Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-04-27
VILLAGE AFFAIRS.

The annual financial statement Of village
affairs, which has been printed amt distrib
uted tins week, makes "A very satisfactory
showing. IL viii Toe noticed first Of all that
Alr. Taylor has made remarkably clean
collection Of the tax of 1887, the abate-
ments in total Of $4,000 10 being only
SSH and Of this considerable portion
was an allowance for errors. The amount
collected aud expended for sewers during
the year was $12G9 ~ The fire depart
meut expenses were Si,424. Il, which sum
includes the unexpected expenditure of
SlOOS FOR repairs Oh steamer No g. The
street lighting cost S2,2lj.Sj. police and
night watch SS1122, and miscellaneous
items, 500 81. In the last named items
are included 5000 paid for collecting taxes
and 500 paid for interest Besides paving
SlOOS Tor fire engine repairs, the village in
debtedness was reduced $500. leaving it
now only $1,000. A part Of this favorable
showing, 1t VIII be noticed. is due to the
collection OF S9OS on sewer assessments of
1850. The estimate Of expenses for the
coming year is $500, and tax Of 30 cents
ON the dollar is recommended This will
provide for $1,000 to be laid out in necessary
repairs of the engine houses. and for a nav
ment Of 5000 or $500 Of Indebtedness The
rear wall Of the brick engine house on FL
liot street needs taking down aud rebuild
ing separate from the tower. aud more or
less repairs must be made on tine other
houses. Should a new house be- built for
the hook and ladder company still another
| thousand dollars will be- required
The report Of Chief Engineer Turner /,
short, hut comprehensive, and very much
to the point His most important recon.
mendations are the construction Of a reser-
voir on Frost street and one in Estsyvilie.
/ the heating Of the brick engine house by
| steam from Crpshy's boilers, and the plac
| ing OF the hand engine in Estevvile.
With regard TO this last-named proposal
/ provision for carrying out which is made
in an article in the warrant, it may be said
that the bailiils do not think it expe,lirnt u
locate the No. engine in Esteyyiilr at pres
ent FOR the reason that it would involve a
/ greater expense than they they think the
| village ought b incur at present 10 buy
land for an engine house, build the house,
| and buy the new hose which would be re
| CURED, would cost from $1,000 to S2jOO
/ The bailiffs hold that 1t would be much
/ cheaper and better for the village to buy u
/ chemical engine, such as are now used a,
an adjunct t. the city fire departments The
cost would he only some 800 Something
about tins KIND of apparatus is given below
! win regard 10 the proposition contained
IN the warrant 10 see if the village will in
future, pay the bailifs for their services, il
must be remembered in considering the sub
| lect that the care, responsibility, aud time
required have nearly or quite doubled in the
past ten years. Taking the matter Of sew
ers alone, the time required in deciding on
their location, making assessments and
| hearing grievances, amounts a. II severe
draft on the time of the baiitfs, aud when
members Of the board l,re time and paw
from their regular work in attending ~ vii
lage business, it Is only just that they should
be pail for the actual value Of the time "a
them The payment Of say so to the
chairman, and 81 10 each Of the other
members, would undoubtedly bee ,atisfac
tory.