Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-30
JRNAL, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 80, 1873

lie moved to amend tho motion Of Mr.. Ram by
raising the appraisal, s6,70s, $40, Eve per cent,
and the amended motion prevailed
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
The exhibit Of Rutland county was considered.
Mr.. Ram asked permission TO withdraw the mo-
ton made at previous session TO reduce the
valuation OF his county twenty per cent, and
then moved reduction Of ten per cent. lie was
willing the countys valuation should remain
where II is II the other counties we're brought up
to II, but reduction OF ten per cent would
still leave the county Of Rutland higher than the
other counties which had been passed upon. Mr..
Ram showed that Rutland was not very good
county for agriculture. The villages Of Rutland
and Fairhaven had increased, but other villages.
notably Brandon, had suffered great depreciation
North Of Addison, Pollard OF Windsor and Adams
Of Orange opposed, and Chaplin Of Washington,
favored, the motion Of Mr.. Ram, which was lost
and motion that the valuation Of Rutland
county to be left unchanged prevailed Rut-
lands valuation Is si5 562026 The committee
on the appraisal OF railway property made the
following report: That there be exempted from
taxation until December, 1882, all railroad prop
erty In Johnson until August, 1885, all railroad
property In Fletcher, Bakersfield, Fairfield,
Sheldon, Hlghgate and Swanton, St. JohDsbury
and Lake Champain railroad; and to strike out
OF Montpelier third class property to the amount
Of 49, 1888; In Berlin, third class property TO the
amount Of s6,449 Barre, third class property to
the amount Of "a ,645 and first class property TO
the amount Of $3.50 The report was adopted.
Mr.. Chaplin ably and exhaustively presented the
case OF Washington county. By comparing the
towns OF this county with towns OF similar grade in
counties whose valuation had been established by
the board, he showed that Washington county
was fully twenty per cent higher. Mr. Chapin's
argument was unanswerable, and the delegates
showed their appreciation Of this fact by making
no effort to answer it. Through Mr.. Chapin's
remarks there ran rich vein OF humor which
relieved the dry and uninteresting proceedings Of
their tedium and were productive OF much merri
meDt. lie was successful in securing a reduc-
ton for Washington county, whose valuation was
S90i3 1853 OF only FIVE per cent Windham's
valuation, SS566 1879, WAS left unchanged and
Windors, S10,6S2,571 was raised five per cent.
FRIDAY MORNING.
committee appointed for the purpose reported
the following resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the state board Of equalization
should not only have authority to equalize real
estate by counties, as now provided by law, but
should have the same power and authority TO
review the action OF the county equazlng con-
ventions in the equalization OF the real estate
between the several towns OF a county, when 1t
shall appear that grievance has arisen by the &C
ton OF said county equazing convention" The
committee on debentures reported an allowance
OF twelve days pay to each member and his tray
cling expenses. The corrected returns for Frank
lin county showed that first class railway prop
erty to the amount OF S1Ss, S03 had been omitted,
and the exhibit OF this county, S7,7S7, 26S,
amended by supplying this omission, was accepted
as its valuation.
PERSONAL
The men who stood up most resolutely for
maintaining fair and equitable standard Of
equalization were Chaplin OF Washington Ram
of Rutland and Hovey Of Caledonia. Upon WASH
ington and Rutland counties in particular dispo-
sition was apparent to throw the burden OF equal
ization by leaving their high appraisal unchanged
to counterbalance the unchanged low apprasals
In the first counties considered. Mr.. Ram and
Mr.. Chaplin, whose efforts to obtain equalization
by reduction ascending" were borne down
by the majority sentiment OF the board, were en-
trely justifable In their efforts to secure mea-
sure Of justice for their constituents by moving a
reduction in the valuation OF their respective
counties. Mr.. Hovey displayed tact and skill az
well as a level head, in the management of the
mentary career in this dimnutive senate, the
shire town of his county should have little diff
Guilty in determining whom to choose for its repre-
sentative at the approaching election.