THE BUBBLE THAT BURST
the farming section wanted to keep their government simple and as inexpensive as possible, while the Borough advocated higher taxes in order to obtain the improvements they felt they needed.
At a Town Meeting held on July 24, 1862, it was voted ''that each recruit who may enlist as volunteer soldiers shall be paid $100 from the town treasury on being sworn into service." This amount was increased on September 5 to $200, to fill the quota asked of the Town.
On October 6, 1873, they voted that a high school should be established in Orange, but there was a delay of five years before this was an accomplished fact.
At this same Town Meeting, a committee was also appointed, consisting of the Selectmen, Samuel L. Smith and Benjamin T. Clark, to consider the purchase of the stock of the Milford Turnpike Company. On October 4, 1875, this purchasing committee was enlarged by adding three more to assist them: George T. Hine, J. Sheldon Alling, and Stephen D. Russell. They voted to buy the stock, provided that it could be acquired at a sum not exceeding $30 per share. On October 1, 1877, the Town voted to instruct the Selectmen to provide a new hearse for the use of the Town of Orange.
At a town meeting, October 7, 1878, it was voted ''that the sum of $1500 be taken from the Treasury and used to erect a building at Orange Center for high school and public purposes.''
A special Town Meeting held on August 4, 1881, records the following action: ''Voted that the town offer a bounty of $300 for detection and conviction of any person stealing a horse from any citizen of the town of Orange, $100 for stealing a carriage or wagon, and $25 for stealing a harness.''
The first mention of a public celebration of Memorial Day is found in the action taken at a Town Meeting on October 3, 1887, when it was voted ''that $50 be appropriated for the expense of Decoration Day; $30 to the West Haven Memorial Association, $20 to Elizur B. Russell, for Orange."
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