-in-law of the late
Cornelius Vanderbilt, was totally de-
stroyed at the station at Shelburne,
where it was held to take the doctor
and party on western trip. the car
was one of the finest in the United
States and with its furnishings was
valued at more than 1926, 900.
Mrs. Cornelia F. Sherman, aunt of
the late Vice President James S.
/ Sherman and widow of William B.
Jackson died recently in Utica, N. Y.
She was born in Vergennes June 2,
1880, the daughter of Capt. Richard W..
Sherman. Until she was 18 years old
she lived in Vergennes and Burlington.
Her first marriage was with William
Mumford of Rochester, N. Y, who
died many years ago. Her second hus-
band was William jackson, who died 16
years ago.
The increase of $5O66 in the town
debt has caused the coming to the front
of many vigorous orators in Bristol.
And many are the reasons assigned for
the increase. At first it was all at
tributed to the schools. The figures,
however, fail to carry out this idea as
the schools last year cost 50, 800, while
the figures for this year show that the
directors expended only So, 300 The real
reason of the increase lays in the fact
that the voters failed to raise a tax suf-
ficiently large to cover the expenses.
At an entertainment in the State s
prison, Windsor, recently, presented by
the prisoners and attended by the entire
prison family and a large number of
townspe ople, between Si5 and $50 was
added to the fund being raised to pur-
chase a piano. The program. which was
of musical nature, was given in the
new chapel and included cakewalk,
ballad singing and topical selections in
which many Broadway hits were intro
duced. The prison band and a town
orchestra took part in the entertain
ment.
Saturday was a happy one for the
elderly women who comprise the family
at Sunset Home, for it mark ed the formal
opening of the beautiful new buildings
which replaces the one given in 1892 by
Mrs. H. O. Cushman of sic Common
wealth avenue, Boston The funds
which made the home possibility came
in small egaces and gifts except for
two donors, Miss Carrie Underwood
and Miss Jane Karr, who made the
home residuary legatee. The new
building cost nearly S11 200 and has ac-
comodations for eight women. The
home is in st. Johnsbury.
With a conclusion that rocked nearby
buildings and was heard for great dis
lance, the steam condenser in the tur-
bine plant of the Twin State Gas &
Electric company, which is located
in 81. Johnsbury, blew up Saturday.
The relief valve became plugged and
failed to work when the pressure be-
came too great for the condenser. Sew
eral workmen were in the building at
the time, but the only one injured was
Paul Guilmette. who was knocked
down. His injuries are not serious. All