Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-07-03
THE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING.
Both Questions for Consideration Left
10 the Discretion Of the Selectmen.

Between $50 and 300 voters assembled
in the town hall at clock Monday after
noon in response to call by the select
men to consider the proposition to build a
retaining wall and to straighten the high
way opposite the residence of Mrs Benson
in Centreville, and to see if the selectmen
would be authorized to expend $500 in adj
dition to that already appropriated, to
eauip the town house with electric light
ing.
As soon as the meeting was called to or
der by Moderator Estey G. f. Thompson
presented an argument in favor of build
ing the wall. He said the present spot
was a blot on our best avenue, and as
it would be necessary to expend $500 or
$500 to rebuild the wall which has fallen
down, it would be a judicial and econOm-
ical plan for the town to put a few more
hundred dollars with it and build a wall
which would not only not need repairing
every year, but which would improve the
appearance, be wide and substantial and
would lessen the danger from the electric
cars at that point. He had been there
with Superintendent Rogers of the granite
quarries, who estimated that a granite
wall $50 feet long and of the right dimen-
sons could be built and the road widened
for $685..
Col. Hooker thought the whole matter
should be left to the selectmen, as they
had the power to fix 1t as they saw fit. DR..
Webster then stated that petition asking
for a new wall and signed by about 60 peo-
pie had been presented to the selectmen,
but as they did not care to drop $1,000 at
such an inopportune time they had called
the meeting TO get instructions from the
voters.
j. G. Stafford argued at some length
against the project, holding that the whole
matter was brought up for the relief of the
highway from the burden of the trolley
road. He said that if the brook was
crowded out of its present bed the cream
cry building would be in great danger, as
it was already flooded in high water.
George A. Hines, who had been called
upon by the selectmen to survey the place,
reported substantially as did Mr. Thomp-
son, except that he put the cost of stone
higher, which brought the estimate of the
| total cost up to about $500. g. b. Kir-
wan was emphatic in his belief that the
present wall should be repaired and moved
TO dismiss the article. He afterward with
drew his motion to give opportunity for
further argument. After more argument
| by Mr. Stafford, which was to the effect
that the damage was due TO the jar of the
electric road, John Sargent proposed a
new scheme, which was to build a wall ten
feet out into the brook and level off ten
feet on Mrs. Benson's side of the road
Mr., Crosby, in reply to the reference made
TO the electric road, said that the road was
laid on the opposite side of the highway
and was moved under protest as he con-
sidered the outside dangerous, so that if
the wall should cave in and let a car down
the embankment the town would be held
responsible. The top OF the wall already
hung over from one to three feet, and as a
citizen he advocated the building of a new
wall for safety to human life.
David T. Perry estimated that the total
cost of a new wall would be S2239. He
thought it should go 20 feet into the brook
if 1t all. Dr. Holton asked about the sta
bility of the present wall and upon being
informed that it was short lived said that
If the trolley road could be prevailed upon
to contribute one-half of the expense he
would be in favor of new wall.
Col. Hooker moved that the article be
dismissed and a conference be held with
the directors of the electric road. Mr..
Crosby said the road had no proposal to
make, that it had a right of way and
NOulu TAKE It's II the IOWn ulu not
see fit TO make the necessary repairs. Mr.
Hit moved that Mr.. Thompsons motion
be laid upon the table. The motion was
carried and Mr.. Hit moved that the whole
matter be left TO the selectmen, and this
also was carried. The selectmen signifed
their intention of repairing the present
wall.
To the question of appropriating an ex-
ira $500 for lighting purposes, G. W.
Pierce moved that the matter be also left
to the selectmen. Dr. Webster said that
he had conferred with several theatrical
men and was satisfied that the Cushing
system was the most desirable, and that if
the matter was left to the selectmen they
would put in the Gushing system. The
chair was in doubt as to the result of the
motion and ordered division of the house
which resulted in favor of leaving the
question to the discretion of the select
men.
CHURCH AND SOCIETY.