St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-03-06
TOWN MEETING.
A Lively Debate over the Dividing Of
the School Money.
No Contest Over the Eiection-Full Account
OF the Days Proceedings.

No Contest Over the Election-Full Account
OF the Days Proceedings.
Notwithstanding the extreme weather
of Tuesday nearly 500 voters were at
the town meeting and much in crest was
manifested over several articles in the
warning. The voting proceeded quietly
during the day and the business OF the
meeting was taken up after dinner.
II. c. Bates served as moderator and
the first business was the election OF petit
and town grand jurors. The menchosen
by the selectmen were elected by accla-
nation and were as follows
Petit jurors, Byron Wright, Alonzo
Ladd, c. T. Brigham, |. G. Smith, George
R. Crosby, N. M. Johnson, Alvin Flint,
Homer w. Hazellon, George F. Miner,
w. H. Preston, T. H. Rickaby, Reuben
Spaulding.
Town grand jurors, Daniel Carpenter,
William Higgins, EImore T. lde, o. P.
Bennett.
Article second in the warning was in
reference to raising money for the year.
Daniel Carpenter thought that S5 cents
on the dollar would be enough to pay
all the bills and this sum was voted.
The next article, in reference to appro-
priating sum OF money for the observ-
ance OF Memorial day, was speedily dis
posed of by voting the usual amount,
$3.50.
Article four was in relation to provid-
ing a way for educating our scholars
after they had left the Union schools.
The following resolution was introduced
by Frank Hill and adopted:
Resolved, That the school directors be
authorized to act their judgment within
the law with the education of the legal
scholars OF the town.
On motion OF E. P. Allen article FIVE
was dismissed. This was in relation to
abating the taxes OF b. G. Howe, and
also of widening Eastern avenue from
Pearl to Railroad street.
Article six created he liveliest kind Of a
discussion and was debated for nearly an
hour. The first section OF the article read
as follows:
ITO see if the voters will direct the Sc
lectmen to draw an order to pay school
district No. 13 the amount of money in
; the hasds of the trersurenwher the town.
system went into force, which has been
paid over to the town treasurer OF st.
Johnsbury."
Simeon Huse was the first speaker and
he made a strong and clear statement of
the case.
Wendell p Stafford replied to Mr..
Huse, stating that the matter had been
carried to the supreme court and decided
adversely to the school district The
court held that the new treasurer was
not legally elected and the former treas
urer refused to give the money to his sue
cessor, but paid it into the town treas
ury as he had been ordered to by the Sc
lcctmen. The amount paid in was $268.
Harry Blodgett, who was one of the
attorneys for the district in the lawsuit,
gave his explanation OF the legal aspects
of the case.
E. P. Allen favored passing vote to
pay the money back to this district and
then passing another vote to have a tue
other districts who had paid any money
into the town treasury reimbursed. He
thought this was the only fair way out
of the dilemma
Mr.. Bates gave his opinion as lawyer
and not as presiding officer that the town
had no right to pay money to district.
Mr.. Allen moved that the money be
paid back. Alexander Dunnctt amended
the motion by moving that the school
district be paid back enough money to
settle up their financial affairs. Mr.. Dun
nett made strong speech in favor of his
amendment and the amendment was
adopted.
treasurer pay back to the different school
districts all money not already divided
that remained in their treasury at the
time the new law went into effect. This
: motion was also carried. The remaining
two sections in the article were dismissed.
Article asked for the payment from
the town treasury for the colt that was
: killed by dogs in 1892. Thecolt belonged
to John E. Lynch and w. n Randall.
Herbert Farnham moved that the Sc
lectmen draw an order from the dog
fund to pay for the colt the value to be
determined by two outside parties.
X. Stevens called for a statement oil
the case. N. M. Johnson said the matter
was lett with the selectmen to adjudicate
by previous vote in town meeting and
he understood the selectmen decided that
! the town was not legally liable. He op
: posed Mr. Farnham's motion and
i wanted to know whether the town was
. liable or not.
e Alexander Dunuett thought under tn,
y Revised Statutes the seectmen could de
i eide whether the town was liable or MOI
: for the accident