The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-09
WILL NOT ENTERTAIN
SOLDIERS At CAPITAL
Meeting of Montpelier Citizens Decided
Against Proposition to Receive
Camp Devens Boys.

|
the matter.
Although the meeting which was helt
in the Montpelier city hall last evenin,
| for the purpose of extending the invita-
tion to the boys to come back home
voted down the matter in the next
. breath, upon motion of j. b. Estee il
voted to help the members of the Isl
Vermont regimeatal band finance TRIP
home and give money that is left over
from that trip to the treasures of Com.
panies +, C, III and Headquarters.
The meeting was called to order by
/ Mayor f. W. Mitchell, who explained
that committee had visited Governor
Graham Wednesday evening and that it
had been explained that the boys from
Camp Devens wanted to visit their state
again before going elsewhere. He then
, invited Governor Graham to explain the
proposition, which he did by reading a
letter from Mortimer Proctor of Proctor,
one of the soldiers In Camp Devens
Mr.. Proctor wrote for the boys there,
in which he stated that the boys want
ed to come to Vermont, that they wanted
to show the folks back home what can
be done with recruits in two months,
and that he believed it would be great
thing for recruiting the army when the
next draft takes place. Mr., Proctor ex-
planned the way to go at the proposition
to do its share in getting the soldiers
here and explaining that the other New
England states are anticipating similar
moves There are 500 men from Yer
mont in the 302d field artillery and Mr..
Proctor urged that the trip be pulled off
in the near future
Governor Graham then further ex-
planned that il the people of the state
could see the excuses which are being
made to the federal district board to get
the boys from service that they would
then appreciate the need of these boys
coming here. The thing was needed and
that while the expense would be some
thing like $4,000 he thought the fnanc-
ing of it would be easily met and ex
planned that the Vermont public safety
committee. through its executive, had
voted $1,000 TO the project.
Mayor Mitchell stated that as result |
of the conference the night before it was
thought that Montpelier would need to
expend about 81 900 and after a confer
ence it was stated that the state wodld |
paw portion OF tne amount.
Governor Graham said that he received |
telephone message from f. A. Rowland, |
who was working in Boston in the inter
ests of the proposition, by all means 10
pull off the stunt He has wired the in
terstate commerce commission for per-
nit for the railroads to give the state
excursion rate and that if this could be
obtained, the railroads had stated they
would do the job for one-half rate, or
SO 200. The reply from that commission
was not expected until tomorrow at the
earliest He urged that if the boys are
coming back to Vermont that they should
come to the capital city because it is the
home of the state government.
j. NJ. Boutwell, opposed the proposition,
stating that Y. NJ. G. A. campaign
starts next week and that Montpelier
must raise $4,000 and that he was one
of a committee who was to help in rails
ing the money. He urged that the plan I
could not be financed for $4,000, to II
which Mayor Mitchell took exceptions. {
During the course of his remarks Mr.. !
termed the plan az foolish. [
C. r. Lowe, treasurer of the Vermont {
public safety committee, urged the re-
suits obtained from bringing the boys
nome for this trip were good. II meant
great deal, he said. ~ them He agreed Y
With Mr. Boutwell, that il would be ex
,ensive but believed that the expense
,ut into this would be better used than
n some other projects that have been set ii
orth. He agreed that the Y. NJ. c. A. is '
loing great work and that the boys at o
he front from Vermont are being taken II
are Of n
In reply to the statement from Mr. n
Boutwell, that if there is any money to fl
,e spent it should he sent to the front,
Governor Graham stated that when Ma
or Ashley left this country there was
laced in his hands a sum of money
With advice that when it was reaching
epletion to notify Mr. Lowe or himself +,
nd il would be replcnished, so there a
-as no reason why the boys at the front
hould not have all they needed. In,
II. w. Kemp supported Mr.. Boutwell,, 6,
citing forth that expediency should be g
)llowed and that while he would do as
luch as anybody if il was voted to hold h,
he celebration he was opposed to II and a,
iought that the trip was not worth the a,
rice.
state Auditor benlamln tates mad 70
loved that the invitation be sent to the ~
,lders but the motion was voted down, ~
TO 20. r.,
Coming directly upon the heels of this
otion was the motion of j. r. Estee 20 -.
nance the trip home from Westfield for ~
le members of the regimental band at -
'estfeld Mr.. Estee called upon Ser ~
amt Best to explain his project. which g.
as that the band was coming here Fri 4.
" evening to give concert and ball. - -
e proceeds OF which was to give the r.
embers of the band a chance to come :,
Ick to Vermont before they left for -;
me other place and if there was any o., o.,
oney left over that il was to be divided L.,
nong the treasures of Companies c, F, e.
and Headquarters. Mr.. Estee then -,
owed that the chairman appoint a com .s
ittee to help in the sale Of tickets. ~
iich was voted without dissent and the -.
airman appointed as committee. T. B. 10
itee, David Spicer and J. p. Galleher -. 81
AMONG CASUALTIES col