125 Years Ago

The Northfield News

April 16, 1885 3 cents a copy/ $1.50 a year

Geo. H Richmond, editor

The trustees have made a move in the right direction by posting a notice on the Universalist church, prohibiting loafing on the steps. It is a very handy place to stop and talk over the general gossip, and undoubtedly many do so without thinking of the general appearances to the passer by; while for the regular loafer it is a perfect paradise, being an easy place to access, in a pleasant location to squirt tobacco juice, and very handy for a dog fight when the canines are considerate enough to come out in sight for a general foot biting time. We hope the trustees will be able to abate the nuisance entirely.

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The "solid" family of this town is J. C. Fletcher's, consisting of himself, wife, son, and daughter, whose combined weight is eight hundred and twenty pounds.

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The sugar house of Prof. Charles Dole was burned at an early hour Monday morning, together with the contents. The cause was probably a defective chimney.

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Probably one of the best, if not the best, cow in this vicinity is owned by Geo. C. Randall. She is a full blooded Jersey five years old, and for the year commencing April 10th 1884, and ending April 10, 1885, she has made the astonishing amount of 468 pounds of butter. She has done this in addition to furnishing milk and cream to a family of four persons for the first nine months. For the last three months her milk has been used only for butter. Could all of her milk have been given exclusively to the production of butter, there is no doubt that considerable over 500 pounds would have been the result. If any one has a cow with a better record we should be pleased to hear from them.

100 Years Ago

The Northfield News

April 12, 1910

3 cents a copy/$1.25 year

Fred N. Whitney, editor

Cadet E. F. Putnam has just received the agency for the well known Santo Vacuum Cleaner in this section. Mr. Putnam has one of the machines on hand for rental and demonstration purposes. It is the most up to date cleaner on the market today and is far ahead of anything seen in Northfield hithertofore. Until further notice this machine may be rented by the day or hour. One of these machines has just been installed in the Waterbury Inn at Waterbury, and has been found sufficient to take care of all the cleaning in this well known hostelry.

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The Conversational Club observed Ladies' night at the Northfield House last evening. The occasion commemorated was the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Senator Justin Morrill which occurs on Thursday the 14th. The company gathered in the Northfield House parlors at 8 o'clock for a social hour. At 9 o'clock the banquet was served in the dining hall...the banquet was excellent in every detail...After the banquet the post prandial exercises were in charge of Rev. James B. Sargent, president of the club, acting highly acceptable as toastmaster. The following toasts were ably responded to: "The Glorious Fourteenth," Charles A. Plumley; "Morrill's Early Training," Prof. E. A. Shaw; "Morrill as a Writer," Pres. C. H. Spooner; "The Statesmen," Prof. C.V. Woodbury; "The Grand Old Man," Rev A.H. Webb...The exercises closed with a silent toast to the memory of the "Grand Old Man."

75 Years Ago NEWS AND ADVERTISER

April 18, 1935

5 cents a copy, $2 a year

John E. Mazuzan, editor

Gardner Buck of this town and Henry Smith of Montpelier, salesmen for the Automobile Legal Association, had a narrow escape from serious injury near East Dorset while en route to Montpelier from Bennington. A large bolder weighing several hundred pounds became dislodged and rolled onto the highway directly in the path of their car. The car came to rest with the bolder under the center of the car, damaging the front end and pan...The men were not hurt but their journey had to be completed by railroad.

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Mrs. George Dole, president of the Legion Auxiliary, was completely surprised Thursday evening when she was called to her front door and found 15 Auxiliary members and friends ready to greet her and extend felicitations on her birthday anniversary. She was presented with a waterless cooker and oven baking dish. Refreshments were served including a large birthday cake with pink and white decorations made by Mrs. E. R. Britain.

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Overseer A. H. Cook has received 60 cases of government beef for distribution to needy families and unemployed.

50 Years Ago

NEWS AND ADVERTISER

April 14, 1960

5 cents a copy, $2 a year

John E. Mazuzan, editor

When Webb Hall, Norwich University's new academic building, is dedicated at commencement next June, the ceremonies will reach 87 years back into Norwich history to give honor also to a man without whose aid there might not be a Norwich today...Webb Hall - named for the late J. Watson Webb of Shelburne, its principal benefactor - also includes in its brick-andmortar assets a campus showpiece named Dole Auditorium. The 415-seat theater is so named in honor of Charles Dole, a Northfield native and 1869 Norwich alumnus who went on to be professor, vice president, and, acting president, and in the 1873 financial crisis in the university's affairs, Norwich's savior. A bronze plaque...says modesty that he "gave liberally of both time and money for the welfare of this institution."

25 Years Ago

NORTHFIELD NEWS

April 18, 1985 25 cents a copy, $2 a year

Erik Nelson, editor

Northfield residents are in for a shock if the Public Service Board accepts the proposed increase in electric rates presented before the Trustees on April 15. At Monday's regularly scheduled meeting Municipal Manager Ed Gadbois wasted no time in introducing Northfield's proposed rate case which would increase by 34% the cost of electricity to users in town. This translates to the minimum charge for electricity jumping from $6.00 per month to $8.06...The combination of the closing [for unscheduled repairs] of Vermont Yankee for up to 15 months, the challenge of the New York Power Authority by neighboring states, and a $887,456 share in the plagued Seabrook Power Plant all add up to a prospective increase of close to 34% for Northfield residents.