The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-21
CLARKE c. Fits.
Continued from Page H.

fishers Paper Co, and that IS how Mr.. 4,
Fits came to represent the concern !
the past several years. lie continued
also TO he Mr.. Hall s counsel in per
sonal matters up 10 the present time.
including Mr. Halls connection with
the Motor Petrol Co.. which operates
reiincrics in New jersey.
The ease Of greatest local interest re
Gently in which Mr.. Fits was engaged,
with able assistance, was the now
widely-known action Of tn Hooker,
Corser n Mitchell Co. of Hrattleboro
against former directors of l4at concern,
which resulted in an award of heavy
damages for the plaintiff company, after
being heard in several high courts.
Mr.. ritts numDarel long mis- eli
ents. other than those elsewhere men
toned, the Conway Lumber Co, having
large holdings in the White mountains,
the New England Power Co. and Con.
uecticut River Power Co. and allied
power companies, the International Pa
Per GO. in various special matters, the
Fall Mountain Electric Light ! Power
60. of Bellows Falls, the Clarcmont Pa
per Co., al the paper companies in Bel
/ lows Falls ii the tax matters growing
out of the state boundary line con
/ trovefsy, the Deerfcld Lumber corpora
/ tioa as general counsel, the Central Yer
mont and Boston d Maine railroads in
various matters, the Peoples National
I bank, the Vermont National bank, the
| Rrattleboro Trust Co.. the Vermont
Savings bank, the Estcy Organ Co, the
/ White River Chair Co., the s. 4. Smith
Mig. Co., the Fort Dummer Mills. the
I Hooker, Corscr & Mitchell Co. and many
other firms, institutions and individuals.
lie was successful in prosecuting the
claims OF many poor persons against
large corporations, and he consistently
declined propositions from a number of
corporations to become their general
counsel, which would prevent him from
bringing actions against them.
Mr.. Fits was one of the founders of
the immense power system which now
HervcS 50 large a part Of New England.
/ When in 1902 the idea of building z
dam across the Connecticut river at
Brattleboro was revived after having
lain dormant since 1883, Mr.. Fits was
che of the most enthusiastic believers
in the project, and appeared as counsel
for local committee at several hear
ings before the legislature Of that wear
from which q charter was secured after
much difficulty. He also represented
Brattlehoro at hearings before the
New Hampshire legislature early in
1903 when a similar charter was pro
cured in that state
After this enabling legislation had
been secured Mr.. Fits was made coun.
sci for the local committee whose task
was 10 interest outside capital in the
venture. As representative from Brat
tl'boro in the legislature of 1904 he
q, secured important amendments to the
. original charter, and il was largely
: through his instrumcntality, in the face
ct much skcpticism that the Chace.
HERMAN interests were induced to
undertake the project Legislation
/ which made the construction Of the
. Connecticut river liam possible WA,
. finally secured from the New Hamp
shire legislature in March. 1907. and
the work OF building began early that
! summer Mr.. Fits was the directing
head Of all the legal work incident t.
. tb" formation Of the corporations which
furnished funds for the enterprise
e sad during the progress of these nego
tlatious he had constantly in mind tn.
Welfare Of Brattlohoro His connec
ton with the power project continued
after the completion Of the Vernon de
: Felo2ment. Upon his shoulders fll the
/. the task of making legally possible the
construction Of the immense storage
reservoir ut the head Of the Deerfialj
= river in the town Of Somerset, and tn,
g building of q series Of power plants on
. this stream between Wilmington an,
tEa Hoosac tunnel.
Mr.. Fits believed that Vermont >
p. hope Of future industrial development
j. lay I'm the conservation of the state >
: water supply and with characteristic
/. enthusiasm he never lost an oppor
j. tunitv 70 preach this doctrine. He wa
]: anxious to see established at the head
waters OF every important watercours
: q storage reservoir which would equal
! ize the stream flow throughout tn
IT year and minimize periods of drouth
Largely through his efforts the las
T. legislature passed bill tmpowerin
: thc governor to appoint a commissio
IS with authority to investigate fcasibl
- locations from such reservoirs and II
d. port - the general assembly of 1917.
= The benefits that have come t
}" Hrattleboro during the past l. veal
= through the Thomas Thompson fun
:" were made possible largely by reason {
= Mr.. Fits 5 connection with this cas-
When the terms Of this now famo,
+. viii became operative upon the deaf
4 Of Mrs. Thompson in 1899 Mr.. Fits,
company with Judge f. l.. Watcrma
AL aad Dr. II. y. Holton, was appoint,
in 20 re resent the Brattleboro beuefc
.
~ litigation which resulted after near
- two years in decree in the su2reu
judicial court of Massachusetts, wher
hv Brattlrboro secured two thirds
the iucom, of the estate after the go
testing heirs had been placated with
sum of 100000.
The welfare Of the towns in t