The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-21

Mr.. Fits 5 heart and he never neg
iected an opportunity 10 interest
himself in any movement which had to
do with the development of that see
ton. He was a firm believer in the
feasibility of an extension OF the West
River railroad to provide an outlet for
the immense timbarlands in Stratton
and Somerset and although this pro
.cct never matcrillized his interest in
il no doubt had much to do with the
changing of the road from narrow to
standard gauge in 1905, the year when
toned We're sold through Mr.. Fits s
Office to Boston capitalists.
In 1912 he helped form the West
River Valley association, through
which greatly improved train service
on the West river road was brought
about and an increased interest i'll the
advantages of that locality as sum
mar resort was awakened.
Mr.. Fits active connection with
the negotiations which finally resulted
III Brattleboro 5 new union passenger
station and Vernon street improve
mcnts dated from 1908. when the town
named a special committee to handle
this important project. He was coun-
sci for this committee when it appeared
before the legislatures Of 1910 and 1912
and handled the legal details connected
with each step leading to the consum-
nation of the proposition. Throughout
/ those periods when antagonism against
! the Central Vermont interests was at
! its height Mr.. Fits s sound legal judg-
/ ment and keen foresight had much to
/ do with keeping Brattleboro s inter
ests paramount.
/ Much of Brattleboro's present indus
trial development is the result of Mr..
Fittss tireless energy, his broad grasp
of affairs and his wonderful aggressive
ness and MS capacity for bringing pro
/ iected matters to q successful conclu-
sion, working sometimes independently
and sometimes through the board of
trade, Of which he was an invaluable
member One Of the earlier manufac-
turing concerns which came largely
/ through his instrumentality was what Is
now the White River Chair Co. More
recently. principally through his eff
forts, has come the Fort Drummer cotton
mill, which is in the front rank of the
town 5 industries.
When the business of the s. \. Smith
Co. manufacturers of TOYS and various
lines of woodenware, seemed about to
go 10 pieces, Mr.. Fits WAS one of those
who reorganized the business as the s
A. Smith Mfg. Co, taking stock ans
becoming a director and legal represen
tative, and the business is now flourish
ing. He became stakeholder and di
rector in the Hooker, CoGser & Mitchell
Co, makers Of overalls and garments
when that concern was taken over by
W. II. Proctor and new associates from
three former directors, being instrument
tai in forming the new company and
doing the legal work. He represented
the Crowell interests in the controversy
over the purchase by the village from
the late George +. Crowell Of the Brat
tlebOro water system, and reorganizeC
that business under the name of the
Brattleboro Water Works Co. under pri
vate ownership. The list of enterprise,
in which he was interested as couu sci
stakeholder, director or other capacity
, might be continued almost indefinitely
rom the time he passed his b0yhpot
, Mr.. Fits took an active part III Re
publican politics aud became . familia
= figure in local caucuses and county, dis
trict and state conventions. HIS worl
was an important factor in placing
William 7. Dillingham; of Montpelie
in the United States senate and the lat
, Col Kittredge Haskins Of Brattlebor,
IL the house of representatives. He wa
! offered the position OF judge OF IN
United States court ut Cape Nome
, Alaska, at i salary OF - 800, but De
, fairs, although approaching the offer.
, lie gave freely of his time and en-
, eggy III campaigning for Republican
, candidates and filled numerous appoint
, ments for the Republican national com
5 mi.tee. He was forceful and incjsiv
speaker, always making a deep impres
|. sion upon his audience by his eonyint
ing logic.
In 1900 Mr. Fits was considered tn
tmos. representative young Rcpublica
for Brattleboro to send to the legisla
> ture, but on account Of a contest befor
the caucus he withdrew in favor 0
Judge L. l.. Waterman. Two years late
he was the nominee of his party, but wa
{ beaten at the election by the late D
!, James Conland, the license question b,
u ing pushed TO the front as the main an
; almost the only issue in the contest. /
Il 1904 he won the election over NJ. +.
x Moran, the Democratic nominee. II
? was then but "a years old. He serve
q, chairman OF the Judiciary commit
o and as 4 member OF the ways and NEAR
IS committee, two Of the most importa1
d committees
II II was at this session of the Iegisl
e. ture that the office of attorney gener
Is was created, the bill origin ating in Il
h senate, and Mr.. Fits was the choice
in the legislature to fill that importa
II position. lie served in that capaci
ID for two biennial terms with conspi2
Il GUS success. Notable among the eases
ne his first term was that OF Mary
ly Rogers of Bennington, who murder
ne her husband and who was executed
@ the state prison Dec. 8. 1905, after
Of prolonged legal battle which tool, I
n case to the United States supreme cot
a and III which counsel for thc WON
took advantage of every legal TECH
he calitv. Numerous other importa