The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-04-22
CIRCUIT EXPLAINS
ARMORY PLANS
AT NEWPORT
A Meeting of the Business
Men to Discuss
Proposition

~ mccllng OF the business men OF
Newport was held in the City Council
rooms Wednesday evening for the
purpose of discussing the Armory
proposition and listening to an eX-
planation of the situation by Lawyer
Aaron H. Grout, who is working hard
to convince the people of the city the
absolute necessity of appropriating
the amount of money needed to put
the proposition over and get the WORK
on the construction Of the building
started as soon as possible.
Nh. Grout went over the plans for
The armory with II. O. Smith, the
local contractor, three weeks ago, and
at that time, Mr., Smith estimated the
total cost of the almory $62 900,
which including the building of a
proper addition to accommodate the
city Offices. Were the armory built
on the plan of the st. Johnsbury ar
mory, it would cost in the vicinity of
$4,000 The city has already voted
an appropriation of $4,000 and now
the question is will the voters of the
city decide to spend an additional
$4,000 and furnish quarters for the
city government in the new building.
To build a balcony on each side of
the drill hall and eight feet above the
hall would mean about $4,000 more,
bringing the total cost of the armory
up to about S65,000. However, with
building ma.eri"ls going up at the
..ate of eight to ten per cent, the total
cost will be a great deal higher unless
he question is settled Immediately
md work on the building is started.
The state, Mr.. Grout said, has
promised to accept and sign the
building contract just as soon as the
city votes to complete the almory
rhe states share will be $4,000.
at seems we must build the arm
ory,'' Mr.. Grout declared 1--WE woulo
lang our heads in shame with the
company here if we dumped this pro
position. 1t is probable the compan!
would be disbanded in 80 days. The
bows have been counting on this an'
there would be no enthusiasm lef
we're this proposition to be dropped.
Nh. Grout stated that he had OBJ
aimed the consent of the adjutant
general to waive all sentiments re
garding the architecture of the arm
Dry. The acknowledgement said b
would be satisfied with whatever tn
;ity was satisfied with. Mr.. Grou
stated that large plate glass windoN
would probably be put in on the Eaa
,ide of the building, and said that
might be advantageous to build tn
city offices on the first floor.
MI. Grout said that if we build a
almory on the plan of the St. Johns
bury one, we will have furnished tn
company with something they war
but not something suitable to thel
means. That almory was built t
accommodate a company of DO mei
while the Newport outfit has 110 me1
the largest number in the state
"The city should make the increas
appropriation" Mr.. Grout SAID. i
is certain to result in substantla
saving in the end.
Mavor Gardner in expressing HI
opinion on the subject said: "Ther
isn't bunch of boys in the state tina
deserve an armory more than I'M
bunch here. We must have the arm
orv and the only question before u
is the kind Of an almoly we want.
Mr. Grout said that there WASH
any argument about whether or no
we should have the armory but tina
the question was. whether it was ad
visablc or economical to have the clf
Offices in the building.
In explanation of the charge 10 D
made by the state for the rent OF IN
armory for the city offices and 10 10
public gatherings, Mr. Grout READ IN
following letter received from AdJu
tont General johnson in reply to
telephonic communication on the SUB
jcct: .;.
an reply to your telephone in4ulr
Of Yesterday as to the sum that woul
be charged the City OF Newport 10
rent of the Municipal Offices that !
desires to have built as part OF IN
Almory for the use of the City II IN
City of Newport gives the lot upoI
which the Armory is erected and Il
addition guarantees the completion 0
the building, it would be the oplnlo'
of the present Board of Al1mory Com
missioners that only such an amour
be charged as would reimburse tn
state for the additional cost of hea
and janitor service. This could b. b.
easily determined in comparison W.T.
cost of maintenance of other Stat
Armories of same size.
at would be expected, howevei
that all necessary changes and repair
that would subsequently be required
Continued on page fvc)