Today In Brattleboro History

Historic events for Apr 5

1831 Unitarian Congregation Forms

The Unitarian Congregation is formed in Brattleboro

1839 Bold, Fearless, and Frank Temperance Lecture

Mr. Chipman, the agent of the State Temperance Society, has been lecturing in this County for a week or two past, on the subject of Temperance. He has a way of his own, a manner of his own, and opinions of his own, and a bold, fearless and frank way of expressing them.

1844 Preparing For Rail Road Subscriptions

A rail road meeting, called upon short notice, was held at Wheeler’s Hall on Tuesday afternoon last. The object was, to make known the present condition of the enterprise and to prepare for the opening of the books for subscription. There was a highly respectable attendance, especially from neighboring towns, and evidently and earnest spirit of determination upon the part of all to do or die.

1844 Thousands Subscribed For Rail Road

The Books of the Vermont and Massachusetts Rail Road Company have been open but a few hours and between $60,000 and $70,000 have been subscribed — and very many of our citizens who will subscribe have not yet put down. We announce this result with deep and heartfelt gratification.

1844 Cash For Rags

Cash for Rags. Cash will be paid for any quantity of clean cotton or linen Rags, delivered at our Paper Mill. Thomas & Cutting.

1856 First Rain Since December

A Novel Visitor. On Wednesday night of this week, rain fell for the first time, in this vicinity, since the first of December. Springs and wells are very low in most places, upon which the recent thaws have made no impression.

1872 Wax Flower Supplies For Sale

Our readers who are in need of materials for wax flowers can always find a full supply at Cheney & Clapp’s.

1872 Brooks House Uses New Style Of Door Locks

The door locks used in the Brooks House are of a kind recently patented and never before used. Their peculiarity consists in an arrangement by which when one enters his room, by simply turning a bolt he locks his door in such a manner that no key from the outside can unlock it or no eavesdropper take observations through a key hole. The inventor ought to realize a fortune from it.

1878 Ladies To Raise Money For Library Building Fund

A paper is soon to be circulated by a committee of ladies soliciting subscriptions to the library building fund. Some handsome sums have already been promised, and a general disposition is manifested to aid the cause.

1889 Underwriters Meet To Revise Insurance Rates

The Windham county board of underwriters held a meeting Wednesday with reference to a revision of the rates of insurance.

1889 Houses Sold, Might Not Be Sold

L.F. Lawton’s double tenement house on Church place was bid off Tuesday by Henry Akely for $2300, and the single tenement house by Michael Lillis for $1100. The necessary papers have not been made out, however, and Mr. Lawton will probably retain both buildings.

1889 New Owners For Brooks House

The Brooks House property passed into the hands of its new owners, Crosby and Adams, on Tuesday. Col. Goodhue retires from the active management, but will not be a stranger about the premises. He will have a desk in the office for his personal use, and has rented the private stable belonging to the house.

1889 Chess and Checker Club Forms

The “Brattleboro Chess and Checker club” was organized last evening with 24 charter members. It was voted to confine games strictly to chess and checkers.

1895 Beef Prices Rise

Western beef is selling at $4 a hundred more than a year ago. The best beef sells for $11.50 a hundred, and beef at $10.25 a hundred is not as good as that sold a year ago for $6.25. A scarcity of fat cattle is the cause.

1895 Lack of Evidence For Guilty, Clever, Petty Swindler

Otis B. Estey, with a dozen aliases, who victimized many Grand Army men in this and other towns, was discharged in the county court for lack of sufficient evidence, after he had once pleaded guilty. He is a remarkably clever petty swindler, and it will be regretted that the case against him was not so prepared as to prove his guilt.

1895 Proposal For Fire Department To Use Town Horses

The bailiffs held their regular meeting last evening. The only business of importance was the making of a proposition to the selectmen to have the town horses used by the fire department.

1895 Three Plans For Town House Improvements On Exhibit

The three plans for the improvement of the town house — by Francis Crosby, Mr. Ellsworth of Holyoke and McElfatrick & Son of New York — will be on public exhibition at the lower end of the town hall on Monday.

1895 Chafing Dish Cooking Lesson

A delightful and profitable entertainment awaits the ladies of Brattleboro when Mrs. Christine Terhune Herrick will give a lesson in chafing dish cookery at the Congregational chapel next Tuesday evening at 7:45.