The Middlebury Register

For the Register.
Shade Trees.—Public Spirit

Messrs. Editors.—A certain class of people are often complaining that there is no public spirit here, "you can do nothing in Middlebury, there is no use in trying to do anything in Middlebury" say they, and I believe them, at last so far as their own doings are concerned. Hoping to convince some of them how mistaken they are I will leave to others to estimate the sums expended within the few past years for side walks; one superior fire Engine with its seven hundred feet of hose; one spacious Engine house; the various fences enclosing our several Parks; the cost of repairing, re-modeling and beautifying our several houses of worship; various sums contributed for educational purposes both at home and abroad; and confine myself to a simple enumeration of shade trees which adorn our beautiful and healthy village.

The list is as follows:
2520

Making 2520 trees in the streets and parks, and from personal examination without counting, I think there are at least 1300 trees in yards and gardens adjoining the streets, from which the public receive daily benefits.

The late Rufus Wainwright who left for our enjoyment many living and flourishing witnesses of his liberality in tree planting, stated that the average cost of transplanting and getting into a good growing condition was five dollars for each tree; and my own experience satisfies me that his estimate was low enough; but since many of the trees I have counted are yet young, and some of them willows, I will estimate the cost of the 4000 trees at two dollars each, which I believe is less than their actual cost, and we have a sum of eight thousand dollars expended in this village for shade trees alone.

S.

Main Street	118
Pleasant Street	153
Court Street	124
Weybridge Street	179
Cross Street (R L Fullers)	10
Academy St. (Valletts Store to Myricks)	56
South Street	54
C Linsley's North	32
Paper Mill Street	96
South of Academy Park	10
From Old Jail North	50
Addison House East	58
Seminary Street	84
North of R Wainwright's	14
3 other Streets	10
Total in streets	998
Episcopal Church Park	125
Henshaw Park	20
Concert Hall	24
Academy	169
East of	10
South of Addison House	75
College Grounds over	1100