Newspaper Page Text
VERMONT WATCHMAN fc STATE JOURNAL., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1884. 4 rntchmm & $otmnL Tekhi $2.00 per year, strlctly in advanee) or IJ.S0 lf not vMd within ttatee montht. WEDNESDAY, JANUAHY 23, 1884. Wk publiah to-day a lotter from Fred orlok Billings decllnlng to bo a candidate for tho governorahip at tho next oleotion. Verraontors will hardly bo willing to ac oept as flnal tho reasons ho gives why ho should not be governor ot tho atate. We believo that hopes and expeotatlons havo been oxoited atnong tho peoplo by tho mention of bia namo in conueotion with tho ohiof executive oflloe, which will not be eaally relinquishcd, atid shall not bo surprisod lf his lotter is followed by a loud and iinporativo call from tho voters to bo thoir atandard bearer, In Bpito o his eoruples, in tho cotnlng canvasa. Ho is Vermonter enough to maintain his cit izenahip in spito o powerful interests olsowhere, to yearn for tho olovation and advanoemont of tho atate in all her inter ests and to contribute by speech, influence and princely works to the objeot of his patriotic desires. It is early yet to settle npon tho personality of tho caudidate. When that time is fully como, if events and ciroumstances ahall clearly point to Mr. Billings as the man after tho peoplo's own heart, we trust that they will call him and that his answor will bo " Here am I." Mr. Billing's remarks in relation to the mountain and rotation rules sbould arrest the thouchtful atteution of the state. The reaotionary work of the Ohio demooratio senatorial canous was ratl fied Tuesday, the 15th inataut, by the election of Ilenry B. Fayne to aucceed George II. Fendleton, whose torm will oi pire Maroh 3, 1885. If Mr. Payne livos out his senatorial term he will be an octo genarian at its expiration in 1801. The action of the Ohio democrats and of the New York democratic state department officors in faoing backwards in the matter of a jnst and reasenable regnlation of the civil servico of a state or the nation, is Bupplemented by the introdnction by democrats in the national house of repre- sentatires of two bills for the repeal of tho civil service act passed a year ago. Tho action of the Ohio democrats is sharply criticised by the honest and outspoken press of that party in different parts of the Union. Some emphatic press notes of this character were printed in Tiie Watchman last week. Tho following from the Louisvillo Courier-Journal is a sample of further expression of demo cratic sentimont: "Mr. Payne's nomina tion is the result of the most corrupt con- spiracy ever organized in this country; and was compassed by the tnost extravagant nse of money known to the legislative history of any state in the Union." Not a Parallcl Casc. The Argus and Palriot's exhibiton of a bolly's manners and " its asaumption of knowledge " in its last issue, about opin ions " which seem to overthrow " the Vermont corporation tax law, are entirely " characteristic." The opinion which, with habitnal but transparent gnilo, it aays " seems " to overthrow our tax law and " it is believed by many eminent ju rists will bo sustained by the full bench," but in respect to which it does not take the tronble to eniighten its readers, " is believed by many eminent jarists " to bave about as much to do with the Ver mont law as an opinion in the celebrated Cock Robin case. So far Tiie Watcii man's statement is as good as, and we be lievo better than, the dictum of the Argus, which has a babit of making sweeping assertions and treating as f acts the things asserted. We are not surprised to learn that our courteous contemporary found the extracts from decisions of the federal supreme court, recently published in this paper, "dull" reading. The Argus has a faculty for getting on the wrong side of questions, legally and politically. In this matter of state taxation of corpor- ations its fatality is eBpecially conspicu ous, and it is experiencing the common lot of newspapera whose course is deter mined by motives and principles other than those of right and justice. The more it floundera aronnd, tho deeper it sinks in the quagmire of its own creation Any reading that conflicta with its wrong positions and exposes its inconaiatenciea and absurdities, it will very naturally find " dull." Tiie Watciiman will, however. in a truly fraternal spirit, strive to make its columns reasonably lively for ils ea teemed but somewhat squeamish contem porary. It will be found that the California railroad tax cases, of which the San Mateo county was the leading one, could not havo a parallel in any case that might come up under the Vermont law. The facta in the case may be of general inter est. By the constitution of California, all taxable property in the state is to bo taxed in proportion to its valao, but in ascer taining ils value as a basis for taxation a distinction ia mado betweon the prop erty owned by individuals and that owned by railroad corporationa. A mortgage ia treated, for tho purposea of taxation, " as an interest in the property affected thereby," and " except as to rail roads and other quasi corporalions," the value of tho property aifoctod, lesa the value of tho security, ia to be assessed and taxed to its owner, and the value of the security ia to be assessed and taxed to its liolder. This is by proviaion of an nrticle in the atate conatitution. But by the same nrtiole " the franchise, roadway, road-bed, rails and rolling stock of all railroads operated in more than one coun ty" are to be assessed at their aotual valuo and apportioned to the countios, cities and dlxtriots in whioh tho roads aro lald. No dcduotion 1b allowod for any mortgages on tho property. Tho Southern Paciflo railroad extonds Bouth-oastorly from San Francisco. Soven hundrod and elovon milea in length aro in tho atato, of whioh about twenty-five milos aro in San Matoo county. For tho flscal year 1881-82 tho stato board of equallzation assessed the property of this road at 811,789,015, or at the ratoof 810,500 a mile, and apportioned $111,150 to San Mateo county, acoording to tho ratlo of tho mileage in that coun ty to tho ontiro mileage of tho road in tho atate. Upon tho amount thus appor tioned taxes were levied, for tho collootlon of which tho county sued thb railroad. There was a mortgage of 83000 a mile on the entire property of tho railroad, but ita property was assessed at ita entire valuo, indepondently of the mortgage. Hero was a direct dlscrimination between property belonging to a railroad and tho property of individuals. Tho saino dls crimination waa also made in favor of the property of railroad corporatious oper ated only in one county, and of corporations of various kinds holding and uslng prop erty in more than one county. That is to say, the property of railroada doing bus- iness in more than one county was as besBod at its full value, with no deduction for the mortgage ; but the property of in dividuals, and of railroads doing business only in one county, and of corporationa of various kinds, except railroads, holding and using property in more than ono coun ty, was assessed at its valao, less any mortgage thero might be upon it. This discrimination the railroad olaimed was uniuat and unlawful. The tax levied on this unequal assessment waa purely o property tax. Tho tax levied on the rail roads by the Vermont law is on gross re- ceipts and is in tho nature of a franchise tax. In ahowing that the California con atitution made an unjust and unlawful discrimination, denying "tho equal pro- tection of the lawa " under the fourteenth amendment, Judge Field explaiued, what haa been established beyond reasonable dispute, that uniformity and equality in taxation do not requiro that all kinds of property must be taxed alike, or that if one kind of business is taxed, every other kind of businosa in the state must be taxed also. Real property, he said, may be taxed at ono rate, peraonal property at another rate. Taxation on business in the fortn of a license may vary according to calling, or occupation, or extent of business transacted, but there must be uniformity of chargea with respect to the same calling or occupation. But these casea of admit ted variation in the mode and rate of tax ation, he reasoned, were no answer to ,tho discrimination complained of in the rail road case. If property ia taxed, it must be taxed uniformly. If bnsiness is taxed, all business of the same kind must be taxed. If a license ia exacted from liquor sellera, uniformity and equality doea not demand that the f amily grocery dealer be also required to pay a license, but that every liquor-seller without discrimination shall be required to pay the license. There may be discrimination in the subjects of taxation, but persons of the same nlass and property of the same kind must gen erally be subjected alike to tho same com mon burden. Thia ia the tenor of Judge Field's deciaion aa to uniformity and equality of taxation. As regards corpora tions, Cooley on Taxation says that special rulea are generally made. The method of taxation and what shall be taken aa the measure of the tax are in the discretion of the legialature. Sometimea the fran chise is specifically taxed, sometimea the capital, or capital stock, sometimea the tangible property, and so on. When the aupreme court has decided this case, pre cisely what the law is will appear. Spec ulationa baaed on Judge Field's opinion are therefore premature ; ati 11 it ia evident from the general tenor of his opinion and from the following extract in relation to the power of a atate to tax, that, even if ho is sustained, the Vermont law will not f ail. " It is undoubtedly true," he says, " that the power of taxation poaaeased by the stato may be exercised upon any aub jeot within her juriadiction and to any extent not prohibited by the constitution of the United States. Aa atated by tho supremo court, it may touch property in every ahape in its natural condition, in ita manufactured form and in ita various mutations. And tho amount of the tax ation may be determined by the value of the property, or its use, or its capacity, or its productiveness. It may touch busi ness in the almost infinite forms in which it ia conducted in professions, in com merce, in manufactures, and in transpor tation. Unless restrained by provisions of the federal constitution, the power of the stato as to tho mode, form and extent of taxation is unlimited, when tho sub jects to which it applies are within her jurisdiotion.' " Qucstiou of Larger Than Party Interest. Tho Vermont Chronicle, in a recent issue, flttingly pointed out that in a state whero parties aro so unequally divided as in Vermont, a nomiuation for governor by the party in power is equivalent to an election, and for that roason that the ae leotion of a candldate by that party is not a matter simply of party interest, but be comea of general concorn to those who aro interested in the well-being of the stato. It is this fact, we auppose, that explaina and justifios the extraordinary anxloty of our democratic neighbor, the Argus and Palriot, that tho republican party aball not nomlnate for governor one who is, from ita point of view, auch a diareputable member of soclety as Fred' eriok Billings, and that movea The Chron icle, on tho other hand, whioh forms u different estimato of that gentleman, to supposo that its readers of all politioal oplniona will regard with satisfaction tho favorablo mention whioh haa boon mado of Mr. Billings' ,namo. Wo do not dony that a democratic, partisan papor has a aolid intorost in tho soloction of a rcpub- lican oandldato for governor, and wo rocognize muoh moro that tho intorosts for whioh a rellgloua papor stands, may lead it to havo a concorn in the sanie. By all means, let every interest in the stato express itsolf froely as to ita profor ences, and tho ground of them, and the outcomo of it will bo tho selootion of that candldato who most acourately repreaents the average wish of the public. We hold that tho peoplo of Vermont by an over whelming majority, if thoir aontimenta can bo got at, aro a political community which desires to bo ropresonted by a man ofthotvpe of Mr. Billings. Tho fact that the readers of The Chronicle enter tain auch a desiregooa, so far f orth, to con' firm our opinion. Tho fact that tho Ar gus and Palriot opposes him atrengthena it much moro. It romaina to bo seon if the volce of the peoplo can find expres sion, and if it can, whether it will indl cate any chance in the eound heart of the state. Notcs and Coinmcnts. St. Louis GloiiivDkmockat : " We feol authorized to announce that the election of a democratic president is again post- poned." St. Louis Globe-Demociiat : "Senator Pendleton is tho firat democratic victim of civil-service reform. You don't catch our Missouri Vest fooling with that sort of thing. ' A democrat for every office, and an office for every democrat,' ia good onough civil-aervice reform for him." Boston Herald: " Senator Edmunds ia the best man on the republican side of the senate to stand firat in the line of suc cession to the preaidenoy. If the demo crats keep up their foolisbness, the poo ple will be very apt to omphasizo their de termination to secure civil-sarvico reform by promoting tho Vermont statesman to the first place." Cincinnati News-Journal : "We f rank ly confoss we do not like the taste of the crow, but, sauced as it is with necessity and good company, crow isn't so bad after all. Nine-lenths of tho democratic papers and peoplo of Ohio are partaking of the dish with us, and now that we havo tried it, we find the bird isn't so black or tough aa ho ia painted. Waiter, another amall. very amall, piece of tho crow." Boston Herald : " Senator-elect Payne has given himaelf a mild preaidential boom among the dodging democrats. He can blow hot from one aide of hia mouth and cold from the other ; cry good Lord and gooddevil with equal unction; favors a tariff for revenue and also for protea tion ; is devoted to reform, but ag'in ita application. Mr. Payne would be a capl tal candidate to stretch out the line of democratic blundera toward the crack of doom." Tiie London Times saya that the con' tinued depression in trade ia a puzzle to the community. The revival of 1870 was but temporary, and merchanta ndw com plain that their profita havo either diaap' peared altogether or are extremely amall while great industries are admittedlyin distress, and nowhere is thero real pros perity. But it is merely the speculative trade which is depressed. The hand-to-mouth trade ia fully maintained. The chief cauae of the lengthened depression, the writer thinks, is to be found in the seriea of bad harvesta. Burlington CLirrEit: "It is very evident that the sentimont of thia com munity ia plainly in favor of Frederick Billings for governor. Hia unquestiona ble integrity, his liberality, and especially, most generous donations to our principal institution of learning, placea us under atrong obligationa to him, and should he consent to allow hia name to be used for thia high office, it would be a most diffi- cult task to find the man that would dare claim the honor, and much more diflicnlt, to obtain it. It is about time the East Side ' found a man of ability if they are to furniah the next governor. We have had light weights .enough from that eec tion. Mr. Billings poaseasea tho requisite ability to make him ono of Vermont'a most brilliant governors." New York Times : " The aalve of after- dinner oratory ia to be applied to the wouud in the Ohio democracy caused by the nomination of Mr. Payne. That gen tleman ia reported to have ordered a apread for six hundrod persona, to whioh members of the legialature and a number of the prominent politiciana of tho atate aro to be invited. The moutha of the foea of the prospeotive senator will be closod with terrapin and canvas-back, and those of hia advocates will be oponed with champagne and atill Catawba. If the guesta are well aelected, and they all come, the device will work for the atato of Ohio. But unless Mr. Payne can givo a seriea of dinnora to all the independent democrats from the Ohio to the Columbia, he will not stop the expression of the in dignation which his election by tho Stand' ard Oil Company haa aroused." Edmuni) IIudson in hia Washington letter to the Boston Herald aays : " It will bo well for obaervatit readera to mako a note of the fact that Senator Edmuuda ia now taking a more active part in party managemont than over before. He retains tho preaidenoy of the aenate ; he takes the chairmanahip of tho caucua; he makea speeches which defino tho party polioy ; ho would bo president this year if Arthur were to die. Moro is heard of his availa billty than ever before. Thero is not to be found any peraon who darea to aay that Mr. Edmunda is not eminently flt to bo president. I wish the voters every- where know, aa well as those whohavethe confidonco of Mr. Edmunds know, what broad, wlso and splendld moasures of na tional devolopment would be certain to receivo an impetus if Mr. Edmunds were made tho next president. What a pity it is that the votora of tho country oannot aecure the election of such a man without waiting on tho Bchemes aud intorosta of a fow scorea of politiciana, who control the machlnca and who may provent the nom- inatlon of Mr. .Hamunda or ot any man who is thoroughly satisfaotory to tho countrv. Tho friends of Mr. Edmunds should tako f rosh courago from his slightly changod attitude, which makoB him more promitient iu council anu in manacrement and which teuda to briug him the aupport of active party workors who havo hitnerto held alool."- Mr. Billings Dccllncs. The following lotter explalng Itsolf: 207 Madison Avknue, Nkw Yohk, January 18. 1881. Hon. Jamcs Sarrctt, Rutland, Vermont : My ucar mr : in repiy to your very klna lotter. I bot? to pav. I liavo notlcod that nnvnrnl papers ol tho state, with alluslons to mysolt altogether too lUttorlng, have promlnently connoctod my name with the next gabernato- riai oiecuon. u is naraiy moaost (or a man to decllne an ofllco beforo it ls tendored, yet I trust I mftv bo nardoned In sAvine thus earlv. I am not a candldato and have not the sllchtest deslre lor any political omco wiiatever and can not tindor any clrcumstancos allow my namo to be usod ln conuccuon witn tne gubernatorlal nomination. Aalde from my own feellngs ln tho matter, tnere would bo, ll not an improptlety, cer- talnly a great Inconvenience, In putting a man inthatoince who for business purposea and educatlon of childron, has his wlnter resldence here in New York. The time of the governor ueiongs 10 mo staie, ana tnougn mo work ol his ofllce Is very modorate, he can ilnd many ways uuisme oi nis siricuy tecnnicai au- tles to promoto the interests and good namo of tho commonwealth, In this respect, and ln all rcspects, a governor would be much moreuseful and the ofllce much more hon- orablo, ll we could get rld ol tne one- term rnle. If that rule Is to be Inslsted on so lonc as the covernor is elected for two vears. why not change the constitution and cet back to annual electtons? Tlien the governor hold log ofllce for two years would have the oppor- innicy oi iwo legisiaiures lor carrying out any tiollcv he mlcht deem for tho nublln irnnd. Now the governor meets a leglsmture whose members, like himself, are generally elected for one term, and when the next lecislaturo raeotB he goes out of ofllco. This cheapens tho executive piace ana exposes tne state to crude legialatlon. When the constltutlonal change was made. I thought it a wlse one; but, under the work lng of the biennlal system, the old way was better, and I shall be glad when the poople ot vermont, dlvlded by the ureen Mountain range, and not comlng together otten enough, agaiu send up their representatlves to the Can- ltol every year. And then I shall be gtlll more Elad If. in illllng hizh ofllces. thev will altO' gether forget the mountain range, thlnk never of locallty but only of worth and fitness, and never bo lu hasto to make changes when worth and fitness are found. Thanklng you and all other friends most noaruiy lor Kina expressions, I am, glncerely yours, FitKDEHICK BlLLINOS. Forty-Eighth Congress. Torsdav, January 15. The sonate discussed the Anthony resolutlon regardlng retallatory legisiation oy tne united atates tomeettlie ex cluslon of healthful American meats from for- eign countrles, but reachcd no dcclslon. The Mexlcan reclproclty treaty was dobated at length in executive se?slon Bills, resolu- tlons and memorlals were uresentpd in tho house, and the blll approprlating Sl, 000,000 for continuing tne lmprovement ot tne Alldslssippl river was uiacusjed at conslderable length In committoe oi tne wnoie. Wednesday, January 10. The senato passed Mr. uoar s eiectorai count ulll without dobate. lnenowjolnt rules, slightly amended, were adopted. and the Mexlcan reclproclty treaty was mriuer aiscussea in executive session. Ibe Mlsslsslppl river appropriatlon blll was discussed ln committee ol the wliolo and re ported back to tho house. Flnal action, how ever, was not reacned. TiiunsDAY, january 17. In tho senate. a communicatlon was received from ex-Senator Kelioeg of Louisiana, denying thatheaccented a brlbe for accelerating the pnssnge of the Texas Pftcific railroad land grant blll and ask ing for an lnvestigatlon of the cbarges. The Mexlcan reclproclty treaty dobate was contin ued in executive session and will be closed at four o clock this afternoon.. . .The bonse nassed the blll appropiatlne Sl.000,000 for continuing the work of lmprovement on the MIsslsslppl river oy a voto oi two nunorea ana mtoen to sixtv-four. Bills araendlne the natent laws and making all public roads and highways post-routes were passea. Fkidav, January 18. In the senate, the com mittee on forelgn relations reported favorably tho blll prohlblting the importatlon of onlum into the United States from China, and its ex- portation irom tms country to Uhtna. A vote was reached on the Mexlcan reclproclty treaty. and It was rejected thlrty-nlne to twenty, not the nccessary two-thlrdB. An adjournment was taken until Monday. . . .Tba house in com mittee of the whole discussed the Fitz-Jobn Porter blll. Satukdav. Januarv 19. Tho senato was not In session. . . .The eesslon ot the house was de voted excluslvely to a dobate on the Fitz-John Porter blll, several speeches belng made for and against lt. Flnauclal Statement of Washington County. George W. Iieod, treasurer, In account with wasnington county: DKBIT. Cash on btnd Jannarr 1. 1883 1.6S7 87 Aprll 7. 1833. cafth received for old wlndows aold. 1 35 Aprll 21, 1683, cash received for old wlndows BUIU OV December 11, 1883, cajh received from atate treaaurer fnr reddler's license M 98 Cash rec-elved forbalance of Interest to Jannarr 1, 1884 6G 19 Total 81.7W 49 CRBDIT. lly amount of orJers pald in 1883 $690 (W lty aoconnt of lnsurauce on connty bulldlngs... 63 8(1 Ity salary and eipensca of treaaurer 20 00 January 1, 1884. balance to new account 1,017,06 Total J1.7W 49 Ihave nudlted and settled tho account of the treasurer of Washington county, as above, this iBt aay oi january, Mklvillk E. Smime, Auditor. We have oxamlned the foregolng settlement ot the treasurer's account, and approve the same. We further find there is due the county lor ront oi town cierx g omco tno Btim ol siw. and there is an outstanding Indebtednes of the county to tho nmount of 5207,31, for which orders have boen drawn, but not presented to uie treasnrer ior payment. J. II. IlAHTINUS, I Judqes Of 3. M. Fisheii, ) Washington Co. Court, montpelier, january o, lsa-i. Tiik stearaer Clty of Columbus ot the Savan' nah lino of uteaineis, which left Boston the 17th, wont ashore on Devll Brldce at Gav- head, Martha'a Vlnoyard, and nlnety-seven Uvos woro lost. Tho following is Cap tain 8. E. Wrlghfs statomont: nThe Clty of Columbus left Boston at threo r. M. on Thursday, the 17th. At llfteen mlnutes of four A, m., on Frlday, Gayhead llght bearlng south half east, the vessel struck on the outnldo of Devll's llrldge buoy. The wlnd was blowlng a gale, wo.it by north. The vessel Imtnodlatoly lilled and heeled over, tho water breaking lu and Ilooding the port side of the galoon. AU tho nasseneors excentine a few women and chlldren camo on deck, nearly all wearing llte preservers, All tne uoats were ciearea awav, but immediatoly gwamped. Tho majority ot the passengers were wasliod overboard, Seven paHsengers left the vessel on n Ufe raft nnd about forty moro took to the rlggiug." Tho Clty ot Columbus had flfty-nlne iimt-class and twenty-two steerage passengers, about one- tiurd of wiiom were lauies ana cuuaren, nnd a crewof fortv-llve. Mfty.four ilrst-class and flf- totin steerage paasengers and twonty-elght ot tho olllcers and crew were lost, She was one of the flnost ve.isols on tho coast nnd was bullt In 1878 by Joliu Itoach & Son at Chester, l'a. She was bullt of Iron und thorouchlv eouuioed and was rated A 1 for ono hundred years. She was vaiuea at &jiu,u.uana waBinsureu iorou,uuu. RIso andOronth of aTlirlvInglltislness. Tho history of man's devlslnes Is very like the history ot man himself. Mllllons come into tne worid uut lew aro "tno lmmortai names that were not born to dlo." The fate of mechanical invention seems to be qulto as haploss as any of Its klndtcd progeny of man t brain. it is even nosBibie tnat tno law oi " tne eurvlval of the flttest " is enforcod with iron rlgtdlty only ngalnst tho bantllngs of tho in ventlvo genitts. But In spite of forblddlng condltlons tne survlving clilldren ol this nard liandod but clear-bralned parentage have us ually developed into a stalwart and dlstln gutshed ffttnlly which, like tho stoam englno witn us conaterai unog oi aescont, nave maae very tisetul citlzens In the world of contrlv nnces and have brought the greenest laurels back to tho brain that conceived them. The Line Manufacturing Company of Montpelier Is the ciilia oi urignt mecnantcai meas wnicii, uy their lnnate sttength and hardihood, supple mented bv vlcorous and efllclont business tntelage, have asserted their rlghts and con queiod tho law of "survlval" by produclng the "flttest" mechanical devlces, embodied in macninery conetructeu witn tne greatest me chanical Derfectlon and with sneclal adapta- tion to tho rapid and sklllful roductlon of " the lorest primevai," tne woria over. to mo aiver- slfiod aud increaslng wants of clvlllzitlon. IllSTOniOAL. Some twonty-flve vears nco Dcnls Line owned and operated a saw and grist-mlll at l'lainneici. ne naa aiso an exceedlnelv Drlml- ttve machlne sliop, the principal tool In which was a crude englno lath. He manufactured Bhlngle and lath machlnes which he sold to neighboring owners of mlll privileges, and, clr cular saw-mtlls havlng then qultegenerally sup- planted tno oid-time up anu down " aitairs, he bullt ono of these machlnes for bls own use. The device employed at that time for setting the log lorward on tne carriage lor succossive cuts of boards or planks was a Bcrow-block at eacn ona. tive turns ot tno screw were re quired for an Inch board, and for expeditious worit a man at eacn screw was requirea. l nis was expensive, and the apparatus did not nl ways work with tho preclslon that was deslra ble for the perfect sawing of lamber. Mr. Line dlrected nis wita to provlding a remeay lor these economlc nnd mechanical defects. The result of hia studles was a dovice by means of which the sawyor himself could "set" the log for Biiccosslvo cuttlngs. A rack nnd plnton and a ratcnet worKed bv a forked lover. ar' ranged with due regard to tho result to be ac compllshed, were the mechanical appliances employed. The rack waa first attached toarms extendlng back irom near oach end ol tho set beam or slldo. To a horlzontal sbaft flttod with ninlons meshlntr Into the racks the rachet ana lever were attacnea. inerewasa Beriea or nest of rntchots, tho number of teeth ln each regulatlng tho different thlcknesseg of lumber to be sawed. With other minor de vlces to render this mechanlsm operative, by means of n horlzontal extenslon of the ratchet lever the gawyer gtanding at hig post ln f ront of tne mlll perlormed without any appreclable aaditton to nis lauors tne worK tnat two assis tants were needed to do with the screw-blocks. This device worked guccessfully. nnd the In ventor, with a wise regard for the future, took out his first patont ona" Lever Set Saw-Mlll. A moaei oi tms origtnai aevice l.- preservea. A cimnarlson between tbls embodiment ot the first crudo idea nnd the lntest improved and periectea miu is nigniy suggestive oi tne pos' slbllltles of devolopment that lie In a new and U9oful invention with a fertile brain and business ability and energy behind It. INTltODUOINO THE LEVElt 8ET8. Ilaving satUflod himself of the comnlete utility of his Invention, Mr. Lnne began to east about for opportuntties to turn lt to account. Ono of the first he made was put into tho mlll nt Montpelier wnicn niterwards became the property ol tne Line Manufacturing Company. In the snring ot 18G2 he took a lever set in his wagon and statted out to seek his tortune. He went North, exhibiting his invention to mlll owners along tho route, but they exhibited a dogged determination not to be begniled into clvlnc tne new laneied notion a trlai even, l'lnally. at Newport, he found a credulous lumberman wtlllng to listen and to examlne. and to consent to havo the device attached to his mlll on trial. He was not willing to have it removed and after one day'g trial Mr. Lane received the first proceeds of his Invention, to wit, some old iron, a bedstead and a time note. Whlls he wns ntmchlng bls Invention to the Newport mlll, n mlll proprietor in nn adjotnlng town, with many expression9 ot disgust, voluntarily and very emphatlcally apprised Mr. Line that he need not attetnpt to sell him "one of the darned things," or even ask him to glve it a trial. Six montns later he was the voluntary purcnasor ol a lever set, lor cash. There was a general preiudice against the invention and the few who consented to glve it a trial, though refusing to allow it to be taken away, were nevertneioss not eager to piy. By degreesthe inerits of the apparatus be came known and nppreclated, and the demand for It outgrew the lnventor'g llmltedlcapaclty to Bupply. He movod to Montpelier and, Decem ber l, lcuj, bougntoi u. r. liuxtontneioundry and machlne ghop occupylng n iiortlon of the slteof thepresent works. Stoves, plows, water- wheelg etc. naa been made tnere and tne general custom work of a gmall country estab lishment done, under various ownerships nnd condltlons. glnce 1832. Here he began tho manufucture of saw inills with his set works. and also gupplisd the latter to nttach to other mms. TIIE fLANT. At the time of Mr. Lane'g purchase the " plant " conslsted of a foundry, a wood bnlld ing twenty-elght feet by sixty feet, and a ma chlne Bhop, also of wood, thirty feet by forty leet. two Btories nign. ine equipmeniconsistea ot the usual tools nnd appurtenances of a small country foundry nnd machlne shop. The force, all told was, E. M. Guernsey, foreman, M. C. Uuerusey nnd Aaron llancrolt. ihe plant now is, n foundry sixty feet by eighty-six feet; blacksmlth ghop fifty by glxty feet; two ma chlne shnps, one, ono hundred and thlrty.five leet by nitv leet. tne otner, nuy-nve leet bv thlity-five feet; wood Bhop forty feetbyeighty leet: setting up ana pattern gnops one nunarea and thlrty-five feet by fifty feet, belng the gecond gtory of the larger machlne Bhop; a basement and attic of Blinilar dlmenslons, for storage of sand, iron, castlngs, wood and lum ber; a pattern house twenty-fottr feet by aeventy-two feet and an ofllce twenty-four feet by fifty-slx feot These bulldings are chlefly brlck, gubstantlally bullt aud arranged with referenco to convenlence nnd economy In manufacturing. The worka are heated by Bteam and prutected against firo not only by effective apparatus but also by n discipllne that exacts ordor, neatness and watchfulness, and reduces to practice tho wlsdom of the maxim. "an ounco of preventlon ia worth a pound of cure." The equlpment has reference to dlspatcu and tne nignest attainaoie excei lence ln the manufactures. The macblnery is therefore the best obtainable and embodleg the latest lmprovements. The aroa of ghop- room, every equare lncli ol wulch Is tnickiy occupled, ls a fair measure of the extent of the equlpment. The force of thrue men has grown to about one hundred. The first week's wages naid was S1H. 'ine lirst montns uutuness. in cluding a mlll partly fiuished when Mr. Lane boueht tho works and stock, was S3U3 33, and the twelftb, S1.C81.82. Durlng that year he bullt thlrteen complete board mllls, and Bli teen set works for other mllla. NEW rAHTNEKS AND JIANAQE3IENT. Tho get works had been creatly Imnroved. tho ldea moro lully developed, the mechanical con gtructlon glmplified nnd cotnpacted, In 1805 ueneral r. l" l'ltkin, wnoso great capacity for business anu ludomitauie nusn naa won nim honors and gained him successlvo promotlong ln tne auartermaster s denartment of tne nrmy of the l'otomac. tiroved his business cazaclty nnd his confidonco In the undeveloped posslbllltles of this invention by enterlng into a partnersnip with Mr. Lane. The assoclatlon then had the essential olemonts of guccess. a meritorious in' ventlon for which thero wns an active und growlng demand, nn nmple field, a brlght me chanical orlglnatlng power, an energetlc and capauie uusinesa mnnHgement. inis strong comblnation was Hoon aftor rlnforced by tho ndmlgglon of J. W. Brock to the nartnorghlp. with his enorgy nnd nmple capital, nnd under the firm name of Lnne, IMtkln & Ilrock, barrlng some gllght Interruptlons in 1808, the business was conducted tlll 1873, when the organlzatlon was mado perpetual under a gpecial act of In corporation, nnd took the namo ot tho Lane Mnnufacturlnir Companv. Mahlon Taplln. a clork ln tho ofllce under tho tormer gtylo ot tho firm, was for some time Becrotary of the cor noratlon. llv his tnct and enthuslamu he con- trlbuted materially to the Introdnction nnd snlrs of the manufactnreg ot tliu companv. In 1882 General IMtkln purchased Mr. llrock's interest. Tho coriwrate management at the pregont tlmo is : Denls Lane, prest deut, the mechanical man ol tne company; 1'. V, ntklu, vlco-presiaent nna general uusl noss mannL'er: 0. 1'. I'itkln. gecretarv nnd treagurer, whoo responslble nnd laborloug duties lnclude tho extenslve corrosiondonce ot the company, negotlattng gales, keeplng nc counts, management of flnances nnd the gen eral suporvlslon of tho ofllce wotk. Frank I, I'itkln Is ttme-keepor nnd paymaster, nnd ns glstnnt in the general management. The great nmount ot clerlcal work involved In tho cor- regpondence necessltatos the employment of a gtenographer whose duties are efllclently per lormed by W. 1'. Pholps. E. M. Guernsey, tho vetoran mechanical guperlntendent, has seen, nnd been an lmtortant agent iu, the rlse and progress of tlils buslnogs, His connectlon with the mechanical lilstory of the locallty runs back four decades nnd antcdates that of any ln dlvldual, eltber In the corporation or among Its employes. And yet Mr. Guernsey would hardly be called an old man. The fact Is ho was nn exceedlngly young npprentlce to the machlne and foundry business. II Is fnther was an emplovo and foroman In the works which preceded Mr. Lane'g purchase, and "Ld.. at the mature neo of elx venrg. becan hlg career as n " grcnsy mechanlc " by clean lng castlngs to earn money for guch occasione as the Fourth of July. Here he lenrned hia trnao, nna, unaer tneaiuerent propnetors, haa worked contlnuously, HowasoneotMr. Lane'a orlsinal three, andhBg grown up and Into the buslnoss of manufacturiog tne company'g mllls nnd machlnery. George L. Lane, tho foreman of the foundrv. was nromotcd to that Eosltion at a comparattvely recent perlod, and as devoloped n marked degree of gklll nnd euicioncy in the mnnngement oi hlg depart ment. Asldo from n craftsman's expertnesg nnd a Bupervleor's tact, In bls methods of so classl fying nn almost ondlegs varlety of patterna that ho can pick out any partlcular plece in the dark, he dlsplayg his capacity for system and appreclatlon ot ita advantsges. The headg of the business and mechanical departments show a wige regard for the future ln tralnlng up their helrg and probable euccesBorg In the way they should go In order to petpetuate a splendld patrlmony. MANUPAOTOKES. Lane'g patent lever-set gaw-mills forms the cornerstoneot the company's business and pros- penty. rromtneruae aitair lirst labricatea in Plainfield it has developed into a machlne which ia gimpllclty Itself. but which embodles all those devlces that long experience hag gng gested for the perfect and expeditious sawing oi tumoer into any snnpe nna irom iogs oi nny length or dlamotor. The ratchet of tho get works, which was orlginally deslgned for set ting n log forwnrd by quarters of inches, with n single dog, hag been Improved from tlmo to time tlll now a log is acourately get by one fourths, one-eighthg and one-slxteenths ot an Inch, with an independent dog for each thlck ness; the wedge which was used to throw out from the uprlghtg the taper end of long logs ln sawing tlmber hag been replared by adjustablo uprlghtg; doga and dogglng devlceB for holding logs from the top, underside, or ends, for hold ing frosty logs and logs too ctooked to He gtlll, for holding them white they are ellced down, without turning, Into dlmenslons ot unvarylng evenness and thickness tlll the " slab " be comeg a gtrlp of bark, dogs that are instan taneously set and hold the largest or most glippery log with the grip of a bull canine have been devlsed to take the place of the murder ous affairs formerly hammered into the rind of a log with a bludgeon, nnd which besldes de faclng or destroylng lumber were often os det rlmental to morals on the last cut as they wero to gaws. Time formerly lost In movlng back tbe sllde-beam to take n fresh log lg saved by n gimple contrlvance by means of which the gawyer, while running back the car ringe after the last cut, by the prossure of his foot throws back the gllde-beam by power, or by the game means may brlng it forward. A late and valuable lmprovement, especially for the heavier sawing and longer carriages, is tho substitutlon of a wire rope feed for the rack nnd pinlon. Besldes the single mllls adapted to ordlnary sawing the company makos huge double mllls, constructed go that one gaw runs above the other. These nre deslgned for cut ting the forest monarchs of the South and South Amerlca, and the largest gize Is capable of sllttlng into planks mahogany gapllngs ex ceedlng five feet in diameter. Every lmprove ment hag been covered by patentg. The vnlid ity of tho origlnal patent has been thoroughly fought out in the United States courtg and lnfringers brought intosubjection to Mr. Lane'g broad clalm. Ihe Monltor turblne water wheel. a patented Invention of Mr. Lane'g. a machlne that exhaustively utilizes the energy of falllng water, is also made by this com pany. Appreciatlng tbe desirabllity of fur- nisning manuiacturers witn au tne macninery for preparing lumber for market, the company geveral years ago began the constructlon of planers for lumber and tlmber, jolntera and matchers. claoboard machlnery for gawlne and dressing shlngle and lath machlnes, nnd other artlcles used about a saw-mlll, besldes keeplng lor saie a lull line of sawg. belting and almllar mlll gupplles. While none of these machlnes nre dlstinctively the Invention of Mr. Line, their mechanlsm throughout beara evidence of his genius for dlscern- Ing the plain, direct way, with tho least complexity and by the employment of the safest nnd most atable devlces, ior aoing nny thlng that pertalns to lumber manufacturing securine a maxlmum of successful executlon at a minlmum of cost nnd of mechanical append- nges. inoBmngie mncnine is practtcany tne invention of Mr. Line and he has taken out a patent on the adaptation of some ot the me chanical agencles he hag used in this machlne. The cirrlage is moved by a compound crank motlon, with a very qulck retnrn stroke which operates without jar or shock. Even when making joriycuis a mmute tne macnine worra eaglly, without any Uablllty to rapid wear or without any danger of moving the block from Ita posltlon between the set-rolls. In making these various machlnes, the company U running its tull force on full time, with extra work evenings. Its orders are In excesa of Ita capac ity to manufacture. MIBCKLLANEOUS. The weeklv pav roll of the companv Is more than S 1,000. The annual out-pnt Is about one hundred nnd twenty-five saw-mllls besldes a largo nnmber ot sot-works, and carriages and set-works, for other mllls f rom fifty to Beven-ty-five planers, about one hundred and fifty Bhlngle machineg, many seta of clapboard ma chlnery, lath machlnes, matchers, edgers, cllp pers, water-wheelg and other minor artlcles ot manufacture. A largo Item ln the busi ness ot the company is furnishlng mllls with shafting, pulleys, gearlng, etc. Ten years ngo teu tnousanu leet ot lumoer in ten hnurfl was the maxlmum cnnacitv of a mlll: twenty-five thousind feet of boards nnd thlrty five thousand feet to fifty thousand feet of blll tlmber In ten hours, tbe capacity ot the mllls made to-day, is the suggestive record of the pro gress made in ten years. It ls also worth r of note that the company has lnvarlably pald its workmen their week's wages every Saturday nlght. It lg conslderate towards its einployes and ghows its appreclatlon of long nnd falthfnl service. In consequenco lt has a fine corps of mochanlcs, devoted to its Interests and jealons of its good name. Many ot tnese men nave ueen a long tlmo ln the service ol tne company and to their years of nccumulated gklll and experience is attriuutauio a aue gnare oi ine portection ln the manufactures which has made them unlversally gought tor and brought them nnsollclted orders from the remotest parts of the enrth. Wherever a new lumber reglon Is opened up, these mllls aro sought. Cuba and south Amerlca aemana tne aouoie macnines for sawing mahogany and for rednclng other valuable tlmber to lumber. They nre sent to Uussla, Germany and other natlons of l'.nrope, to Eevnt and to dlstant Janan. These orders come nnsollclted, tho merlts of the machlnes cllectively pleadlng their own cause. ine Britlah government ordered one for uso at the Woolwich arsenal, and tbe South Eastern rail way company, tho largest ln England, an other for Ita works in London. The founda- tion for this mlll was bullt up from the bed rock. ot masonrv cemented and soltdlfied by coucrete and capped by two inches of eolid lead, and tbls seems to be a not Inapt type of the foundatlon which this company by its me chanical genius, buslnoss management, periec tion In the means of manutacturine nnd In tho qual'.ty of its manufactures, hag bullt for Itsolf. IitA Siikioian of Danby, a notorlous char acter, who waa lndlcted at the September term of the county court, was after long search nrrested the 15th. He had cut out a good glzed apnrtment in n hay mow, where he was pro- viueu wuu uuuaio roues ana manneis; ana from this boudoir there was n hole or passage wny where he could crawl under tho barn lloor. In following this tho olllcers had to cut the planks and tako them up In order to get at him. After dolug this and problng the hole with n pltchfork a few tlmes, Mr. Sherman decided to come out nnd surronder. Ciieai- DonoiiNtrra. Thteo cups slfted flour, ono cup sugar, one-hnlf toaspoonful cinnamon or any kind ot splce, a very little salt, one mensure each ot ncld nnd godn (or two heaplng teaspoonfuls acld and one modorately heajilng toaspoonful soda) of Horsford's Bread l'repa tion; tlft all together; wet with mllk, roll out tlilu, nnd fry lu boillng lard, Make them protty stlff or they will soak fat.