The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-07-03
THE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
As Usual Refuses Money for Neccsaities
and Votes IL for Luxurles-The Prac'
teal Meaning OfNVhat Was Done.

As Usual Refuses Money for Neccsaitie
and Votes IL for Luxurles-The PraC
teal Meaning OfNNhat Was Done.
The special town meeting Tuesda
afternoon had an attendance of som
200 citizens and debate OF nearl
two hours. which ended in u practice
refusal to make concededly necess ar
repairs on the highway with a prac
teal vote to spend $500 additiona
for electric lighting of the town hall.
The meeting was called to order D.
Gen. J.J. Estey as moderator and unde
n the first article about widening apt
Strengthening the road and putting il
new retaining wall opposite Mrs
Benson's in Centreville. Dea. Z. +
Thompson, who took the lead for thu
advocates ct the project, showed dr
agram and explained that the trav
eled road was only 81 feet wide at this
point, that the wall had now tumbleo
in, So feet or more were leaning clea
over ready to tumble in, the cost of re
pairs would not be less than $500 anC
he advocated what he SAID had been a
pet idea of his for 40 years, building 8
new wall out in the brook some l6 OF
20 feet, and thus obviating the most
dangerous point on the Avenue and
on which he said it was impossible tc
place lamp to properly light. The
expense, as he figured it in detail
would be only $3.50, and he thought
between the town and highw ay
there would be money enough to do it
without borrowing. He offered mo-
tion directing the selectmen to do the
work and to borrow the money il nee
essary.
DR.. Webster said the meeting had
been called on petition of some GO
voters, because the selectmen declined
to assume the responsibility Of such
an expenditure in these times. He se-
lIeved from consultation with stone
men that the cost would certainly
bes2, 600 and he feared it would reach
50. 500. The retaining wall had stood
10 years and the overlapping is no
worse now than 1t was year ago.
This same question was up in town
meeting % years ago and one OF the
then board of selectmen predicted that
the wall would be down within a year,
but most of it still stands.
j. g. Stafford and G. b. Kirwan
spoke several times in opposition to
Dea. Thompson's motion. The for
mer argued that the demand for a
change was in the interest OF the trolley
which runs next to the bank and the
wall and suffers all the danger there
is, while the team travel is all on the
other side. To extend the road out in
to the stream would throw the water
back against the creamery, and greatly
increase the danger of that structure
which has several times been flooded.
Dea Thompson denied that there would
be any danger from this source-said
it would be relieved if anything.
Stafford predicted that the cost would
reach 5000, and if the creamery was
damaged in consequence the town
would have to pay Kirwan argued
that present debt and taxes in these
times ought to preclude the expendi
ture even if ordinarily justitiable.
Geo. A. Hines submitted measure
ments, figures he had made at the re
quest of the selectmen, and he found
the length of wall needed to be 300 feet
and height from 10 to 20 feet, and cost
some s2400, though this might be sub
ject to some modification in cost of la
Dor and stone. which he hadn t had time
to investigate. In reply to various in
quiires he said the present looked like |
an insecure wall" especially with |
the vibration of the trolley over it, |
and on the whole he thought it wovld |
be economy to build anew and he |
agreed with DIR. Webster that il would |
be best not to try to do anything with |
the old stone.
Up. Sargent advocated little differ
emit scheme, Strengthening the road by
taking from the ledge on the other
side from the brook the town owned
a plenty of land to do it. Mr. Sargent
felt sure that 500 wouldn't begin to
repair the present wall: water had
oeen getting in behind it for II or 10
years.
DIR. C.S. Clark said a 10 foot extern
sion into the river in addition to what
the town now owns would be suffi
,ient.
f. G.. Crosby said the trolley should
De ieft out of the consideration entire
y; it is a business matter for the town
20 consider on business principles.
He took measurements Saturday and
he found that for distance of 40 feet
The wall was from two to six inches far
her out of line than a year ago. There
vas no mistake that the wall is con-
ng down next winter at the latest will
'etch it. He would produce parties
With good and sufficient bonds that
would do it for $500 to 81, 600 depend
ng on what was required. The town
would be responsible in case of an &C
,ident.
David Perry was called on for his
opinion and he had made figures that
agreed with Hines. I'm
luestionahly the present wall is very
hort lived. A new one ought to go
tut into the stream 20 feet, aud he
iidn't see how it could be done for s
ess than $1,000. /
DIR. Ii. ID. Holton thought it for the
interest of the trolley as well as the I
own that something should be done; s
he chief danger was to it now, and
apparently it had made insecure what
fairly we'll before. Therefore 3
lie proposed that the selectmen make
he change, provided the trolley would q
Jay half the expense. Mr.. Crosby said /
he trolley would do no such thing, be i
ause it was work that belonged to the :
own. 1t would cost the trolley 300
o move its track if the new wall was
uIlt. The track was located by the
electmen on the edge by the wall
gainst the protest of the company :
lied in the town clerks Office. and if =
he town refused to do it's duty, the
ompany would take further steps.
Col. Hooker said 500 would pay the C
ost of repairs and he moved that the n
hole matter be left with the select C
len. DIR. Webster said that meant Y
hat only the fallen wall would be o