Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-10-25
To the Editor Ofthe HeraId.-

To the Editor Ofthe HeraH:-
During the winter of lS6t-5, when it
had become apparent even to the great
leaders of the South that the Cause"
for which they had fought so gallantly
and well was indeed hopeessly lost,
prominent confederate chaplain sought
to stem the tide OF encouragement by in
voking the all powerful aid of the God of
battles, and the burden of his petition
was in effect that the armies under Lee
adresisted the enemy long and valiant
~, and having exhausted their resources
or, in other words reached the end of
the rope" they thought it was high time
that some one with proper authority
and power should appear at head
quarters prepared to take a proper
view OF the condition of things" What
constitutes "a proper view" OF the mat
tiers long at issue between the North and
South will probably remain a futile sub
iect for discussion.
What constitutes proper view of the
condition OF things confronting the peo-
pie of Brighton, VT, in this year OF imper-
alive public necessity A. d. 1895, mot
\. D. 1895 as some would have us be
| lievel is not only not a futile subject, but
one of the highest Importance as on its
| solution the future welbeing and Ordi-
nary comfort and convenience OF the in
habitants OF the town largely depends.
| Under the wisely arranged system OF
municipal administration known as the
town meeting-a system by the way
unknown outside of the United States
| the legal voters in each town are entrust-
ed with the conduct and responsibility
of town affairs, and in discharging these
duties each voter is, theoretically at least
anindividual sovereign, owing allegiance,
however, to the will of the majority. and
thus closed with power he awaits the
summons to appear at headquarters,
! prepared presumably to take proper
view of he condition of things" and act
accordingly. This reminder as to the
rights and duties of citizenship may be
"threshng of old straw" but we need
to recall the fact that in law if not in
practice the people are masters not ser
wants.
A carefully prepared petition, in which
is enumerated number of things, the
like of which is already possessed by a
majority of the live progressive towns OF
the state, has been presented to the select
men, and a summons has been issued not
ing a time and place for the consideration
of the things" referred to, chief among
which is that of a proper supply otwater
for domestic and other purposes. And in
this connection it may be stated that no
argument seems to he required in order to
convince our townspeoplc that water for
domestic purposesisa great desderatum
but for other purposes, especially against
| the ravages of fire, WELL the chances are
my neighbours house will burn, not mine,
and the wind will probably blow the
sparks and brands the other way; then
again if fire should break out probably
the saw and planning mill, only, will be
destroyed, and as hut two hundred peo.
pie are supported thereby, why, "let her
90 Gallagher my property is insured
anyway.
From the Fools Paradise in which we
have been wont to fatter ourselves that
our immunity from fire would never
cease we shall one day be violently elected
unless effective measures are at once in
stituted.
Whether the town shall vote to buy thu
water works already in more or les:
effective condition or, as the writer be
lieves would be the better way, conduc
the water from Jobs pond, adopt some
other plan, or let the matter remain il
it's present unsatisfactory and perilou
condition the future will reveal. For
fifteen years the annual rental for waite
in Brighton has been much higher thar
in the cities where the expenses are mucl
greater. The town should construct
works and control the distribution o
water, which ought to be furnished eacl
singh consumer for So per annum, a saw
ing Of 81, which on the estimated basis
of receipts of the present Aqueduct Co
would amount to 500 per annum.
1t is understood that the Aqueduct Co
offer their interest therein for 500, 900
an exorbitant sum, far beyond its actua
cost or real value, and only justified by
the extortionate rents demanded and re
Ceived. Farmore profitable for the town
besides assuring an ample supply fol
every occasion emergent or otherwise
would the Jobs pond system prove to be
The sum of $25 900 can be borrowed foI
thirty years at per cent, necessitatinG
an annual interest charge of $1,000
which with sum set apart each year to
ward the payment of the principal woult
be more than provided forfron the waite
receipts.
The village of Lyndonville has durin
the past year awaited itself of waite
nd - nne+ ,r 600 Onn l..