Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-07-09
A LIVELY CITY MEETING.
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE WATER
WORKS WARMLY OPPOSED
The Legality of the Call ouestioned-
Lively Debate in which Both Sides
Used sharp words-Adjournment
for One Week.

- WINS
held in the City Hall Saturday afternoon
to take action with reference to the erec
ton of a soldiers monument and the i'm
provement of the city water works. The
attendance was unusually large for city
meeting and considerable interest was
manifested The meeting was called to
order by City Clerk Pease, who read the
petition and warning for the meeting.
zen. W. W. Henry was elected chairman
ut City Clerk Pease acted as clerk. The
Question Of the improvements to the water
works having been called up a. q. Sat
ford moved To dismiss the article of the
warning referring to that matter aud the
motion was seconded
Mayor Woodbury. said it might be proper
for him to give a brief history of the matter.
The water committee had recommended
to build Il new reservoir, new fuel shed
aud extend the supply main 300 feet into
the lake. The board had adopted the re-
commentator but 1t was found that Il
city meeting would have to be called to
raise the necessary money. Even if
. the money was, voted for these improve
ments, the interest to be paid by the city
next year would be $500 less than last
year. lie thought the people. would be
1OollSl TO neglect the matter. 1t had been
notsed abroad that Burlington had i'm
pure water aud it would advisable for this
reason alone to make the improvements
1T would cost each laborug man but two
cents a year to have the work done aud
there was no one who could not afford
that.
Mayor Woodbury. then read resolutions
defining the intention Of the committee in
relation to the water works The mayor
said he mad received offers for bonds 30
that the interest on them would be over
BIS per cent. He hoped the matter
would not be dismissed
Mr.. Stafford said he WAS in favor of bet
ter water, but the amount which it was
proposed to eXpeud would pay one-third
of the expense of getting water from
Hinesburgh pond. If the money was TO be
expended he was in favor of raising the
money now by IA tax and not bond the
city.
Mayor Woodbury. thought it was better
to pay interest of 3 3-S per cent than to
raise tax of 100000 at once. 1t was evil
dent that the principal opposition to the
improvements came from those who paid
no TAX pu real estate and he did not see
how 1t would affect them materially.
Alderman Pellce moved that when the
vote WAS taken on the dismissal OF the ar
tlcle that it he taken by a rising vote.
c. j. Alger expressed the opinion that
nothing could be done legally under the
call, a. 1t did not include reference 10 the
question whether the improvements should
be made or not.
VIM. O'Nell moved that the meeting adj
lourn without date, which was seconded.
{. :. kin>l.y moved an amendment to
meet il one week in the same place.
Hon. ". q. Shaw thought that the
meeting did not have power to decide on
improvements as they We're not mentioned
in the call. 1t mentioned only the idea of
raising money for the purpose-an entirely
different matter. He hoped the meeting
would not adjourn without acting on that
point at least. The question should be
he thoroughly understood. II another
meeting was called the call should be
broad enough to cover all possible con
tngeucies.
Carolus Noyes said that the City Coun-
Gil some years since had passed IA resolu-
ton that all city meeting, should be called
III the evening so that laborers could be
present.
Mr.. AlEer said the question was not at
tins time in reference to the time OF call
ing meeting, but as to the nature of the
call. Inc call did not state how it was
proposed to raise the money, and any act
ion under the call would not he legal.
Asking the indulgence of the mover of
the pending motion, the mayor said before
the mcrr.uL adjourned he hoped = com.
mittee consisting OF City Attorney Burnap
and Hon. W. q. Shaw and Hon. Henry
Ballard might be appointed to consider
the legality of the call, 80 that the matter
could tie finally disposed of at the next
meeting.
Mr.. O Neil accepted the amendment to
his motion to adjourn until next saturday
at 1870 p. m, because he thought the labor
ing men should have a fair opportunity to
act on the question
The motion to adjourn was mt in the
usual manner and the chair being in
doubt as 10 the result rising vote was
called for, when the motion prevailed the
vote standing rs to =.