JANUARY, 1904. RESOURCES INDUSTRIES IOC. CO. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY CHARLES S. FORBES, St. Albans. Vermont. L $lv E A AR H8»«!S1 W$ i^Al^ t w. WINTER DAIRYING U everywhere increasing in popular favor and with tht help of a MM Cream Separator brings in cash when ordinary farming operation! are at a stand-still. NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY a separator end get the benefit of the highest prices of the year for the cow's product. THE DE LAVAL IS VERY MUCH THE BEST CREAM SEPARATOR in erery respect, and saves flO.OO^per cow each year of use. SEND FOR FREE CATALOGUE EXPLAINING DE LAVAL SUPERIORITY. The De Laval Separator Go. NBW INSLAMD »«EWTS: STODDARD MFG. CO.. Rutland. Vt. 7* Gortlandt Street, NEW YORK. I m 1 1 4m^ ^*mm>kmm>mm mmMmmmmm& THE VERMONTER ADVERTISEMENTS. Buy the U. S. Separator and hud it an anchor that will keep you from drifting onto the rocks of discouragement and loss. Nothing like it to make Money and save Labor. THE U. S. SKIMS CLEANEST AND WEARS LONGEST, .1 Omaha. Address i Bellows 1 II?, Vi. Write for illustraU Vermont Farm Machine Co., Bellows Falls, Vt. THE VERMOXTER— ADVERTISED ENTS. WOODBURY GRANITE CO.'s CUTTING PLANT NO. 1. THIS CUT of our plant is the latest we have but it does not show all there is to it. Other additions have been made or are under way. It does not show what is most im- portant of all— that it is equipped with the most complete machinery known to the trade. This, together with the size of our plant makes it unquestionably the largest producer of fin- ished granite in the country; if not in the world. This was proven conclusively in the competition for the Pennsylvania State Capitol, for which we are now producing the finished granite. What better proof that industrial Vermont is coming to the front— for this is probably the largest, single contract ever let in granite, and it came to Vermont because this State has the best quality of granite and the largest and best equipped plant to produce it. Again, it is probably the largest single contract of any kind that ever came to Vermont— Who shall say then 'that Vermont is not forging to the from ? We might write volumes about our Woodbury quarry— but we will simply say it is admitted to be the finest granite quarry for mation in the world. VIEW mi PARI "i ,11 UtRY N". I. PENNSYLVANIA STATE CAPITOL. At Hard wick and Woodbury we produce the Woodbury Gray, but we have at Bethel, Vt., another complete quarry and cutting plant and it is among the four or five largest in point of size in the State. There we produce? the whitest granite known ; whiter than the average marine. This too is being used in sonic of the finest buildings, architecturally, that are under construction today. Don't be surprised if you hear of Hardwick oc casionally. — It is growing faster than any town in the State. Help of all kinds is in great demand. It is the workingman's opportunity. Come to Hard wick and grow up with the town. Remember as when you are in need of anything in granite— it does not matter what— nothing is loo large— nothing is too small. Woodbury Gmjite Co. GEORGE H. BICKFORD, Manager. H&rdwicK, - Verrpont. THK VERMONTER ADVERTISEMENT THE Power Traveling Crane Has become a necessity in the plant of the up-to-date manufacturers of Marble, Granite and other Stone. NTo modern plain is complete without one. : : The Powek Traveling Crane reduces the cosi of handling stone to a minimum; it facilitates the execution of orders and is a safeguard againsl losses from breaking and chipping finished work. NTo manufacturer can afford to ignore these import- ant points. OUR CRANE possesses many valuable features over other cranes now in the market. it is Correct in Design, Pebfect in Gonbtb0< i\<<\. it La imiit of the Bbsi Mai briaui bj is n txioi mt Wobkmi v. ah parts are 8< tEH in icallt Figured as to strength :it ave timea the Bated Load. The Location of the Operators Seat Expedites the Cabbttng and the Acodh \tk Placing <>f the Lo id. Bj our patented method of rope driving the Cab 1b Operated with the Minimum oi i;>w i iB, at the -nine time C lbbi wg and Soei uhing the M ixmou Load. SIMPLICITY Of OONBTBUCTIOH and GBEA1 9TBBNGTH and BA81 Of OPEBATION are features that eommend themselves t" all. Oi k Cbanes are made with capacity of 10, 30 and 10 tons. They are In aneoesnful operation In many ol the largest manufaotnrlng plants In 1 1 1 « • country. We are prepared to furnish plans and working drawings oi the must approved types of Stone Pj \n i s, and can give patrons the benefit of a Long and varied experience. HONTPELIER, VERMONT. Send for Catalogue if Interested in Power Traveling Cranes. The Lane nanufacturing Company, \ j THE VERMONTER— ADVERTISEMENTS. m Jones & Lamson MACHINE COMPANY. m I WORKS OF THE JONES & LAMSON MACHINE COMPANY, SPRINGFIELD, VT. Builders of Turret f\ubioery 1 W Springfield Vermont. St. Albans Messenger Gompany Printers. Publishers. Binders. PROPRIETORS OF THE ST ALBANS DAILY AND WEEKLY MESSENGER EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR VIEWS OF BUILDING. \ COBHEB IK QEKEBAI OFFICE. KDITOB'8 BOOM. KDITOB'S -iam BOOM. BATTBMT Ol LTJCOTTPBS IX KMW8 COMPOSING BOOM. I i;.>n i \ ikw 01 iu ll. DIM,. -K.CTIONAI- VIEWS <>| l'IU>- It" >< »I ■ PARTIAL VltW i>K BUDBBT. A SF.CTK >N ol 11IK B""h. AM' .lull BOOM. THE VERMONTER— ADVERTISEMENTS. ESTABLISHED PORTY YEARS. FAIR HAVEN MARBLE AND MARBLEIZED SLATE CO., FAIR HAVEN, VERMONT. QUARRYMEN AND MANUFACTURERS OF SLATE GOODS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS. Our work may be found in fifty thousand homes. Among the articles produced are mantel pieces of a wide range of styles and prices, in imitations of more than fifty varieties of rare marbles. They will not shrink or stain Then there are Billiard Table Beds, Electric Switch Boards, the demand for which is rapidly on the increase; wainscoting for Halls, Laboratories and Toilet Rooms. Indeed, slate in some form is found to be useful in many places in public and pri- vate buildings— both in city and country. Some of the prominent qualities of slate are strength, density and durability. Particular attention is asked to our MONTVERT LAUNDRY TUBS AND SINKS. These are strong and durable and will not rust. None other is so easily kept clean and sweet. Will last a generation. Ask your plumber for them. FOR USES IN CREAMERIES AND COOLING ROOMS.-Cement floors are common. It must however be observed that this material absorbs whatever falls upon it more readily than any other. Marble and Sandstone, though absorbing less freely, are quite unfitted for this place. A floor of slate has no rival. The strength of slate is many times that of most other stones. It is absolutely impervious to oils, acids and alkali. The refuse which gathers upon a floor may be readily, quickly and entirely washed away by the use of a small amount of alkali and water, not an ounce will be absorbed. For these reasons floors and shelves in Cooling Rooms and Refriger- ators should be of slate. Enquire further. GRAVE BOXES OR CASKET HOLDERS.— Many in use and the number increases. These are placed in graves and the casket lowered into them. There is no falling in of grave and re- mains may be disintered if ever necessary. They are indestructable. Send inside dimension. Particular attention is called to our Montvert Slate, a handsome green in color, for Stair Treads and Plat- forms, also Urinal, Water Closet and Shower Bath Stalls. This material is also made into roofing slate and is the best and handsomest on the market today. Address as above. GENERAL VIEW OF VERMONT MARBLE CO'S MILLS AND SHOPS, PROCTOR, VT. THE VERMONTER ADVERTISEMENTS. finest Dark Barrc Graiv ite. THE BOUTWELL QUARRIES AT HARRE. THESE are the largest and best equipped Dark Granite Quarries in Vermont, and enjoy 8 most enviable reputation for the quality and beautiful color of the product. All stock furnished is guaranteed free from imperfections. With our present facilities, we are prepared, at all times and on short notice, to supply stock even of the largest dimensions. Orders promplh attended to. quarries at barre, vt. P. O. Address, JAMES M . BOUTWELL. MONTPELl er, Vt ▼^L '▼N.JL. T\A ESTEY ORGAN CO., MANUFACTURERS OF Pipe apcl Reed Org&o? apd Pi&pos. AT THE FRONT ALW/\Y5. WORKS OF THE ESTEY ORGAN COMPANY BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT. Full loforrpation or) Application- THE VERMONTER— ADVERTISEMENTS. VERMONT /Mutual Fire lusumjce Co., MONTPELIER, VERMONT. CARRYING INSURANCE FOR OVER FORTY THOUSAND J* VERMONTERS. a* Amount Insured : £ 63.556.l69.OO. Capital and Assets : $ 5.482.403.9I. FRED E. SMITH, PRESIDENT. JAMEST. SABIN, SECRETARY. WILLIAM T. DEWEY, TREASURER. HAS A LOCAL AGENT IN EVERY TOWN. ►|« >§• #$• #f» *?• *§• •#• »$• *t» *!• #9* *?• «§• *f* *f* *?/• ?/• •$• »§• !#• *t* «f /• *f» *?• •§• •!?<» •§• ••« ifr ►[« |EureHa Slate Quarries? *> *» 4. 4. 4. 4» 4» 4. 4» 4. 4. 4» 4. THE OLDEST AND LARGEST UNFADING GREEN QUARRY IN THE UNITED STATES Opened in Poultney, Vermont, in 1855. Eureka, Unfading Green and Mottled Roofing Slates Made by the most Modern and Improved Machinery, in any desired size or thickness. Special attention to Architects' Specifications. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4» a. tuttle, -rreas. Fair Haver?, Verrr)or;t. 4 4 *|* ►!*•§* *4*«|- «4\* •j-*|* •4**4- •9**4. •|*»4« •|x»4« •^•^m •$* •!• •$* »4« •§«*|« •§»•§» ♦§» ty ty |0< i0i ►!« THE VERMONTER— ADVERTISEMENTS. AlAAA.^................................................ ........................ . . . . . . TO YBRMONTBR Established in 1895. An Illustrated State Magazine. Devoted Exclusively to Vermont Interests and Vermonters at Home and Abroad. INTERIOR VIEW OF THE OFFICE OF THE VERMONTER. Subscription Price, $1.00 a Year in Advance. The Magazine is discontinued when subscription expires, unless renewed Subscribe now and begin with the new year. —Old subscribers should re- new at once for 1904 Notable articles by Distinguished Vermonters in 1904. Newsdealers, Postmasters and Publishers are Authorized Agents. The blank found in another part of this Magazine may be used by New Sub- scribers wishing to send one dollar to the publisher direct. Currency may be sent by mail at the risk of The Vermonter. CHARLES S. FORBES, Publisher, St. Albans, Vt. mm .~7 ■&■■ Tmi¥EM®OTB^ Vol. IX. COPYRIGHT 1903. BY CHAS. S. FORBES [ANUARY, 1904. No. 6. INTRODUCTION By Hon. Joseph A. DeBobr. ' I "HE press of the State has been giving con- siderable discussion to what has been called a New Vermont or a Greater Vermont. The first title has been sometimes used in the idea that it somehow had reference to the legis- lation of 1902, by which half a century of pro- hibition was supplanted by a license law. I have never understood that men who used either of the foregoing expressions in its true- intent designed to limit their meaning to that inferior idea. It was used to express rather their conviction of a change in tendency and in increasing industrial, commercial and finan- cial work throughout the State, of modifica- tion in old time political opinion, of actual and prospective increase in population, and of a true impulse in the direction of a broader development of our opportunities and duties, which they believe exist, and to which they are glad to give their best co-operation and support. They do not expect to legislate values into existence or to jack up the grand list by statute or suddenly to vastly change the opportunities for thrift and profit by a new State policy on the liquor question or on an\ other question. They do believe that wise laws, and particularly the enforcement of wise- laws, will help these matters along, and they believe, also, that there- does exist to-day in Vermont the impulse of a new strength and a more active desire for new work, directly traceable to the people. Their purpose is to take hold of that fact, to fix it in the minds of all and to seek the substitution of that idea of practical work in Vermont by Vermonters for what some years back they feel has been rather the reverse. It is true to-day, for example, that a great many voters regard State affairs of more direct concern to their welfare than mere outside matters, and they are coming to demand, accordingly, while Federal issues shall not be disregarded, that State issues, State needs, State economies and State accounting shall neither be lightly viewed nor totally ignored. Main' men also think seriously over the fact, especially where local experience has empha- sized it, that the State has added and is now receiving a considerable number of foreigners to its lists. These new-comers are beginning to till its fauns, handle its slate, carve its marbles. cut its granite, help run its shops, and, more than that, are beginning to influence our modes and kinds of thought. They declare that these men are here to work and to stay, to make values and homes here, to raise their families here, and that they are not merely savin- Vermont from the odium of an adverse census, but, in fact, are most valuable and worthy citizens, making large contributions to INTRODUCTION. its wealth and being in no small degree respon- sible for its progress. They strongly favor, on merit, and urge, as good public policy, the recognition of these new elements into the life of the State and one other fact of equal impor- tance, that our native-born youths to-day enjoy and are influenced by a different environment from that of yore. Therefore they think that Vermont is undergoing a change in impulses and in sentiment, as it ought to do and as it must do to keep up with and somewhat ahead of the average work in its sister States. Those who have used the expressions of a New or a Greater Vermont believe and admit this fact, and they also are inclined to urge it as good public doctrine and policy for the State to act upon, to get the benefit of and to use in its material development, rather than to stop it or give it friction by neglect. They declare for an earnest and active work, locally distrib- uted as far as possible, and hold that it is lean wisdom to stay set, with nothing doing, when the rest of the country is clearly reaching after the benefits of expansion and public improve- ments everywhere. A man may retire from business if he sees fit, but there is no standing still for a State, and least of all for such a State as this, whose history, whose composi- tion and whose opportunities alike commend it to prosperity and growth. Self-government is not and was not designed to be the dead rot of a machine-made directory, but the living force of applied conclusions, reached by full, frank and free debate and enforced by an hon- est and independent vote. Vermont self-gov- ernment has been very honorable, because ex- ceedingly conservative, and there does not exist now any desire to exchange quantity for quality in this respect. It is solely that men to-day feel the need of a somewhat greater action, if our people everywhere are to hold a position of equality, if not of relative advan- tage, in the competitive exchange of services and values in their times. Not one of them would detract a single word from the great praise and respect which is deservedly due to the men and achievements of Old Vermont. They hold those men and their times in the most abiding and loyal esteem ; but, then, too, they think it no crime to declare the reverse of some ancient propositions and, in their stead, say that Vermont is as good a State to live in as to leave, to make money in as another, if the work is put up, and todevelop, if we rightly use the wealth at our doors, and that it is and should be kept as a State of oppor- tunity, in which the idea should be cultivated of developing its own resources, of sustaining its own people, of really backing up its own public servants, of giving youth, and particu- larly our own educated youth, a chance to work, of securing good local administration everywhere and of tending most of the time, to use a homely phrase, to our own shop. This is not meant to imply the slightest disinterest in public questions outside of this State, but it is meant to imply and to declare that we will probably contribute most to the common coun- try by first making Vermont agriculturally more fruitful, educationally more progressive, industrially more constructive, commercially more active and competitive and just as fair in the distribution of working results among all the people as it can possibly be done. While such work cannot be done all at once, it can be honored in the observance, it can be made the rule of debate, and of belief and efforts to that end can be initiated, as has been already done in many of the larger cities and towns, in every town of the State. The people have the power. There is already a good momentum, and it is sustained by the ablest papers in the State. What the think- ing men of the State want are better roads, a right use of public charters, intelligent super- vision of corporations, a wisely spent tax, the best attainable public schools, the increase and protection of our forests, better attention to the local government of our towns and more attention in their proper time to affairs of State than to less relevant issues. They want largely attended and honest primaries, pure elections, opportunities on merit, prompt and effective execution of laws, and investments of money within the State. It is upon the exist- ence of more of this kind of thought, opinion and desire and of ambition to seek prosperity, thrift and honor, rather in ourselves than wholly in the past, that the idea and term of a New or a Greater Vermont is founded. In this sense it is a good working idea, wholly true and practicable and bound to achieve results of value, if accepted and acted on, especially by the young men of the State, in all of its villages, cities and towns. It will in due time mean better farms, better roads, better schools, better business, better shops, better work, better local self-government, more benefits to INTRODUCTION. go around, a better chance for all and a grow- ing prosperity for the State. This idea and this purpose surely, even if not to-day every where sustained by the facts, are in general upheld by the census, by increased bank de- posits, by a growing grand list, by a more active and more independent interest in public affairs and by more- active work in the offices of the State. As an idea it may be called optimistic or sentimental, or both, but it has the weight of a fact and, as a working proposi- tion, it is mightily more friendly to the best interests of our people's future than inaction or destructive criticism. I say this from some acquaintance with the history of Vermont, believing that it has made- progress all of the time, and that to-day it is stronger, wealthier and better as a State in which to live and work and enjoy the benefits of republican institutions than ever before. It has changed in some aspects of its social and family life, but not for the worse. Its position in the country at large is relatively as good. At no time have its sons at home and its grad- uates abroad been more numerously identified with the country's military, civil, commercial, colonial and diplomatic work. Never have its natural resources undergone more active con- version. At no time in half a century has the public conscience been more active or more open on questions of State and Federal poli- cies than now, except, of course, the period of the Civil War, when all Vermont, without regard to parties, rose to heroic heights in the discharge of its duty as a State. Hence to- day men are found advocating measures which for years were kept strenuously suppressed. The idea is dominant once more that reforms and progress come from the people and not from within party organization and that slen- der voting margins between parties may mean greater margins of public service, and, finally, that public trusts are best discharged by the best men without so drastic a regard for party supervision as used to be the rule. The idea stands for clean towns, good streets, plenty of light, pure water supply, decent sewers, lire protection, proper sanitation, well-kept homes, attractive public buildings, the best attainable schools, — everything, in short, that will do most men the most good on the pure merit of these questions. Men interested in talking this idea are merely seeking to do work on a living basis. They are for arbitrating troubles instead of hatching them. They are trying to be honest in their logic and its use and simply urge that in our times we shall strive for what the forefathers sought in theirs, to find out what is right and best for the greatest number and do that with the utmost speed ourselves rather than in the slow hope that it will do it- self. There is much of this new impulse at work in Vermont^ as will be indicated in the special articles to which these words are only insuffi- cient preface. It is not that the advocates of a New, or Greater, or Better, or More Prosper- ous, or More Active, Vermont, or by whatever term one may choose to call it, think less of its past that they urge responsibilities upon the present, but that they believe in honoring that past best by its extension and by handing it down to future generations, not impaired, but improved by the greater opportunities which we to-day enjoy. There is no such thing as standing still with honor in this con- test of economies and material progress, either here where we live or in New England at large. Consequently, it has become necessary to pay more attention to the conservative and scientific financing of our towns and to admit that the small office and the work of the man in it (as distinguished from our offices for honor) usually more nearly touches the citi- zen in his daily life. Fill it carefully and edu- cate new material up to the point of filling it. Attend to the work of the town meetings and to every article in the warning. It is simply public business and should be done properly and thoughtfully. The voters themselves are the legislators there. Send your best men to the legislature, your hard headed men of good sense and good judgment, hard workers after their arrival there as well as before their elec- tions. It is not good self government for the people to be pushed too often from their seats Taxes should be made as light as possible and bear equally, but a well-spent tax is a good thing and buys more public advantages and services than money usually does. 11' a tax stands between good and wise administration of municipal or state affairs, raise the tax but do so equitably, spend it carefully and then exact a true accounting for the results. Good public institutions are good things but it takes taxes and genuine supervision to make them so. Geographical distinctions in State matters MINERAL RESOURCES. are myths. If a mountain stands between you and the man you want, cross the mountain. Good measures require good men. As meas- ures know neither age nor point of compass, so men should be chosen for their uses to the State in the furtherance of such measures and for the discharge of public work. Private cor- porations look for the best men and do not often ask about their politics or their residence. This is pure, ordinary, public, sixteen-ounce business, practically self-evident to all. It is also true of clinging close to good public servants, as Vermont has always so honorably and so profitably done, and especially in the case of the judiciary. It is doubtless wise (and adherents of the "new" idea also believe in this doctrine) not to make changes in the statutes too often, well written general laws, with special legislation reduced to a minimum, being the serviceable public course. When a new idea comes to the front and is made law, it is equally good public and political economy, as an affair of pure administration, to give the new law a fair chance to prove its merit or de- merit, time being always an essential element in the proof, and, by the same token, there is no more virtue in continual strife over a State policy which does not affect the constitution than there is in want of harmony in any busi- ness organization. It is very gratifying to note the fine examples of industry and growth which now exist in St. Johnsbury, Burlington, Barre, Newport, Proc- tor, Rutland, St. Albans, Xorthfield, Brat- tleboro, Bennington, Hardwick, Bellows Falls, White River Junction, Hyde Park, Winooski, Montpelier and in many other cities and towns of Vermont. Particularly pleasing is the fact, also, of increase in the students and equip- ment of our schools and colleges and the prospects and expanding purposes of the University of Vermont. When, indeed, to everything which the State is, we add the splendor of itself and of its history and then begin to think of its future in terms of its men, women and children and of the wealth of opportunities at their doors, I am proud and glad that it came to me to be counted one among the many thousands of men who believe in and are now working in and for a Greater Vermont in the sense in which I have tried to define it. In the sense of honor, Vermont's future may not, perhaps, be greater than its past but honor consists in acting well our own parts within our own times, holding practical results in view, so that everywhere in the State good work, thrift, comfort, health, happiness and contentment, may be the ruling factors in our own lives and in tho.se of our children. MINERAL RESOURCES. By Prof. George H. Perkins, State Geologist. TL70 R more than a hundred years Vermont A has received a revenue from its mineral resources. From a small beginning the pro- ducts of her marble, granite and slate quarries have increased to such an extent that to-day she leads every State in the Union except Pennsylvania in the amount and value of stone annually produced. The total value of the principal products of Vermont quarries in 1880 was #1,757,283; in 1890 it was $3,593,449 and in 1900 it was $4,516,102. Thus it will be seen that the value of the stone product doubled in the de- cade from 1880 to 1890, and that it was $1,000,000 greater in 1900 than in 1890. In the two years from 1900 to 1902 the increase in the value of these products exceeded $1,100,000, equal to the total gain in the ten years from 1890 to 1900. During the present year probably not less than $7,000,000 worth of stone has been quarried and sold. The amount invested in this in- dustry is at least $12,000,000; the number of men employed being fully 10,000. There is also a considerable quantity of other stone quarried in Vermont, including limestone used in making lime — soapstone, and lime- stone and sandstone for building purposes. The stone industry has been ver} r prosperous during the year now drawing to a close. Unite a number of new marble, granite and slate quarries have been opened and developed, and new shops and mills, or additions to old ones, have been built in 1903. Extensive granite deposits have been developed in Barre, Hard- wick and Bethel during the past 12 months. Several new and extensive quarries of marble have been opened in Rutland county. There MINERAL RESOURCES. has also been increased activity in the slate in- dustry in the Rutland county slate belt and at Northfield. It is estimated that the produc- tion of marble, granite and slate during the present year has been increased from 20 to 25 per cent (according to various estimates made) over the ontpnt in [902. This fact makes 1903 the banner year in this industry. Vermont marble, granite and slate are sold not only in America, but are sent to the most distant parts of the world, so that there is probably not a civilized country in which Ver- mont stone can not be found. MARBLE. From the earliest days in the settlement of the country Vermont has been pre-eminent for the quantity, quality and beauty of the marble produced from the ledges of the State, and the fame of our marble is now greater than ever. Vermont supplies more marble than do all other States combined. The value of all marble sold in the United States annually amounts to. in round numbers, five millions of dollars. Of this amount Vermont supplies three millions, but much of the marble of other states is of inferior quality and can be sold only for building stone, while only a small part of the Vermont marble is sold for this purpose. Most of it is fine enough for inter- ior, ornamental and statuary work and of these finer grades this State furnishes over two-thirds. Nearly all the light colored marble of the State is located in Addison, Bennington and especially Rutland counties. The Brandon quarries on the north and those at Dorset on the south are at the limits. Besides light marbles there are the valuable beds of varie- gated red and white marbles of Franklin and Chittenden counties. As stated above, these marbles are mostly light colored, that is white variedly shaded with black, or less commonly brown, reddish, greenish or bluish bands, lines and blotches. The varieties are very numerous and many of them very elegant. Besides the veined marble, pure white, some of it fine enough to be used in the best statuary, is found. Several sorts of limestone ai\ used as marble and when sawn and polished make a jet black or gray stone. Most of this is obtained on Isle La Motte. The limestone quarried at Swanton is usually used for making lime, and it is also sawed and polished to some extent, when it makes a very pretty dove colored marble. A very valuable addition to the marbles named are the so-called Champlain and Rox- bury marbles. In the scientific sense these are not true marbles, but they are none the less fine, on that account, and are more elegant and costly than any of our ornamental stones. The Champlain marbles are hard, beautifully variegated in reds, browns, greens, olives and whites, no two slabs being exactly alike and none like any other stone ever seen. Still harder and more superb is the green, black and white verde antique of Roxbur}-. During the past year, 1903, marble of various kinds has been exten- sively quarried in Swanton, Burlington, Bran- don, Pittsford, Proctor, West Rutland, Rut- land, Dorset and Roxbury. Vermont has, as would be expected, the largest marble companies in the world. The Vermont Marble Company far exceeds in capi- tal invested, number of men employed and value of output, any known marble (inn. They alone annually produce about one half of all the marble sold in the United States, and fully two-thirds of the finer grades used in interior and monumental work, including every var- iety found in the State. Besides this great company there are the Rutland-Florence, recently organized, the Columbian, the True Blue, all at or near Rut- land. North, at Brandon, with mills at Middle- bury, is the Brandon-Italian, and south is the old Freedly quarry and mills at Dorset Moun- tain and the recently established Norcross- West Company at Dorset. These linns have each capital invested from 5150.000 to $1 ,000,000. The State holds the first rank in the value of rough granite sold for monumental work, and the value of rough building granite stock sold from her quarries has for some years nearly, if not quite, equalled, that produced in Massachusetts or Maine. Granite lias not been quarried in any large way in Vermont except during the last decade. Twenty years ago the total product did not exceed $80,000, while last year it was over .000 and is rapidly increasing. MINERAL RESOURCES. Moreover, there is practically no limit to the amount of granite which Vermont can pro- duce. Thus far only a very small part of the workable granite area has been touched. It is not probable that granite of better quality than the best Vermont granite now on the market will be found here or anywhere. The principal granite quarries now in operation are at Barre, Hardwick, Woodbury, Dummerston, Bethel, Groton, Ryegate and Derby. There are also good granite deposits at Williamstown, Kirby, Calais, Topsham and other places and there are great areas of fine granite in Verment yet wholly untouched. Different varieties of granite are obtained in different localities, and indeed often in the same quarty. All known shades of gray granite are found in the State, but nowhere has red granite been found. Much of the Vermont granite is fine grained, compact, strong and very even in color and texture. There is probably no locality any where in the world where so large quarrying or stone cut- ting operations are carried on within an equal area as in Barre. It is not only the principal granite center of the United States, but I think of the world, and it is rapidly becoming greater. During the present year the steady increase of the last few years has been more than fully maintained. Just how many quarries, large and small, are now in operation in and about Barre it does not seem possible to ascertain without direct personal investigation, but it is prob- able from the facts at hand that not far from a hundred are now worked or have been recently. Most of the granite sold, however, comes from less than half this number of quarries. There are in or near Barre a num- ber of large and well equipped "sheds " in which granite is cut, polished and carved. At Windsor, on the north side of Mt. Ascut- ney, there is a quarry of a very hard, dark green syenite, called in trade Windsor Green granite, which is a valuable stone for columns or other interior work, as it takes a fine and durable polish and is rich in appearance. There are at present about a dozen quarries in operation in Woodbury and numerous fin- ishing works in Woodbury and Hardwick, especially the latter place where most of the stone quarried in Woodbury is dressed. The granite business in this region, though of recent development has grown very rapidly, and the works of the Woodbury Granite Com- pany at Hardwick are probably the largest and best equipped in the State. During the present year several new quar- ries have been opened at Bethel in a very light granite, quite different from any other quarries in the State. It is a hard and beau- tiful stone and will almost certainly be in great demand as it becomes known. SLATE. No other State except Pennsylvania produces as much Slate as Vermont. During some years the State has produced twice as much slate in value as all the rest of the Union outside of Pennsylvania. Slate has been quarried in Vermont for more than ioo years. Many of the oldest headstones and hearths are of this ma- terial. The total area of the slate belt is about 260 square miles, and is mostly located in Rutland county west of the great marble re- gion. There are also extensive deposits of slate in Washington county. The great slate belt of Western Vermont is nearly 30 miles long from north to south and from 5 to 10 miles in width. It begins on the north at West Castleton and extends southwards on each side of Lake Bomoseen through the towns of Fair Haven, Poultney, Wells and Pawlet. Within the Vermont slate belt there are about 150 quarries, including those abandoned per- manently or temporaril}-. These quarries produce several varieties of slate— unfading green, sea green, purple, variegated and dark gray. The larger part of the quarries produce only roofing slate, but a few, as that at Cedar Point, and one or two at Scotch Hill, produce what is known as mill stock, that is large, thick slabs which are cut for billiard tables, mantels, tiling etc. Fair Haven, Poultney and Granville, N. V., are the chief business centers of the Western Vermont slate belt. Here are located extensive and finely equipped mills for finishing the pro- duct quarried. Marbleized slate is produced only at Fair Haven. No black slate is pro- duced in Western Vermont, Washington coun- ty producing all that is quarried in the State. At North field several quarries are now in active operation The slate is a fine, unfading black, of excellent quality and the demand for it is constantly increasing. MINERAL Ki:s< HJRCES. OTHER VARIETIES OP STONE. In many localities, especially in the Cham plain valk-y, good building stone is quarried. This is mostly limestone, but there are sex- era! large quarries of sandstone. There are in the State many large deposits of good limestone, from which fine and strong lime might be burned, but the manufacture is carried on only in a few places. L,imi present burned at Swan ton, Highgate, Leices- ter and Weatherstield. The value of the pro- duct in 1902 was (219,643. There are outcroppings of soapstone in Windsor county, and at one time considerable of the stone was quarried and sold. There is but little quarried at present. Deposits of talc are found at Stockbridge and Moretown. Beds of magauese, mica, ochre and kaolin have been worked in differ- ent sections of the State in past years. Deposits of asbestos are found in Lowell, Eden and other towns in Lamoille and Orleans counties. During the last two or three years mining rights were acquired in the section named by five companies. Extensive mills were erected and a considerable quantity ol asbestos mined, but the industry has been practically abandoned on account of the inferior quality of the product mined. There are extensive deposits of copper in Orange count)'. The Elizabeth mine at Straf- ford lias been worked for more than 100 years. The ..ther mines are the Vershire mine at Cop per field, and the Eureka and Union mines in Corinth. The first of these is owned by the Tyson Brothers. Only the Elizabeth mine has been worked to any extent tlie past \ear. The old Ely Goddard mine at Copperfield, owned by George Westinghouse, is not at present in operation. There is gold in Vermont, but it is widely distributed and in so small quantities that the cost of collecting it is far greater than the value of gold obtained. Active gold mining is now carried on only in Bridgewater and Reads- It is most commonly found in the sand of streams, although gold-bearing rock is found at Plymouth and Bridgewater There are numerous deposits of iron ore in various localities, but none has been mined of late years. EDITORIAL NOTES. Tin- VERMONTER hereby extends its thanks to the 500 or more persons who have contrib- uted facts or figures contained in the current number of this magazine. The record of the expansion of the industries and the develop- ment of the resources of the State hi made possible by their individual aid. V The introduction to Greater Vermont by Hon. Joseph A. DeBoer should receive Un- careful consideration and serious thought of every Yennonter. The article bristles with good ideas and practical suggestions which, if carried out would prove beneficial and advan- tageous to the State and its people. The special articles which appear in this number are from the pens of representative Vermonters eminently qualified to write on the subjects treated by them. These articles separately tell in a concise and interesting manner the story of Vermont's expansion and constitute a most valuable history of progress. The attention of our readers is particularly directed to the advertising pages of Tin: VER- MONTER. The advertisements contain much interesting text and a number of attractive illustrations. They represent the leading and most successful industrial interests in the State. V Probably every Vermonter is in favor of the expansion of the industries and the develop- ment of the resources of the State. A practi- cal way to demonstrate this idea is to help ex- pand the circulation of Tin-: VERMONTER by sending a dollar for a war's subscription. V The regular features and departments of The Vermonter have been omitted in the January number to make room for the History of Greater Vermont. They will be found again in the February number. Articles intended fortheG.A.R., Grange and Women's Club's de- partments should be sent in before January 10. A supplement will be issued with the Feb- ruary number containing numerous illustra- tions of industrial works, quarries, water powers, etc. intended for this issue, but omit- ted to make room for the text of valuable articles STfJTE FINANCES By Hon. John L. Bacon, State Treasurer. r I "HE State of Vermont is practically free from debt. This is literally true so far as any floating or unfunded liability is con- cerned ; and its only bonded indebtedness is the issue in aid of the State Agricultural Col- lege amounting to $135,500, which matures in 1910. The condition of the State treasury on De- cember 1, 1903 was'as follows : LIABILITIES. $135,500.00 Registered Loan, due 1910, Due to towns: U. S. Surplus Fund, 2,701.85 Balance State School Tax of 1903, 475.82 Balance State Highway Tax of 1903, 4.857.20 Liquor License Fees, $52,770.02 Fines under License Act, 3,445.00 Total. $56 215.02 Less Costs paid, 7,219. 57 48.995.45 Total Liabilities, $192 530.32 Surplus over all liabilities, 14,858 27 Cash on hand and in banks, $207,388.59 The balance of receipts under the License Act (No. 90, Acts of 1902) reported as a liability, is held to defray the expenses incurred by the State in the administration of the law, after which any balance remaining is to be added to the State Highway Tax for apportionment to the towns on the basis of road mileage. The principal source of the State's revenue is now the Corporation Tax Law, originally enacted in 1S82, and amended in 1902. Under its operation, the receipts in recent years show large increases, and the legislature of 1902 found conditions such as to justify them in levying no direct tax. During the year end- ing June 30, 1903, the receipts from taxes were : Corporation taxes, $539,073.96 License taxes (on capi- tal stock: by corpora- tions.) 18,047.83 Collateral inheritance taxes, 29,440.15 Total taxes, (except State), $586,561.94 The special taxes directly assessed on the grand list comprise the highway, of 5 per cent., and the school, of 8 per cent., which are annually re-apportioned to the several towns, for permanent roads (in proportion to highway mileage), and for school purposes (according to number of legal schools maintained, res- pectively. The highway tax for 1903 amounted to $90,329.53 ; the school tax to $144,527.41. The total payments for State ex- penses from the treasury during year were, $866,679.75 Deducting from which the Miscel- laneous Receipts, viz.: From State institu- tions, $52,009.71 From County Clerks and Judges of Pro- bate, 75,348.17 From miscellaneous sources, 36,861.90 $164,219.78 Leaves the Net Expenses, Subtracting Total taxes, (except State), The balance to be other- wise provided for was $702,459.97 586,561.94 $115, .03 Which excess of expenses over receipts, how- ever, was more than met by the receipt of $125,000 from the United States Government on account of the State's claim for interest paid by it on funds borrowed for Civil War purposes. The total Civil War expeditures by the States appear to have been about $4,600,000, of which the United States made reimbursement for the enrollment and equipment of troops to the extent of about $1,000,000. $1,650,- 000 of the remainder was obtained by the is- sue of bonds, while the balance of about $2,- 000,000 was raised by direct taxes during: the war. Although bonds continued to be issued from t S61 until early in 1865, their redemption was begun in 1866, and by the end of 1871 all but #320, 000 had been paid, those then outstanding being gradually disposed of until wholly retired in 1879. This record of patri- otism and good financiering in the provision of funds for the defrayal of the extraordinary expenses brought on by the war, and of remarkably rapid retirement of the debt created, is one of which Vermonters may justly be proud. TRANSPORTATION. rm: steam railroad is tin.- pioneer of indus trial development and trade expansion. Tin railways of Vermont have been the prim ary factors in developing the natural resources and building up the industries of the State-. The management of the different railroads have offered ample transportation facilities for local and through traffic and provided neces- sary spur tracks for the convenience of their patrons. Today Vermont has a railway Ser vice and equipment equal to her sister states. The physical condition of all the more impor- tant railways is first class, the main line of the principal systems having been relaid with heavy new steel rails and provided with new steel bridges during the past few years. It is doubtful if there are anywhere in the country an}' better single track railways than those in Vermont. The total railroad mileage of Vermont is, in round numbers. [,050 miles of single track, of which more than 800 miles is comprised in three great systems — Central Vermont, Rut land and Boston and Maine. These trunk lines traverse the State from north to south. and each run several finely equipped through passenger trains daily between New York, bos- ton and Montreal. These roads also do a heavy local and through freight business. Among the other railways may be mentioned the Canadian Pacific, reaching Newport where it delivers its trains to the boston & Maine: the St. Johnsbury and bake Champlain , cross- in- the S'.ate from Swanton to Lunenburg, where it connects with the Maine Central, forming a direct line through the White Mountains to Portland ; the Montpelier & Wells River; the Delaware \: Hudson, pene- trating Rutland county from Albany, N. Y., and the ('.rand Trunk crossing Kssex county on its line bom Montreal to Portland; also the Hoosac Tunnel ami Wilmington, Wood stuck. White River Valley, bine, Clarendon and Pittsford, Hardwick and Woodbury and I ppcr Coos. Three railways in the State were built and are exclusively operated for the transporta- tion of stone. Two of these roads the banc and the Hardwick and Woodbury are interest ing illustrations of engineering skill. They run respectively from bane and Hardwick to the summit of mountains, up vcr\ Steep grades to granite quarries, and bring down huge blocks of rough stock to be cut in mills or sheds at the terminals, or shipped unfin- ished to points beyond. The Clarendon and Pittsford railway runs from the marble quar- ries in Proctor and vicinity to the mills of the Vermont Marble Company in Proctor, Rut- land and West Rutland, connecting at each place with a trunk line of railway. The bonded indebtedness and the amount of capital stock on railway property in Ver- mont aggregates 144,091,519, The rail \\ Vermont have enjoyed an unusual degree of prosperity during the last twenty years ami their gross earnings show a substantial in- crease during each decade since [880. 'Idle railways have been prosperous in com- mon with other industrial interests in the State. This is especially true in the decade from [893 to i'/".;. During this period the railway mileage was increased 00 miles, making it [,054 at the present time. The principal extension was the construction of the Rutland-Canadian road, from Burlington across the islands of bake Champlain. to the Canadian border in the town of Alburgh, and to Rouses Point. N. V: with a main line of 43 miles; the building of the White River Valley railway, from Bethel to Rochester, with a mileage of m miles, and the Canada Atlan- tic extension in the tow n of Alburgh, of ; miles of main line. 'Idle traffic of the railways has gradually in- creased each year since [893, ami this increase lias been very marked since [900. Tin earnings of the railways in the State in 1903, were larger than ever before in any [2 months From the reports made to the Vermont Rail- road Commissioners in [893 and [903, year ending June 30, the following figures have been compiled covering the business done on the railways wholly within the State. 'Idle gross earnings in [893 were - and in [903 they were O, in round numbers. This shows a Brain of - tor [903 over [893. The number of tons of freight carried on these railways in iS.,; ap- proximated 7,000.000 tons; in 1903 it was 8,628,000 tons in round numbers, an increase of [,628, tons. The number of past carried was more than 500, greater in [903 than in [893. MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. Lake Champlain affords a water route for traffic between ports in Grand Isle, Franklin, Chittenden and Addison counties and New York ports by steamers, sailing vessels and canal boats, the latter furnishing a freight transit line through the Champlain canal between the lake and the Hudson river and the Krie canal during the season of naviga- tion. The Champlain Transportation Company is the only line operating steamers for passenger and freight traffic on the lake. This company •own four steamers, two of which are large and miagnificient steel hull boats. The "Vermont" and " Chateaugay " are recent addions to the fleet of the C. T. Co., and cost upwards of $250,000. These new steamers are notable contributions to Greater Vermont. It is impossibly to adequately present with- in the limits of a single number of a magazine the complete story of Greater Vermont. An attempt has been made to briefly survey the industrial field and business world, and to show in a general way that Vermont has progressed in common with her sister States. In subsequent numbers it is proposed to write up at length and illustrate the industries and resources of Greater Vermont. MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. THK manufacturing industries of Vermont have enjoyed a period of unexampled prosperity during the past 20 years. The in- crease in the number of industrial establish- ments and also in the amount and value of products have been greater during the decade from 1890 to 1900 than in any previous one. Since 1900, however, the expansion 3'ear by year of the manufacturing industry has been more marked than even before that time. The year 1903 surpassed all previous years in the output of the mills and factories in Vermont. The Census of 1900 contains reports from 4,(171 manufacturing establishments in the State, against 3,031 in 1890, a gain of over 1,000. The capital invested in 1900 was $48,- I, or $16,000,000 more than in 1890. The value of the products in 1900 is returned at $56,646,715, against $38,340.66 in 1890, or almost $20,000,000 more than 10 years ago; to produce which involved an outlay of $1,620,876 for salaries of officials, clerks, etc. ; $12,237,684 for wages; $3,482,448 for miscel- laneous expenses, including rent, taxes, etc. Some of the largest and most prosperous manufacturing establishments in Vermont are the Lane Manufacturing Company, makers of saw mills and traveling cranes; the Jones and Lamson Company, builders of turret machin- ery ; the Vermont Farm Machine Co., makers of farm and dairy machines and machinery ; the Estey Organ Co., manufacturers of reed organs and pianos and the K. and T. Fairbanks Co., makers of scales of every description. The textile industries in Vermont number 45. These figures include 29 woolen mills, 10 hosiery and knit goods mills, and six cot- ton mills. These mills represent an in- vestment of $5,490,000, and in one year produced goods to the value of $4,750,000. They employ over 3,000 hands, to whom were paid 51,125,000 in one year. There are in round numbers 650 saw mills in the State. The capital invested in the lumber industry approximates $1 ,000,000. The number of wage earners engaged in lumbering and in the manufacture of timber products exceed 5,000. The annual value of all lumber and timber products exceeds $8,000,000, including the products of sash, door and blind factories. The 27 establishments reported in 1900 as engaged in the manufacture of paper and wood pulp had a capital of s4.S55.S06, and gave em- ployment to 1,216 wage-earners, with total wages of $57] .01 S. The products were valued at $3,384,773. The manufacture of flouring and grist mill products in a total of 21 1 establishments, with a capital of $1,289,497, gave employment to 190 wage-earners in 1900, and paid in wages $81,363. The value of the products amounted to $3,222,347, There are 61 foundries and machine shops in the State, having a total capital of $2,750,- 000. This industry employs an average of 1,300 wage-earners to whom it pays $626,000 annually. The annual value of the products is $2. 185,000. MOTIVE POWERS X^ERMONT contains witbitl its borders more rivers and a greater number of waterfalls than are to be found in the same extent of territory elsewhere in the United States. A glance at the geographical map of the State in the current number shows that the streams aggregate thousands of miles in length from their sources among the green hills to their mouths in the fertile valleys. These rivers have innumerable waterfalls which constitute the primary motive power for extensive industrial purposes. The prin- cipal rivers whose waters are utilized to turn the wheels of industry in Vermont are the Connecticut, Otter Creek, Lamoille, Winooski, Missisquoi, Black, (Windsor county), Black, (Orleans county) Deerfield, West, Quechee, White, Ompompanoosac, Wells, Passumpsic, Nulhegan, Battenkill, Hoosac, Poultney, Clyde, Pawlet, Barton, New Haven, Walloom- sac, Waits, Saxton's, Williams, Mad, Dog and Moose. It is difficult to estimate the available mean horse power capacity of the hundreds of waterfalls used and unused within the State on account of the great difference in the vol- ume of water flowing in the streams in dr} r and wet seasons. The United States census reports furnish the only complete figures ever gathered concerning the water powers in Ver- mont, and these statistics cover only the amount of horse power actually used by each industry reporting. In 1880 the total amount of motive power used for manufacturing purposes was 63,114 horse power. In 1X90 it was 98,554 and in 1900, 138,095. The increase from [880 to [890 was 55,240 and from 1890 to 1900, 39,541. The figures for [900 included 87,615 horse power from water wheels, 45,142 from station- ary steam engines, 729 horse power from elec- tric motors and the balance from gas and gaso- lene engines. These figures tall far short of representing the primary motive power at pres- ent utilized for industrial purposes which probably exceeds 170, 000 horsepower, includ- ing 100,000 furnished by water powers. There has been a decided evolution in the source and character of the motive power used for manufacturing purposes during the last twenty years. Previous to that time, and for a considerable period thereafter, the main source of the primary motive power for in dustrial works was water wheels. Steam in the years prior to [880 was utilized to a con- siderable extent as an auxiliary power. The decade from t88o to [890, while it witnessed a marked increase in the development of water power, also saw a decided advance in the uti- lization of steam engines and boilers for primary or auxiliary power. Since 1S90 there has been a remarkable de- velopment of water, steam and electric power in Vermont. The electric dynamo and motor has produced a revolution in modern activi- ties and life. In no other industrial line has such marked progress been made as in the utilization of water and steam power for gen- erating electricity for various uses. The build- ing of electric plants has revolutionized con- ditions of life and advanced the spirit of enter- prise many years in a comparatively brief period. It has stimulated prosperity far be- yond what was possible under the old time water power service. ELECTRIC PLANTS. The age of gas and the age of electricity for illuminating purposes are distinct eras in the memory of the present generation. The elec- tric light has penetrated all sections of the State and supplanted largely the seiui-dark- ness which prevailed in many communities using kerosene and gas for- lighting streets. Fin. VERMONTEB has gathered statistics which show a wonderful development in electric lighting service in Vermont. To-day there .ire not Kss than 72 villages and cities in Ver- mont provided with electric lights for public ami private use. There are eight municipal electric plants owned by incorporated villages and |.' plants owned 1>\ corporations or in- dividuals. The following table shows the name of the owners, the villages or cities lighted, the horse power capacity and the num- ber and kind of lights installed for street lighting and commercial purposes. STATISTICS OF ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER TPLANTS IN VERMONT. Name or Title Villages or Cities Lighted Horse pow- er of Pri- mary Mo- tive Power No- of Street Lights N T 0. Lights in Houses, Stores, etc. Under Municipal Ownership. Village of Barton. I Barton ( Barton Landing 675 275 I 30 I 4,000 I 600 I Village of Enosburg Falls. Enosburg Falls 125 126 I 1,343 I Village of Hardwick. Hardwick 223 160 I 5,000 I Village of Lyndonville. Lyndonville, Lyndon and 650 Lyndon Center 40 A 6,000 1 Village of Morrisville. Moi'risville and Cady's Falls 250 24 A 4,200 I Village of Northfield. Northfield 135-125 s 238 I 3 500 I Village of Swanton. Swanton and Highgate 500 24 A 4 000 I Village of Wells River. Wells River. 150 45 I 3,000 I Corporative or Individual Ownership. Bethel Electric Light Co. Bethel 250 35 I 1,800 I Bennington Electric Light Co. Bennington and Benning- Center 125 66 A ( 45 A \ 8 300 I 1,200 I Bradford Electric Light Co. Bradford 100 80 I Bristol Electric Light Co. Bristol 240 20 I 2,200 I Brattleboro Gas Co. Brattleboro and West Brat- tleboro 500-600 s 42 A 90 I 5.000 I Burlington Light & Power Co. f Burlington, I Winooski 2,600 200 A 20 A 16,000 I 2,000 I Chelsea Electric Light & Power Co. Chelsea 125-75S 50 I 800 1 r Montpelier 93 A 8.500 I Consolidated Light & Power Co. } Barre 2000- 1500s 91 A 6,600 I ( Waterbury 136 I 975 1 Fowler C. 0. North Troy* 230 15 I 608 1 Fair Haven Electric Co. Fair Haven & Poultney 1,200 40 A 5,000 I Fall Mountain Electric Light & Power Co. Bellows Falls 512-525 s 56 A 15,000 I Hyde Park Electric Light & Power Co. Hyde Park 100 35 1 100 1 Island Pond Electric Co. Island Pond and Derby Line 1,000 10,000 I Johnson Electric Light Co. Johnson 150 108 I 1,500 I Ludlow Electric Co. Ludlow 165 110 I 1,400 1 Manchester Light & Power Co. Mane hestor, Manchester Depot and Factory Point 50-175 8 90 I 3,000 I Middlebury Electric Light Co. Middlebury 250 26 A 3.0001 Molly's Falls Electric Light & Power Co. { Marsfield -! Plainfield 200 16 I 26 I 400 1 450 1 / Cabot 16 I 300 1 Mascoma Electric Light & Gas Co. White River Junction and * Hartford 133 I 3,000 Neshobe Electric Co. Brandon 375 24 A 3.700 I Newport Electric Light Co. Newport & West Derby 300 20 A 5,000 I Nelson, Hall & Co. Montgomery and Mont- gomery Center 100 40 I 500 1 Parker H. B. & Son. North Troy 60 60 1 Peoples' Electric Light & Power Co. Essex Junction 150 150 I 2,000 I Pioneer Electric Light Co. f Barnet 1 Mclndoes Falls 100 500 1 200 1 Robinson and Allen. South Londonderry 45 20 I 325 I Robb, C. H. East Berkshire 100 300 1 Richmond Light & Power Co. Richmond 125 57 I 600 1 Rochester Electric Light & Power Co Rochester 65 1,100 I Rutland City Electric Co. Rutland & West Rutland 1,000 150 A f 185 A \ 12,000 I Swett, Coniins & Co. Richford 150-200 s 12 A 2,000 I St. Albans Electric Light & Power Co St. Albans 350 s 73 A 5,000 I St. Johnsbury Electric Light & Powei St. Johnsbury & St. Johns- Co. bury Center 175 130 A 12,000 I Springfield Electric Co. Springfield 500 50 A 3 000 1 Vermont Marble Co. Proctor 500 17 A 1500 1 Vergennes Electric Co. Vergennes 230 30 A 2,500 I ( Montpelier 2,000-500 8 7,000 I Viles, J. S. \ Barre ( Middlesex 8,000 50 1 White River Electric Co. Randolph 400 225 I 5 A 3,000 I Windsor Electric Light Co. Windsor 260-2508 24 A 2.000 I Woodstock Electric Co. Woodstock 200-200 e 100 I 3,000 I Wilmington Electric Light Co. Wilmington 85 40 I 1 *Power house at Lebanon, N. H. s indicates primary or auxilia ry steam power. A l indicates ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. ' I 'HK expansion of electric railways in Ver mont has been marvellous since the trol- ley system was first installed for the operation of street railways in 1S93. In no other diiec- tion in the iinlustri.il world has there been so remarkable a development in a single decade as in the growth and extension of electric rail- ways in this State from [893 to [903. The construction of these transportation lines marks a new era and solves the problem of rapid transit in town and country alike. The operation of these electric railways has greatly stimulated trade in the business centers fa- vored with such facilities. These roads re- present a large investment of capital, much of it furnished from sources outside of the State, and they also give employment to many men. Ten years ago, or to be exact, previous to 1893, there was not a mile of street-railway in the State operated by electric power. The year 1893 opened with two street railways in Vermont, and these were operated by animal power. These horse-railways were the Bur- lington and Winooski, and the Rutland Street, with 13 miles of track and an equipment of 19 passenger cars. The capital stock of these two roads aggregated $325,000, and their bond- ed debt amounted to vm,. a total obliga- tion of $53 1 .no,,. In [893, both the Winooski and Rutland Street railways adopted the trolley system and began operating their lines b\ electric power. During the next 5 years four new electric rail- ways were built with a mileage of 28 miles. The five years following, iS<,s t<> [903, wit nessed the construction of 4 new electric roads with a mileage of 38 miles : also the extension of an old road representing an increased mile- age of 14 miles. The close of the year 1903 finds ten electric railways completed and in operation in the State. These roads have a total mileage of main line track of 100 miles in round numbers. with an equipment of 137 cars. They repre- sent an investment aggregating >4. 450,000 in stock and bonds. The total number of pas- sengers carried in 1902 was 5,308,971. A comparison of these two statements show an addition in 10 years of 8 railways with 80 miles of track and 1 10 cars. It further shows an increased investment of ovei $ {,900,000. The following table contains the statistics in detail regarding the electric railways in Vermont. STATISTICS OF ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. Name of Company. Location of Road. Barre and Montpelier Trac. Co., Bellows Falls and Saxton's River, Bennington and Hoosac Valley, Brattleboro Street Ry.. Burlington Traction Co., Militarv Post Street Ry.. Mt. Mansfield Electric Ry., Rutland Street Ry.. St. Albans Street Ry., Springfield Electric Ry.. Mileage. Date Opened Montpelier to Barre, Bellows Falls to Saxton's River, Bennington to N. Y. Boundary, Brattleboro, I Burlington to Winooski, Winooski to Essex Junction, Waterbury to Stowe Rutland to Fair Haven, St. Albans to Swanton and St. Al- bans Bay. Springfield to N. H. Boundary. 9.2 6.5 8. 4.43 10.76 4.64 10.5 26. 13 5 5.25 ISHs 1900 Wis 1 895 Ism:; 1 895 L897 L894 L901 is;.: No. of Can 14 10 20 10 20 7 6 26 12 l-J Electricity supplanted animal power. Name 1 tnpany. Bonded Indebtedness. Total. Total. Capital Stock. Passengers l an 1 One Fear. Barre and Montpelier, 100,000 120,000 766, 171 Bellows Falls and Saxton's River. 75,000 1 (Hi, 000 141,196 Bennington and Hoosac Valley, 1 s_>,000 200,000 717.11s Brattleboro. 125,000 55,500 364,987 Burlington Traction. 126,000 200,000 1 414,535 Military Post, 75,000 85,000 314,143 Mount Mansfield, 200,000 300,000 LO7,680 Rutland. 750,000 L. 200,000 1 059,408 St. Albans, 193,000 200,000 307,783 Springfield. 100,000 84,600 96,320 SAVINGS BANKS & TRUST COMPANIES Figures from Reports of the State Inspector of Finance. NT O better barometer of prosperity can be *■ presented than the balance sheets of the Savings Banks and Trust Companies. These institutions are the depositories of wage earners and individuals of moderate means. The volume of banking business done by these financial corporations during the last two decades is most remarkable, and indi- cates an unprecedented degree of prosperity in Vermont during the past twenty years. There are twenty-two Savings Banks and twenty Trust Companies doing business in the State. Between 1883 and 1903 there were seventeen new Savings Banks and Trust Com- panies organized. The total deposits during this period increased from $14,050,647 to $44,628,148. The gain from 1893 to 1903 was $17,365-219- For the year ended June 30, 1903, there was a gain in deposits of $2,640,651, over the pre- ceding year. The total number of depositors in 1883 was 46,318: in 1893, 89,115 and in 1903, 134,323; an increase of 88,005 in 20 years, and of 45,208 in 10 years. The interest and dividends paid for the year ended June 30, 1883 was $457,011 ; for 1893, $819,507; and for 1903, $1,323,339- This shows an increase of $362,496 paid in 1893 over that in 1883 and of $503,832 in 1903 over that in 1893. The total surplus and accumu- lated profits was $523,519 in 1883, $1,490,703 in 1893 and $2,549,439 in 1903; or $967,284 in 1893 in excess of the same items in 1883, and $1,058,736 more in 1903 than in 1893. The total resources of all the Savings Banks and Trust Companies in 1883 was $r5, 107,461; in 1893, $29,835,544 and in 1903, $48,377,839. This shows a gain in the ten years from 1883 to 1893 of $14,718,083, and in the ten years from 1893 to 1903, of $18,542,295. The gain in resources for the last decade was greater by $3,823,487 than for that preceding. COMPARATIVE RESOURCES IN 1883, 1893 AND 1903. June 30, 1883. June 30, 1893. June 30, 1903. DESCRIPTION. Amount. Amount. Amount. Mortgages on real estate in Vermont, $2,921,155.25 $5,356,498.63 $8,887,395.99 Mortgages on real estate elsewhere, 3950,143.44 9 943 110.83 17,930.069.17 Loans on personal security. 2,460,475.47 2,908,062.97 3,418.350.33 Loans on deposit book collateral. 160,515.50 Loans with bank stock collateral, 262,358 46 234,777.59 312 914.35 Loans with mortgage collateral, 803 392.60 Loans with other collateral. 408 159 44 726,459.10 490,187.41 Loans to towns cities, etc., 248.842.52 374 517 12 1,180 028.13 United States bonds. 426,678.50 111 900.00 199,307.36 Municipal bonds, 2,510,782.14 7.936,611.02 10,826,266.01 Real estate for banking purposes, 190 679.55 189 405.82 319452.71 Real estate by foreclosure, 208 330.34 482 455.31 Bank stock, 431.485.00 389.009 00 449.685.00 Miscellaneous assests, 502 660.03 94.753.49 90,354.28 Deposits in Banks, 642,904,82 905 957.02 2,190,267.71 Cash on hand. 151,136.82 456 151.50 $29,835,544.43 537.197.41 Total, $15 107,461.44 $48,377,839.27 COMPARATIVE MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS. June 30, 1883. June 80, 1893. June 30, 1903. Amount. Amount. Amount. Total number of depositors. 46.318 89.115 134 323 Total amount of deposits. $14,050,647.08 $27,262 929.69 $44 628.148,77 Number of depositors residing in Vermont. 79 253 118.080 Amount of deposits of residents of Vermont, $11.438 368.79 $23,149 307.21 $37,360,903.18 Number of non-resident depositors. 9 862 16 243 Amount of deposits of non residents, $ 2,612.278 29 $ 4,113 622.48 $ 7,238.314.29 State taxes paid during the year. 58 647.22 172 323.49 287,090 61 Expenses exclusive of taxes during the year. 127,313.69 123 045.65 214,112.54 Dividends paid stockholders of trust companies dur- ing the year. 35.767.82 43 300.00 54.125.00 Dividends paid depositors during the year, 421.243.74 776.207.44 1,323 339.45 Average amount of deposits to each depositor. 300,33 305.93 332.24 NflTIONfIL BRINKS B\ HON. FRANK I.. FlSH. rial Hank Examiner, THE industrial prosperity of the country is accurately reflected by the amount of business done by the National hanks. The extension of the National banking system throughout the United States has been mar- vellous during the two decades ending with loo.;, and the reports made to the comptroller of the currency covering this period show that the volume of business done by the banks in Vermont has been relatively as large as in the rest of the country. The statements elsewhere given of the condi- tion of the National banks in this State in Sep- tember, 1883, 1S93 and 1903, tell the story of the remarkable and stead}- increaseof the indi- vidual deposits and the growth in the resour- ces of these financial institutions in the past 20 years. An examination of the first and last sched- ules covering a period of twenty years shows that while the loans have increased less than a million dollars, the individual deposits have mounted up from less than six millions to over twelve millions of dollars. At the same time, the United States deposits have in- creased from about thirty-two thousand to almost a million dollars. Bonds for circula- tion have diminished to the amount of two millions and a half, and bonds for deposits have increased to correspond with the increase in United States deposits : while United States bonds on hand have decreased over forty thous- and dollars. The item of stocks and bonds has increased nearly four millions, and the amount due from reserve agents over a million and a half. The cash on hand lias increased over half a million. The decrease in capital stock has been a million and a half while the surplus, including the undivided profits, lias increased over four hundred thousand. There is no corresponding item in the report of [883 for the balance of over half a million due to Trust companies in the report of 1903. This item was probably included in the individual deposits of the earlier report and if the same were treated in the same manner, in the re- port of 1903, an increaseof over si\ and on< half millions would be shown. Against the item of notes rediscounted of two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. in 1883, the report of [903 shows but thirty- live thousand. The impressive features of the first and last reports are that while the loans have remained almost stationary, the stocks and bonds have increased more than five times, the cash, including balances due from reserve agents, considerably more than doubled ; the total earnings increased nearly half a million, and deposits increased by more than one-half. The reduction in capital stock by no means indicates a loss, as in most in- stances it has been paid back to the stock- holders. The decrease in circulation while- due in part to the reduction of capital stock is more largely due to the fact that the banks at the time of the report of 1903 had not deemed it expedient or profitable to take out their cir- culation in full. On the whole the report of 1903 shows a gratifying increase in business over the report of [883. Capital invested in National hanks in Vet mont has usually brought good returns in dividends, and deposits have with few excep- tions been safely guarded in these institutions. Banking houses have been much improved in the two decades— I S83— 1903— and modern vaults and safes have taken the place of older and less secure protection. Burglary alarm systems and burglary insurance have further added to the safety <»f the banks' a-^et- While an occasional dishonest hand from within may wreck a National bank, and now and then one from without may get some of its treasures, it will, notwithstanding, ion tinue to be as safe a depository for funds as any human institution. It is noticable that growth lias been most marked during tlu last decade. Rates of in- terest have been high, deposits good, ami losses tew. If this period is to be an index of what the future has in store, the Vermont National banks have entered upon an era of marked prosperity. NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS. STATISTICS OF NATIONAL BANKS. 1883. 1893. 1903. RESOURCES. 47 banks. 48 banks 48 banks. Loans and discounts, s 12,054,045.45 113,364,330.59 §12,790 890.16 Bonds for circulation, 7,278,000.00 3,445,000.00 4,712,500 00 Bonds for deposits. 50,000.00 50,000.00 981,500.00 U. S. bonds on hand, 53,500.00 133,600.00 8,600.00 Other stock and bonds, 888.295.96 1,078,403.32 4,636,898,43 Due from reserve agents. 997.305.83 1,358,580.32 2,437,413.70 Due from national banks, 164,343.98 174,266.01 145,799.75 Due from State banks, 16,538.12 28,127.06 35,662,14 Banking house, etc, 220,088.31 309,300.17 Real estate, etc., 283.872.31 47,405.82 122,647.81 Premiums paid, 57,657.00 124,909.60 108.127.23 Cash items, 82,164.79 102,001.47 96,296.33 Bills of other banks. 143,884.00 113,267.00 195,970.00 Fractional currency, 4,096.93 6,755.47 8,571.64 Specie, 215,939.11 643.991.41 687,851.95 Legal tender notes. 182,021.00 436,767.00 272,277.00 5% fund with Treasury, 131,412.50 207,975.00 Due from U S. Treasury, 308,270.00 1,175.00 5,627.00 Internal Revenue stamps, 494.73 Total, $22,779,934.48 .$21,350,080.87 §27,764 403.04 LIABILITIES. Capital stock, $7,986,000.00 §6,985,000 00 §6,460,000.00 Surplus fund 1,795,884.88 1.819,750.00 1,628,581.45 Undivided profits, less expenses, 557,390.69 849,201.31 1.133,698.76 National bank circulation. 6.512,779.00 3,030,100.00 4,636,594.00 State bank circulation, 3,500.00 Due to national banks, 168,393.93 307,627.50 41,392.09 Due to State banks, 12,505.82 158,593.67 187.64 Due to Trust Companies, etc., 559,459.28 Dividends unpaid, 14,203.69 9,284.10 15,167.93 Individual deposits, 5,455,000.58 7956,147.50 12.121,581.71 U. S. deposits. 32,438.29 42,184.17 974,071.09 Dept.'s U. S. dis. officers, 4,293.23 7,018.34 3,140.98 Notes re-discounted, 225,242.55 68,924.08 35,000.00 Bills payable, 12,211.82 116,250.00 118,000.00 Other liabilities. 928.11 Bonds borrowed. 36,600.00 Total, $22,779,934.48 §21,350,080 87 §27,764.403.04 NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS By Frank L. Greki \ TERMONT ranks 35th in the list of 50 * vStates and Territories in respect of aggre- gate circulation of all classes of newspapers and periodicals. She ranks 38th in respect of a £g r egate circulation of daily newspapers, and 37th in respect of aggregate circula- tion of weekly newspapers. On the face of it this does not appear to be a very high relative rank, but when we consider that Vermont is a sparsely settled rural State and stands 40th in this same list of 50 in point of population, it is at once apparent that her ratio of newspaper readers is considerably in excess of some of her sister states who rank higher in population. So thoroughly, indeed, is the field covered by her presses that the total circulation per issue is 188,646 copies of all papers and periodicals, which means one copy to each 1.82 of her inhabitants. The aggregate number of copies issued in 1880 NKWSIWl'KRS AND PERIODICALS was 5,681,464, in 1890 was 9,189,500, and in 1900 was 15,281,431, In [880 the wage earn ers engaged in the publication business num- bered 371 and their total wages was $92,959 ; in 1890 there were 307 wages earners who were paid (6134,386; and in [900 there were (.36 wages earners who were paid $1 7''.; [8. These latter figures show with especial emphasis what important strides the publication busi- ness has made in this State in the past ten years, and they also reveal the fact that the tendency of wages has been steadily higher, a further evidence of the rising standard of qualifications of the men and women em- ployed. The average circulation of daily newspa- pers increased from 1,050 in 1880 to 2,967 in 1900, and the average circulation of weeklies increased from 1,492 in 1880 to 2,030 in [900. There are to-day 77 weekly newspapers in Vermont, 10 dailies 2 of which are morning and 8 are evening newspapers, 4 monthly magazines, and 4 miscellaneous. The number of printing establishments in this State, according to the last census, was 61, of which 37 were conducted by individual proprietors, 8 by firms, 14 by corporations and 2 were classified as miscellaneous. The capi- tal invested was $500,098; divided: land, $25,987 ; buildings, $32,208 ; machinery, $283.- 029; cash and sundries, $139,474. Any attempt to demonstrate the growth and importance of the publication business of Ver- mont in recent years by the mere recital of census figures must fail of complete realiza- tion of its purpose because figures alone, while- presenting some tangible idea of the develop- ment of the industry so far as bare statistics go, cannot adequately convey a sense of that higher and more consequential character of the State's newspapers and periodicals as news chronicles and moulders of public opinion. In this latter respect, the publication business of Vermont has taken wondrous strides. It is safe to say that the progressive civilization of no State in the I nion is more conspicuously reflected in the character of its newspapers and periodicals than is Vermont's. It is a well understood fact at the headquarters of tin leading advertising agencies, which are ad- mittedly the best judges of newspaper stan- dards throughout the country, that the Ver- mont press, taken full and by, is far and away superior to the average in rural states. It is to l>e remembered that there are no crowd ed centers of population in Vermont in which pretentious newspapers can flourish. The local field of any one of them is limited at the start, and all the circulation that can be ob- tained outside of that home field must be built up here and there through a sparsely peopled territory difficult of access on the day of pub- lication by reason of distance ami infrequent mails. Notwithstanding all this, there i-^ brought to bear in the preparation of these newspapers and periodicals a combination <>t editorial and mechanical skill that is worthy of a wider and more profitable field and the only explanation of the successful niainten anceof such creditable productions under such adverse circumstances is to be found in the fact that the intelligent readers of this com- monwealth will not put up with inferior pub- lications and are proud of and loyally support those progressive journals that constantly seek to cater to their elevated taste. There has been a noticable change for the better in the character of these periodicals as moulders of public opinion, also, within re cent years. The old-time perfunctory or non- commital editorial comment that is so char- acteristic of a rural press has passed away and the Vermont newspapers of to-day are frank and couragous in their expressions of editorial opinion. For the most part they have aband- oned the old-fashioned conception of their pub- lic duty as strictly political partisan organs. bound in duty to say amen to party leaders and automatically echo and re-echo the plati- tudes of National political platforms. They are directing their energies to tin analysis and discussion of current State issues, throw- ing the search-light upon long unheeded State customs, laws, and governmental institutions. threshing over the pros and cons of important Vermont interests that come straight home to the doorsteps of their readers, and are in con- sequence giving a healthful stimulus to public thought and speculation about these matters that is gradually exerting an incal mlable influence upon the liberalizing and progressive achievement of the best citi/en ship of the State The intelfigently directed publicity possible to .1 courageous and inde- pendent press is fast developing as a tremen doUS and hitherto comparatively unknown factor in the moulding of public sentiment in the "New Vermont. MATERIAL SChjOOL PROGRESS. By Hon. Walter E. Ranger, State Superintendent of Education. T"HE material signs of educational progress in Vermont during the past ten years are hardly less notable than the evidences of progressive educational opinion, interest and effort. The facts given tell their own story. It may be said in connection with the state- ments of statistics that follow that, on account of incomplete reports given for certain towns, the amounts are too low rather than too high. According to returns made to the State Department of Education, there was expended during the ten years of 1892-1901, for new school buildings, the sum of $870,405, and for repairs the sum of $474,917, making a total expenditure for buildings of $1,345,322. The smallest amount was $81,407 for the year of 1897, and the largest amount was $200,825 for the year of 1900. During the past ten years $117,771 have been spent for new furniture, and $356, S64 for appliances and supplies. In 1894 the system of free text- books and supplies was adopted, increasing the public cost of schools and mak- ing a noteworthy step in educational progress. For text-books the following sums have been expended : in 1896, $136,786 ; in 1897, $45,- 614 ; in 1898, $32,809 ; in 1899, $23,045 ; in 1900, $27,897; in 1901, $45,606; in 1902, $43,896. There has been a gradual and moderate increase in the amount expended for teachers' salaries. This shows an upward movement during recent years in the pay of the average teacher, inasmuch as the number of teachers employed has changed but little in ten years. The following sums have been expended for teachers' salaries : in 1891, $439,741 ; in 1892, $549,980; in 1893, $561,807; in 1895, $575,- 788: in 1896, $584,883; in 1897, $606,345 ; in 1898, $606,585; in 1899. $623,034; in 1900, $633,789 ; in 1901, $646,377 ; in 1902, $652,302. Nearly $10,000,000 has been expended in the past ten years for the public schools of the State. The record shows a trend of increase, the school expense for 1891 being $574,033 and for 1901, $1,106,099. The amounts ex- pended yearly are as follows : in 1893, $758,- 552; in 1894, $783,805; in 1895, $918,768; in 1896, $1,067,405; in 1897, $909,110 ; in [898, $933,287 ; in 1899, $974,709 ; in 1900, $1,074,- 222; in 1901, $1,106,099 ; in 1902, $1,093,942. The large increase for 1896 was due to a neces- sarily large expenditure for free text-books. During the past ten years many high schools have found new homes in fine buildings. Burlington has erected a splendid building for the exclusive use of its high school at a cost of $135-000. Other towns have furnished ex- cellent quarters for their high schools in new structures erected for all the public schools of a village. Although few high schools are per- manently endowed, S45.696 have been added to such endowments in the past ten years. Of the 85 high schools existing to-day 54 report 2i,2Si volumes in their libraries, of which 7.473 have been added in the past 10 years. Thirteen of our seventeen academies report for the past ten years the expenditure of $64,- 000 in new buildings and $4,700 in new equip- ment. In this time their endowments have been increased to $650,300, by the addition of $3 2 3.5oo. To their libraries have been added 3,740 volumes, raising their total number of volumes to 14,505. The past ten years has brought to our col- leges a large increase in material equipment. The University of Vermont has built Williams Science Hall at a cost of $230,000, Converse Hall costing $125,000, and a new gymnasium at an expense of $25,000, aggregating an ex- penditure of $380,000 for new buildings. The University's endowment has been increased to M* s 7-750 by the addition of $149,750. More than $50,000 has been expended in new equip- ment for laboratories; Billings Library has re- ceived 21,584 new volumes and now contains 66,500. Middlebury College has erected within the past ten years two fine and costly buildings, Warner Science Hall and Starr Library Build- ing. The writer regrets the lack of definite information relating to other elements of well- known progress at Middlebury, but the two buildings erected are typical of her recent ma- terial advance. Norwich University has shared in the ma- terial prosperity that has come to her sister institutions during the past ten years, though less notable than her essential progress and honor. Dewey Hall has been erected at a cost of $26,000. An endowment of $9,000 has been added, and her equipment has been materially improved. PUBLIC LIBRARIES r,\ Prop. S. W Landon, lirman of the Vermont Library Commission. r I ^HE long and well established idea that L the public library is one «>t the most wholesome and efficient educating and refin- ing agencies of a community has, during the last twenty years, been greatly intensified in Vermont. Marked advance has been made along all lines in this direction. Not only have the number and si/e <>f the libraries materially increased, but their quality, equipment and method of administration have been vastly improved. Tasteful and convenient buildings liave been erected and in many cases provision has been made For well supplied reading rooms. More and more the library is becoming an intellectual and educational center of the town and. best of all, its advantage's are be- coming constantly more easily available to the people, and its influence more extended. The library law of 1894, giving State aid of $100 to each new free library established, and in accordance with which the State Library Commission was appointed and organized, gave a great impetus to library interests. Under the provisions of this law ninety-seven tree public libraries have been established, and in pursuance of an act of the legislature of 1900, a great need has been met, under the direction of the Library Commission, by travel i 11 i_T libraries. These have been especially beneficial to the smaller and poorer towns. One of the most encouraging and helpful phases of the advance in library matters is the increasingly generous gifts that are constant^ being made for library equipment and main- tenance of libraries. These gifts come both from resident and nonresident sons and daugh ters of Vermont and they are adding material- ly to the prosperity of the State. The follow- ing statistics give a brief survey of the field Number of public libraries in [880, 29. " 1S90, 45. " I903. '54 The increase between [880 and [890 was n>, and between 1890 and [903 it was 109. It will be seen that while the number of libraries nearly doubled in the ten years from [880 to 1S90, it increased more than three fold in the period from 1890 to 1903. These figures are very significant and tell their own story. The total endowments and gifts for estab- lishing or maintaining public libraries in \'ei mont have been in round numbers as follows, since 1870: from 1870 to 1898, $227,000; from [898 to [902, $282,000; aggregating more than half a million dollars. U. S. POSTAL SERVICE. rHE intelligence of the people of an} - sec- tion of the country and the degree of prosperity enjoyed by them is pretty well in- dicated by the amount of business done through the United States post-offices. The gross re- ceipts <•! tlu- J5 presidential offices in Ver- mont, in iS.,j. was $265,189.10; of the j<> offices m iMC', $41 5,937.83; and of the 17 offices in 1903, $447,735-83. ;l gain of $148,748.37 in 1902 1 and an increase of $33,798.00 The gross receipts of the loin tli .lass offices in [892 was $171,635.37, and in - 5,968.96, a gain of $24 333.59. The gross receipts of both presidential and fourth class offices in [89a was. $436,824.47; and in - 906.79; showing an excess in total receipts in 1902 of $173,082.32, over [892. The total value <>f domestic money orders issneil by the post offices in Vermont in 1892, 1 .47. In [902 they amount- ed to $1,627,525.19; being in amount $1,088, 513.72 greater last year than ten years ago, an increase of more than 200 pel cent In 1903 the amount of domestic money orders issued was $1,948,424.28, or $320,899.09 more than in [902. The domestic money orders paid at Vermont offices in [892 amounted to $405,175.37, and in [902 they aggregated $1,063,524.85, an in creas< of $658,339.48 in ten years , in [903 the\ aggregated $1,182,432.08, a gain oi $i [8,907.23 for tin- year ending Jim. last. The Rural Free Delivery system lias been rapidlj and widel\ extended in Vermont since it was first established by the United States government. Vermont has more routes than an\ other State in the Union in proportion to its si/e and population. This system of free delivery of the mail to rural patrons of tin- U. S. POSTAL SERVICE IN VERMONT. postal service is of inestimable benefit and advantage to the farmers of Vermont, and it has proven to be very popular with the people. There are at present 190 Rural Free Delivery routes in the State, originating at 109 post- offices. The maintenance of the system in Vermont for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1903, cost $55, 471.53. The carriers in the service are faithful and efficient men and well earn their compensation. The first two Rural Free Delivery routes to be established in Vermont were those in the town of Grand Isle, which went into effect in the fall of 1896, when a few routes were being established as experiments. Senator Proctor and Judge Powers believed that the town of Grand Isle was especially favorable for the experiment. The routes were successful from the start and have proved very popular, and are to-day among the most successful routes in the State. The number of routes and the postoffices where the3 r originate are as follows : One from Alburg, 2 from Arlington, 1 from Barre, 1 from Barnet, 1 from Barton, 1 from Bellojvs Falls, 3 from Bennington, 1 from Bethel, 1 from Bradford, 5 from Brandon, 5 from Brattleboro, 3 from Bridport, 4 from Bristol, 1 from Brookfield, 3 from Burlington, 3 from Cambridge, 2 from Cavendish, 2 from Charlotte, 1 from Chelsea, 3 from Chester, 1 from Chester Depot, 1 from Dorset, 3 from East Fairfield, 1 from East Georgia, 1 from Fast Hardwick, 1 from East Wallingford, 1 from East Shoreham, 5 from Enosburg Falls, 1 from Essex, 1 from Fairfield, 3 from Fairfax, 2 from Fair Haven, 1 from Felchville, 1 from Ferrisburg, 1 from Franklin, 2 from Grand Isle, 1 from Greensboro Bend, 2 from Hardwick, 1 from Highgate Center, 2 from Hyde Park, 1 from Hinesburg, 1 from Huntington, 2 from Jeffersonville, 2 from Jericho, 3 from Johnson, 2 from Ludlow, 1 from hyndonville, 1 from Manchester Depot, 6 from Middleburv, 1 from Middletown Springs, 1 from Middlesex, 3 from Milton, } from Montpelier, 1 from Moretown, 4 from Morrisville, 1 from New Haven, 2 from Newport Center, 2 from North Bennington, 1 from North Clarendon, 1 from North Crafts- bury, 2 from North Ferrisburg, 1 from North Hero, 1 from North Troy, 2 from Orwell, 1 from Passumpsic, 1 from Pittsford, 1 from l'ownal, 1 from Poultney, 2 from Proctorsville, 1 from Putney, 2 from Randolph, 2 from Rich- ford, 1 from Richmond, 2 from Rutland, 4 from St. Albans, 3 from St. Johnsbury, 2 from Shel- burne, 1 from Sheldon, 1 from Shoreham, 2 from South Hero, 3 from South Royalton, 1 from South Shaftsbury, 2 from Springfield, 2 from Stark sboro, 3 from Stowe, 3 from Swan ton 3 from Tunbridge, 1 from Underhill, 5 from Vergennes, 1 from Waitsfield, 1 from Walling ford, 2 from Waterbury, 2 from West Salisbury, 1 from West Glover, 1 from Westminster, I from Whiting, 1 from Wilmington, 1 from Windsor, 1 from Wolcott, 1 from Woodstock, 2 from West Rutland, 1 from West Concord, 1 from Pavvlet, 1 from Danby, 1 from Benson, 1 from Williston, 1 from East Enosburg, 1 from East Highgate. One hundred thirty one of these routes are in the first congressional district and fifty -nine in the second. The Fourth Assistant Postmaster General has tabulated the work clone by the carriers on all the routes in the country for the six months ending June 30th last. From this tabulation it appears that Route No. 2 from St. Albans was the banner route of the State for that period. The carrier handled during the six months 51,175 pieces of mail. Next comes Route No. 1 from Burlington, whose carrier handled 47,504. The growth of the Postoffice business throughout the country during the past six years is almost incredible. In the fiscal year of 1897, the gross receipts of the Postoffice Department amounted to $82,665,462.73. The United States Treasury had to contribute $12,13*3,392.88. as the total expenditures of the Department amounted to $94,077,242.38. In other words the Government had to pay about one-eighth of the entire expense of the Post- office Department. In 1903, the total expenditures of the De- partment amounted to $138,784,487.97. The gross receipts amounted to $134,224,445.24. So in spite of the fact that the sum of twelve million dollars was appropriated for Rural Free Delivery service, the deficit was only $3.753»955-5°i or about one-thirty-fifth of the entire expenditures. This remarkable show- ing plainly indicates that by a wise modifica- tion of the existing postal rates and an econ- omical administration of the Department, the Government will be able to extend the Free Delivery service in all parts of the countr}- and at the same time make the Department self supporting. THE flGRI CULTURAL INDUSTRY \w Hon. c. j. Bei i , riculture. \7ERMONT contains a greater land ami water area than any New England State. except Maine. The total land area of the State is 9, [35 square miles and the total water area is (.30 square miles. The territory com- prises 5,846,400 acres, of which 1,724, 1 1" acres is in farms. Of -the land included in farms 2,126,624 acres are improved and 2,597,816 unimproved. The number of farms is 33,104, valued at 1108,451,427, divided as follows: hand im- provements and buildings, $83,071,620; im- plements and machinery, $7, 538, 490 ; live- stock, $17,841,317. The number of farms, their valuation and acreage, and the amount of value of the pro- ducts of agriculture have varied considerably each decade since 1850. These changes have resulted from general conditions prevailing throughout the country. The crops harvested each year have also varied in quantity and quality according to climatic or atmos- pheric conditions during the seasons. Ac- cording to the last Government reports, the per capita value of agricultural products in Vermont was SqS, which is exceeded only by eleven States in the Union. Vermont stands at the head of the New England States in the number of cows, other cattle and swine kept upon her farms ; also in the annual quantity of hay, corn, wheat and barley raised from her soil. In the production of butter she also leads every other New England State. The yield per acre of certain farm products according to Government reports for specific years is greater in Vermont than in any other State. Vermont produces annually more maple sugar than any State, and in some seasons the crop has been nearly four-lifths of the yield in all the rest of the United States. In the year referred to the State, produced 14,218,921 pounds of sugar against 18,734,006 pounds elsewhere in tin country. The Year book of tin- 1 . S. Depart- ment of Agriculture gives the following figures on the amount of live stork on Vermont farms and the quantity of products raised thereon last year: Number of horses. 86,517; rows 282,546 : other cattle, 225,893 ; sheep. 273,876 ; swine. 88,624. bushels of oats, 3,111,200; potatoes, 2,550,502; corn, [,258,252; barley, 384,734; buckwheat. 258,900; rye, \ wheal pounds of wool, [,08 tobacco, 143, ;tonsofhay, 1.177.1 $5- Other statisties of agriculture are furnished only by the (J. S. Census. Therefore it is iry to take the returns made in hioo for the following products: Milk, 1 j_\- Ions; cheese. 106,659 pounds; number of chickens. 806,451 ; number of eggs, 6,271,880 dozen. The most marked gains in items of farm property from iS.jo to [902 are shown in the number of cows, which increased from 231,110 ,546, and other cattle from 142,620 to 225,893. These gains are in the nature of permanent additions to revenue producing farm property. The Census reports of 1890 and 1900 show that between these periods there was an appre ciable improvement in agricultural conditions and values, and there are reasons for asserting that this great industry has still further im- proved and advanced since [900. Prom [890 to 1900 the number of farms increased 531 ; the acreage, 328,794 acres; the value of farms, $2,644,130; the value of improvements. 1,930; the value of live-stock. Si , 100,007 ; the value of farm products. I13.205.912, and the total value of farm property $6,646,057. The value of farm products actually increased, however, but $9,203 985, as the sum of S4, 001, 927 represents the value of farm im- provements and additions to livestock, which was included in the Census returns of 1900. The 33, 104 farms are operated by 28,284 own ers and i.Sjo tenants. The total expenditure for the year for labor on farms, including board, was >.;. 1 ; | ( >ue of tin most Striking features in the his toi\ offarming is the transfei of the dairying industry t<> the factor}'. Cows and milk con tinue to be farm property and products, but the labor of converting the milk into market able form is mostly done at creameries auA cheese factories, placing the prodUCtS of thest establishments in the realm of manufactures, In 1 000 there were 255 such establishments in Vermont, of which 180 made buttei only, 61 only, and 1 1 cream and condensed milk. or two 01 more products. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY Butter, cheese and condensed milk factories more than doubled in number from 1890 to 1900. In the latter year there were 184 skimming stations and 382 separators in use in creameries and branches. The production of commercial casein and other by-products from the skim milk of creameries is a new- branch of the dair} T interest which has been recently established and is prospering. In all the New England States in 1900 there were 493 factories producing butter, cheese and con- densed milk, of which Vermont had 253, or more than one-half. The total value of these products in the New England States was $11,182,883, °f which amount Vermont is credited with $5,656,265, or more than 50 per cent. The total amount of milk bought or received from patrons in 1900 by the Vermont creameries and factories for butter only was 382,646,771 pounds, costing $3,262,211. There were also gathered 22,868,877 pounds of cream costing $888,955. The amount of butter made was 22,453,381 pounds, valued at $4,712,291. For cheese 44,691,588 pounds of milk were used, valued at $378,071. For making con- densed milk 4,940,744 pounds of milk were used, valued at $47,967. The manufacture of casein in 1900 amounted to 399,200 pounds, valued at $22,298. The figures of the census of 1890 and 1900 covering the butter, cheese and condensed milk factories form interesting reading. These establishments increased in number during this period from 123 to 255 ; the capital in- vested grew from $367,892 to $1,222,892 ; the number of hands employed increased from 263 to 522 ; the wages paid from $77,603 to $236,- 377 ; the cost of materials from $1,387,445 to $4,885,289 and the value of products from $1,662,641 to $5,656,265. This is a gain of over 250 per cent in 10 years in the value of the manufactured products of the dairy in- dustry in Vermont. Of course a very large portion of the butter product in 1890 was made on farms and in dairies, and consequently was included in the census returns covering farm products. Since the census was taken in [900 the butter product of the creameries in the State has materially increased year by year. The statistics gathered for 1902 show that Vermont creameries manufactured fully 25,- 000,000 pounds of butter. The product of the cheese factories in [902 was, in round numbers, 3,900,000 pounds. The following table shows the number and acreage of farms, and value of farm property, June 1, 1900, classified b}^ principal source of income, with percentages : Principal Source of Income. Number of Farms. Total Number of Acres in Farms. Total Value of Farm Property. The State 33,104 4,7->4,440 $108,451,427 Hay and grain 2,519 679 204 7,323 1(1,700 38 45 28 5 5,563 291,369 34.944 13,363 987,1 '7 2,538,948 5,554 ::,HV)1 308 565 848,581 6,5-28,610 1,007,100 22,499,010 63,251,427 Dairy produce Sugar Flowers and plants. . Nursery products Miscellaneous 75,730 164,400 32,925 13,955,165 In addition to the acreage devoted to cereals there are nearly 18, 000 acres of grain cut green for hay and 39,500 acres corn forage or ensil- age. While the hay and forage crop leads, with a value of $10,544,825 in 1899, but few think that the forest product is second, with a value of $2,108,518; then potatoes, valued at $1,333,730; followed by corn, valued at $1,180,505; next come oats, $941,711 ; then maple sugar and syrup, $598,953, which fre- quently reaches nearer $1,000,000 in value ; followed by fruit, $450,429 ; then miscellaneous vegetables. $370,000, making a total of $18,170,279. receipts from the soil. The average value per acre of some crops is as follows: Flowers and plants, Si, 54 1.45; nursery products, $670.61 ; small fruits, S204.62 ; onions, $192.32 ; miscellaneous veg- etables, S70.68 ; potatoes, $47.04 ; cereals, $15.28, and orchard fruits, $10.53. Rutland county harvests the largest tonage of wild grasses, being 1,337 tons; leading also with a yield of 387,457 bushels of potatoes ; Orleans county the most millet, being 1,2.28 tons and of Alfalfa or Lucern 21 tons; Essex county claims the largest percentage of clover, amounting to 1,028 tons. In tame and culti- vated grasses Franklin county leads with [09,009 tons; while Windsor county is feeding [,889 tons of corn stalks, nearly one-third of the corn stalks fed in the State. There are only 17 States that grow greater tonage of hay or forage crops, each of them having many times our acreage. We use the sun and rain to grow most of our crops, ouly 298,710 square feet of land under glass being used. GOOD ROflDS r.\ Hon. J. < >. Sani ord, State I Iighway Comm \ VERMONT was among the first of the States V to make radical changes for better admin- istration of State and town road affairs, and for permanent improvement of public roads. In 1892 a law was enacted that required each town to elect a Road Commissioner who shall have the care and management of the roads in his town, and expend all public money for roads. At the same time the vState adopted a system of State aid to towns for permanent work on the main roads. The State aid fund is created by a direct tax, and added to this is the revenue that comes to the State for license fees under the new liquor law. This road fund is apportioned to the towns on a basis of mad mileage. The road mileage of the State is 14,910 miles, and the available fund for permanent road work in 190;, was 592,435.69. This sum was apportioned to 288 towns, cities and villages, proportioned to the number of miles of road in each. This money has been expended in con- struction work on the worst places on the main roads. The specifications require : 1st, thorough drainage ; 2d, stone foundation where artificial foundation is needed ; 3d. surfacing with good road material ; 4th, compacting and finishing into a smooth and shapely road ; and 5th, culverts substantially built of stone or tile. The State as a whole is well supplied with good road material. Many miles of old stone walls, unsightly and useless for other purposes, are used in foundation work. Rock of good quality for road work is waiting for the crusher in all sections. Good gravel is generally available, and as necessity demands n- w 30UrceS for road material an being found. For road maintenance, the towns assess a i.i.id tax which is collected in money. This tax for 1003 amounted to $369,472. 76. A small portion of this money goes foi perma- nent work in connection with tlu- State work. The greater portion is expended by the town commissioners in the care and repairs of the roads. The boon of State aid for highway improve incuts gave the people courage and is a great incentive to effort in improving not only the roads, but our public schools and all public in- stitutions, and tin- farms as well. It would be difficult to estimate the benefits that have .n i-nied to the State by reason of this movement The roads are greatly improved. Tin 1 slow progress made at first, owing to inclina- tion to continue old methods, and there was lack of knowledge and experience in road work of permanent character. Formerly the roads generally were of uneven surface, and a sue cession of mud holes. Now mud holes on our main roads are few, and the roads generally in good condition. All our roads are gradually improving, and without fear of contradiction I make the statement that the country roads in Vermont are in better condition than that class of roads in other States that have been building roads at State expense. Other States granting State aid for roads expend large sums in costly roads in pros imityto cities or localities that are thickly populated. In Vermont our system extends into every town, and the poor town with a small grand list and large road mileage receives greater proportional benefit than the larger places. The State money is all expended on the worst sections on the main roads in every town. As these roads are improved in a per manent manner it costs the town less to main- tain them, and more can be done on the other roads. Of course there are towns that have poor loads, and while we have good school laws, some towns have poor schools. And so it is with everything. There are cases of pool town management and all degrees of ell in the nun chosen for Road Commissioners But as towns are not entitled to receive then apportionment until they have faithfulh ex pended the amount to the satisfaction of the Slate Highwaj Commissioner in permanent road work according to specifications furnished by him, there is an inducement and motive foi towns to make diligent efforts to avail of the benefits of the law. Tlie increasing summer travel in Vermont is an incentive to road improvement. Sum met boarders now come to nearly every town TIIK VERMONTER— ADVERTISEMENTS. in the State. This brings good influences to hear upon the people, which is shown in bet- ter roads and improved farms and home sur- roundings, and cleaner roadsides. There is value in road side beauty. The natural at- tractions and beauty of the road side cost nothing, and the country people are showing regard for it. Ma3 T the time soon come when our road sides will be clean from the con- spicuous advertisements of cheap trash and plunder, patent medicines and all unholy things. The change that has been made from nar- row to wide tired wagons has been very help- ful in improving the roads. Since it is known that a load is more easily moved with a wide tired wagon on a good road, and also that a narrow tired wagon is a road destroyer, while the wide tire is a road builder in compacting and keeping a hard, smooth surface, there seems to be no reason why wide tired wagons for heavy work should not be exclusively used. The highway law is well devised for con- ditions existing in Vermont and promises to accomplish good results. The G. S. BL0D6ETT CO. Burlington, Vt. SANITARY PLUMBING and HEATING ENGINEERS, MANUFACTURERS OF Portable Ovens OUR NEW CABINET. Bakes by the cir- culation of hot air. Lined throughout with double air cell, asbestos lining. Has drop oven doors which form a shelf for each rack when open. Minimum loss of heat by opening of doors. Oven built to bake continuously. Made in six sizes. Single and double for coal, wood and ' '-""" $ ^ :,K - . ! ■ "m \ Capacity from 30 v iA u to KiO large loaves ,-> ^ V "S' ** ~ of bread at one ~ s ^SbD'"'* s time. SEND FOR CATALOGUE AND PRICES -*THE — VERMONTER Hn lUluetratei) /H>ontbl£ State flDaga3ine. $1 .00 A YEAR. 1 CENTS A COPY Hntered at St. Albans Post OJJict as Second Class Matter TERMS. SUBSCRIPTIONS. One dollar per year in advance, post-paid to all parts of the United States and Pos- sessions and the Dominion of Canada. To all other countries 25 cents extra for postage. Subscriptions may begin at any time. Back numbers supplied for ten cents per copy. REMITTANCES. Money may be sent by Express Money Order, P. O. Order, Bank Draft or Registered Letter. Money may also be sent in letters at the risk of the Publisher. AGENTS. Subscriptions are received by all News dealers, and Vermont Publishers and Postmasters. Agents are wanted in every town and city in the State to canvass for The Vermonter. Liberal com- mission. Outfit free. Write for terms. ADVERTISING. The Vermonter is a superior advertising medium. It covers the State thoroughly and its circulation is among the thrifty, prosperous and intelligent people of Vermont. Advertising rates furnished upon application. CORRESPONDENCE. Articles on Vermont sub jects, or articles by Vermont writers, and photo graphs for the same, are solicited. State terms when forwarding MS. CHARLES S. FORBES, Editor and Publisher, ST. ALBANS, :: :: :: :: VERMONT. ROBINSON=EDWARDS LUMBER COMPANY. BURLINGTON, VERMONT, Slumber MANUFACTURERS AND I >l \ I Kl I\ STANDARD OB CD] S 01 CANADIAN, MICHIGAN, AND SOUTHERN PINE AND HARDWOODS. Shingles, Clapboards, Lath, Dimension Timber, Steam Planing and Moulding Mills, SOD! IGENTS IN THE UNITED STATES l-'<>K W. C. EDWARDS & CO., MANUFACTURERS, at Rockland and Ottawa, Ontario, THE VERMOXTER -ADVERTISEMEXTS. EQUINOX Ihe LEADING 5PRING of the STATE. HE EQUINOX WATER, Still and Sparkling. EQUINOX GINGER C H AM P AG N E. Write for Analysis and Prices. Freight or Express Prepaid. TO PURCHASE FOR US CALFSKINS. BEEF HIDES, HORSE HIDES. SHEEP PELTS. TALLOW and BONES. We Furnish Cash ! We Pay Freights ! We Allow the Highest Market Prices ! ^ WE ALSO WANT AGENTS Equinox Spring Co., j everywhere to sell i Page's Perfected Poultry Food The EQUINOX, EDWARD C. ORVIS, nar>2v Dealtbful Section on tbte Continent, and tbe place to Spent) sour Summer Vacation, la >«9NI THI' rceo Hill* of Veripoijt. Hake .... Gbamplain. A beantlful brochure, giving * complete de- scription of all the Tillages and summer resorts located on tbe line of the Central Vermont Rail- way In Vermont, and on the shores of Lake Champlaln, also a list of Hotels and the best Kamlly Homes, who will take summer boarders at prices ranging from $4.00 to $10.00 per week, la n»w ready for delivery. They will be mailed on '■eceipt of i cents, fer postage, on application ta T. H. Haklbt, N. E. P. A.,S0« Washington Street, Boston, or A. W. EccutaTOKS, S. P. A., 386 Broad- way, Mew York. GCNERAL OFFICES ST. ALBANS. VT. E. H. FITZHUGH, J. E. BENTLEY, flst-Pwi't Mid GuTl lanaisr. fin'l huis. Asrint. 5ostop apd t\&\r)e R&ilro&d THE GREAT RAILROAD SYSTEM OF NEW ENGLAND. E DIRECT ROUTE . . . 7# all of the PRINCIPAL SUMMER RE- SORTS OF EASTERN AND NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. THE WHITE MOUN- TAINS. GREEN MOUNTAINS. ADIRON- DACK MOUNTAINS. LAKES WINNIPESAUKEE, CHAM PLAIN, RANGE LEY, MOOSE HE AD. MEG ANTIC. MEMPHREMAG0G, SUN APE E and ST. JOHN. THE NORTH ATLANTIC COAST. 'lctnresque New England Series Summer Literature— mong the ' "LuVes 1 Streams," "Valley of tl rmont," "Fishing and Hunting," are th<* titrated literature descriptive title and containing valuabl-- >e mailed ■ n book, giving ites, rates, etc., will be mailed free. is. 1»:pt. B. * M. R . D.J. FLANDERS, Gen'! Pass. end Ticket Aet. Rutland Railroad ACROSS THE ISLANDS ano along tbe Shores of bake Champlaln. Th« POPULAR ROUTE for tourists, Between BOSTON, NOW YORK en* NEW BNO- LAND POINTS. And VERMONT, CANADA, THOUf AHB ISLANDS. LAKE OBOROB, LAKE CHAMPLAIN, end the ADIRONDACK*. Through Fast Express Traint . . . PULLMAN BUFFBT PARLSR AJNB 8LHEPIN0 CARS ON ALL THROUOH TRAINS. for Information regarding tickets, time-tables, ete., •all on nearest ticket agent, or address MO. T. JARVIS, Vlce-Pras. i Ssn'l Mgr. C. A. NIMMO, lea. Pass. Aft. RUTLAND, VT. ' Best In The World. 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