Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-11
OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.
Meeting of the Board of Aldermen An
Interesting Session.

Board of Aldermen was held Monday,
President Taft. aud Aldermen Algcr,
Booth, Jodell, iIolton, Kelley, PIERCE,
Walker Weaver and Watson being
present. The question of the removal
of the watering trough ut the cor
ner of Pearl street and Wnooski avenue
being taken up Hon. Henry Ballard APP
peared before the Board and read re-
monstrance, signed by about one hundred .
and forty names, asking that the trough .
be not removed Mr.. Ballard reviewed the .
reasons assigned in the petition presented
ut the previous meeting, why the trough
should be removed. He thought it re-
markable that trough established in
that place fifteen years ago should have
become Il nuisance just now. There was
no point in the city where 80 much
travel cOnVergpd as that III question. II
it was nuisance to have boys assemble
ut the trough and use language which mt
times might be nuisance there was not IL
public fountain in the city that could not
also he called II nuisance. The trough If
properly conducted, could not be NUS .
ance to anyone, not to speak of the queS-
ton of humanity. In the matter of water .
ing Il horse, it was with the majority of
drivers Il question of convenience. If
there was Il trough handy the horse would
be wat cred: if not ii would 20 thirsty. As
regards a blockade, he had been by there
six times Il day during anumber OF years
and he had never seen the street blOckad-
ed in that vicinity.
Hon. TOrrey H. Wales then addressed
the Board in favor of removing he trough.
/ He appeared as one of the petitioners. He
/ thought the matter had been sufficiently
| presented to the Board at the previous
meeting, and he would mention but two
or three points. If that was the best
point in the city for watering trough, it
was II very good reason why there should
he no trough there. 1t would be more
Objectionable for the neighbors, from the
fact that it would attract larger num-
/ Der.
\ gain he did not consider that the OBJ
iect for erecting watering trOughS was to
accommodate those living in the city but
those living outside. The taxpayers of
troughs and it would be no hardship to
ask those OUTSIDE, who had the water
free, to drive II little further to obtain it.
1t was II direct bid to those in the neigh
borhood who had meters to water their
horses there and let somebody else pay for
their water. 1t would be just as reason
able to have the trough opposite the City
park and hold that 1t would not be Il
nuisance as to claim the same thing in
regard to the trough where ii stands.
Dr. b. :. Nichols said a gentleman had
bought the blacksmith property and pro-
posed to build handsome block, and 9TH
ers had built fine residences in the vcln-
ty and that was the reason it was more
of Il nuisance than formerly.
Henry Green said the trough was Il
nuisance in Il great many ways. a large
number of those who signed the remon-
STRANGE We're watering their horses and
cows there, summer and winter and the
} stock frequently made it perilOus for
ladies to pass by that point He had FIRE
, quently seen "A blockade there. f.. II.
: Trick said he had paid three dollars for
: each horse he owned but he frequently
watered his at that trough.
| DR.. W. Carpenter said the dust pro-
duced by the multiplicity of teams which
was great nuisance. The street was not
l only narrow but curbstones had been
= placed there 50 that it was impossible to
5 drive around several teams congregated
+ ut the trough.
Mr.. Ballard said the question had been
before the b ard some months before and
, by Il unanimous vote it had been decided
: not to remove the trough and the signers
of the remOnStrance supposed the
question settled, and knew nothing of
,, the petition until half an hour before it
was presented. That was why the remon.
STRANGE was not presented before. The
: curb stones had lust been placed on the
[ street and it could not be told whether il
| would cause blockade or not. 1t would
= be better to wait and see what the result
llll7Hb w. llt saul Nllt NiltllllS Vi CbNs
) and playing of boys around there was ne
| part of the trough; they could be regu
lated by police.
=, Mrs. Wright said every man in the
Il vicinity had signed the petition and they
We're the people most concerned. lie hat
!. frequently seen blockades there.
On motion of Alderman Kelley the ques
J. ton was referred to the water committee
q y petition was read from the New Eng
land Telephone and Telegraph company
h, of
IL on Church from Pearl to Main streets
ii and on st. Paul street between Bank aut
, College streets.
II superintendent Rossman said the com
pany would either have to have the priv
e lege to erect poles on the streets or they
would be obliged to stop doing business
: They were charged heavy rental for the
i privilege of attaching to private building.
and in many instances bills for damage,
l. had been brought against the company
They were not particular about Church
street if they could get a free right of way
:. without it.
!; Alderman Holton said the same petition
had been before the Board before and tn,
- business men on Church street almost
[, without exception petitioned the BoarC
= not to grant the company the privilege Il
erect poles. He thought the central Ollie,
e could just as well be located on som,
s. street outside the business centre of tn,
city. He thought the poles would lool
y unSdlnlN ana ne ulu not tulHk Ine peOpl
s. would uphold the Board in granting tn,
company this privilege He thought nine
a tenths of the Others would vote against it
President Taft said the City Attorne,
, had prepared some memoranda in regarC
to the question and the weight of lega
$ authority was against the right of com
panes to set poles in the street if tn,
property holders objected
IS a lengthy discussion pro and con ensuet
n after which Alderman Alger moved tina
:, the petition be granted, ut the same tim
= stating that he understood certain partie
y had offered to cease their opposition upon
% the payment of $500
!, Alderman Goodel moved an amend
" ment that the poles be erected under tn
J. supervision OF the street committee ant
- Alderman Alger Withdrew his motion.
u This resulted in another protracted dis
q cussiun between Aldermen Alger, Good
u ell and Walker in favor Of the motion an,
It. Aldermen HOtOn and Booth an,
Dr. W. = Vincent against it. Alderman
iIolton called for the yeas and nays an,