Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-07-24

Our citizens assembled last Saturday
in response to the call for special town
meeting to hear the report OF the COM
inittee relating to water supply, the
substance of which report we have al
ready published. The committee having
| been unable to purchase the present sys-
TEN, the price of its owners being 500, 900
| and the committee being limited to
| SIG, 900, the first question to be disposed
| of was will the town pa y $40 200 for it
On this question the town voted no
unanimously. The estimates of from
$50 900 to S35 900 for the construction
of the Jobs Pond system were so high
and the uncertainty of pond or lake
| water seemed to be such in the minds OF
the people that this route was not form
ally considered and seemed to be looked
upon without favor. There is some ner-
vous feeling and here and there an impa-
tient one demanding that something
shall be done at once, but the more con-
servative voters are of the opinion that
it is best to go slow; that to incur $685.
900 additional debt by the town is a
matter of some considerable Importance !;
that $500 interest at 5 per cent. accru-
ing each year is a burden that ought not
to be imposed on the town unless an alb
solute necessity exists for it. 1t looks to
some rs though the payment of $1700,
with even a cheap manager at $500 a
year, with low estimate of $5O0eXpenses,
making $500, saying nothing about
unforeseen expenditures, for the privilege
of running system in sharpcompetition
with the system already established, and
which furnishes as good waite, to say
the least, as can be procured, and then
to run he town system in the way that
town business is generally run, would
hardly be paying business. Besides, it
was suggested that there was some
doubt about the propriety OF taxing the
whole town for it's support, there being
many in town 50 remote from the water
| system that its benefits would not touch
them. The question of the constitutional
right to raise tax for water supplies
was suggested, but we understand it
| was concluded that it was such public
| benefit that there was no constitutional
objection to making its support within
| proper limits a subject of taxation. All
voluntary arrangements for obtaining a
supply having failed, the town elected
| Messrs. Geo. N. Dale, Il. M. Mansur, and
Geo. H. Fitzgerald committee to assist
in procuring a charter from the next ses-
sion of the legislature which would en-
able the town or some precinct to pro-
cure supply, and directed their repre-
sentative, whoever he might be, to pre-
sent draft for such charter for the con-
sideration of the legislature. The situa-
ton is such that the town could not well
do otherwise than it did. What ought
to be done is evident. A thorough ener-
getil and competent reorganization ana
adjustment of the plant that is now in
should be made at once so asto meet the
wants of the town and its individual
patrons; then let the town pay a rea-
sonablc sum per annum for its uses, the
railway company for its wants-which
we understand it is waiting and anxious
to do, thus putting the whole matter
in n profitable and beneficial condition
for everybody interested. The present
deadlock and confusion of the whole
subject is a matter of great annoyance
and inconvenience to those wanting
water and can but prove detrimental to
the best interests of all concerned.
| Jn ~ Nn1Io,