Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-06
Report of Town Officers.


We give, herewith, the reports of the
several officers of the town of Rutland,
as prepared and published for presenta-
ton to the tax payers of the town. The
detailed statement of orders, referred to
in the several reports, we have, of course,
omitted for want of space, but preferred
to leave the illusions thereto in the re-
port, as printed, so that they might be
presented, by us, without mutilation.
We do not propose, this morning, to
discuss the report in detail, and will only
remark that it looks to us somewhat
mixed. The report shows, from the
numbers given, that there have been one
hundred and forty-eight orders issued by
the selectmcn, yet they mention, in their
report, only one hundred and eighteen,
discrepancy of thirty orders. Who can
tell how many hundreds or thousands of
dollars have been drawn and expended
under these unreported orders With
this food for reflection, we leave the
matter for this morning.
REPORT OF sELECTNEN.
The Selectmen whom You thought
proper at your last annual Town meet
ing to elect, and to act for you as agents
of the town, in certain cases, have en-
deavored to do their duty, without fear
or favor, and to the best of their ability,
for the interest of this, the most popu-
lous town in the State, and consequently
requiring the constant attention of our
Board, to the various matters pertaining
to its affairs.
The current expenses of the year viii
be found on another page, and we beg
leave to say that not dollar has been
expended except what we thought was
proper and right, and with view to
avoid unnecessary litigation.
In the building and repairing of new
roads and streets, about two thousand
dollars has been expended, nearly as
follows: Hopkins street, $159.73
Cain street, $500; Mineral street, SIC
90. A new road at Sutherland Falls,
$40 Prospect street extension into
Strong's avenue, $500 Blasting rock
and reducing the grade of the hill south
of lanyard village, 1914. Repairing
and undertaking the eastern end of Per-
kins avenue, $9796. Widening and
building the Deacon Smith road, $641
Repairing the road leading to Mendon,
$40; and repairing the road leading to
Chittenden, $97; all of which repairs
are done thoroughly as far as any
are made The two roads referred
to, leading to MendOn and Chittenden,
being travelled with heavy loaded wood
and lumber teams, will require a small
amount laid out on them annually, be
sides the highway taxes, in order to rem
der them passable, and at the same time
keep the lumbermen good natured.
We feel in duty bound to report that
our contract with Evelyn Pierpoint,
ESQ, for the building, or at least for the
taking down of the pier under the new
bridge across Otter Greek, and building
another more substantial one on piles
driven into the river bed, also included
the confinement of the river to its pres
ent channel, by placing large quantity
of cobble stone or boulders along the
river bank, and to the satisfaction of the
Selectmen of the town. Mr.. Pierpoint
as yet has neglected to comply satisfac-
torily with this part of the contract,
and your Selectmen have withheld $3.50,
until the contract Is properly complied
with
The project of widening Church street.
and extending the same nOrthward to
Perkins avenue, was brought before our
Board, by petition, but not seeing the
necessity for such road or street at the
present time, and particularly as the
citizens of the north part of the town,
who are heavy tax payers, are all oppos-
ed to such an expense, with little or no
benefit, we refused to lay out this street.
The petitioners took appeal, and board
of County Commissioners have laid said
street, allowing to the land propretors
- S42 damages, as follows:
Moses J. Perkins, ! 100 90
II. II. Baxter, 1916 90
Madame Williams. 81 90
Samuel Williams, trustee, 8Sl %
Eestry Episcopal church, 800 90
Deacon Merriam. $50 90
S2,841 % |
We have thus briefly laid before our
fellow townspeople the situation OF the
affairs of the town, and submit the same
to the taxpayers, who on other pages of |
this report will find a report of the eX-
penses of building the Town Hall.
REPORT OF THE oyERsEER OF THE POOR.
The overseer of the poor, having |
closed his account for the fiscal year
ending on the 14th of February, 1878, |
herewith respectfully presents the same,
having paid all outstanding claims, as far |
as known, to this date.
The superintendent of the poor farm /
and your physicians are paid to the 1st |
day of April next.
The entire amount drawn from
your treasury, exclusive of
overscer's salary, has been S2,982 IS
Paid from other sources 366 A.
93,348 60
herewith annex a list Of persons who
have received aid outside the poOrhouse,
and tn amount annexed to each name,
and oar charitably inclined citizens can
at all times ascertain who are the really
deserving poor Of the town.
There have been admitted to the poor
house during the year, fifty different
persons, and the average number fifteen
There have been two deaths at the
house, one adult and one child, and four
among the poor who have received aid
outside, three adults and one child
In determining who are objects Of
charity, your overseer is only human
and consequently liable to err, and he
feels assured if he has erred, it has been
on the side of mercy.
You will see from the statement a
small reduction in the expenses of main
tanning the poor in town the past year
the cause of which attribute, in part
at least, to the system of maintaining
more of the poor at the farm.
TOWN TEEAsURER's REPORT.
Receipts.
Cash of VIM. NJ Fields collector