The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-11-23

was 10 DO TAKEN out OF Jne town oil Berlin
would you then, with a reduction OF $1,000
in the taxes, be in favor of annexation?
Said he thought the town could still main
tain itself with the remaining amount Of
taxes.
G. H. Crandall, ex.selectman OF the town
OF Berlin, now a member OF the board of
school directors said that the reason there
was not sidewalks in some parts of the
town was due to the iact that there was not
room to lay them. Said in all of his official
capacity that he had intended to be fair In
granting Berlin street residents their re-
qurements. Said he was farmer and
resident Of the dark part" Of Berlin street,
was selectman at the time peddler's team
went off from the highway, down an EN-
bankment. Town was not at fault because
of absence OF guard rail. Said he was not
aware Of the existence of any strife or fac
tional feeling between the Berlin street
people and residents Of the outgoing dis.
triCt. Had talked over the matter of build
ing high school building and the senti-
ment prevailed tbat it should be located on
Berlin street. Did not know thai Berlin
had ever asked for fire protection. Thought
it would cost more to maintain the high
ways outside the proposed annexation part
than in 1t.
BY Mr.. Laird Said they did have law
yer present at last March town meeting.
Didn't think they had sectional fight.
Didn't know that Mr.. Strong's election as
representative last fall was the result OF
strife in the town meeting. / know that
annexatiol would be detrimental in every
way. Said he should have to figure to find
out whether the annexation portion of Ber-
lin should have their entire tax to give them
the things that they need. Didn't think
Montpelier needed Berlin; wouldn't be any
better off If she had the portion OF the town
proposed for annexation.
Representative Levi Strong, overseer Of
the poor in Berlin for fifteen years, showed
from last years report that there had been
paid out for the part proposed for annexa-
ton 5000, and for the other part S515.
Said he thought this was fair comparison
for other years.
NJ. w. Wheelock, town clerk and treas
urer, said he had held those offices since
1876 Had also been justice of the peace
for the same length of time here were
four sewers running from Prospect street to
the river, these had tributaries leading into
/ other streets. These had been built partly
at the towns expense; town was healthy;
grand list of the town OF Berlin last year
was S11 377 Ga Sewer system on Berlin
street compares well with that in Mont
pelier. In case OF annexation the outlying
portion would be affected unfavorably
Did not know of any town of the size of
Berlin that had fire protection by way of
hydrants or that had provided street lights
Thought Berlin could, as an incorporated
town, contract for lights as well as could
Montpelier. Annexation would result in
giving to Berlin the privileges of schools,
protection, the proposed bridge, and would
remove any feeling Of Jealousy that might
now exist, aud the result would be that
Montpelier would not hesitate to do the fair
thing for the annexed district. Berlin has
OF late years made more expenditures for
sidewalks than formerly. The town Is
practically free from indebtedness.
By Mr.. Lord: Think there are more voters
in the part of the town proposed for an
nexation than in the other part OF the town
The grand list OF the Langdon estate, Mr..
Wheelock said, was $3071.43. This he said
was largely personal property. Said he
understood,as the people in Berlin did, that
after the Langdon estate passed from Tut
| tie and Ranlett, executors, to futile and
Raulett, trustees, that unless some one of
the Langdon heirs should take residence in
Berlin that the tax on the Lsngdon estate
must be paid to the city where the heirs
reside. Mr.. Wheelock thought the town OF
Berlin should have better fire protection,
street lights and better public water sup
| ply. Was neither petitioner nor a re-
monstrant. Had maintained neutral at
| titude.
Wilbur Brown said he had made can
vass Of the town and found that there were
1874 petitioners for annexation. OF this num-
be thirty.two had no grand list and forty
six had only a So list There were 29i re-
monstrants. OF this number seven had no
list and forty. five represented SO lists The
grand list in the district covered by by
the bill was S6,179.33; that in the town
outside the bill would be 50, 1881. The
| amount expended on highways has
been at the rate of $50 dollars per mile.
With division OF the town "a proposed the
cost per mile for the seventy-one miles
left to the town would be S135. Said there
was in the treasury fund of 5000, left there
by common consent. 1t was the purpose of
the town to use this for building high
school building. The grand list of real es-
tate owned by Montpelier residents in the
portion proposed for annexation was Se43.
Berlin has expended $1,000 for sewers and
sidewalks in that portion proposed for an
neXation. In case OF annexation the out
lying portion3 of the town could not, by
any management, maintain the town for
less than 5000 on $1,000. At this point
the introduction of testimony was dropped
and the arguments were begun.
The arguments were limited to 30 mnu
ties on a side Mayor John II. Senter open
ing for the annexation SITS. He said he
proposed to leave the matter of how much
OF the territory Montpelier should take to
the committee. He pointed out the needs
of Berlin and their inability to furnish
them. We do not want them for a specula-
ton, we want them as matter of prOtec-
tion-protection from disease. We want
you to give us this section of Berlin that we
may control its sanitary regulations, that
we may expand, aud that we may improve
that place and make it like our own city,
one Of the best kept and most clearly OF
any in the State. Mr.. Senter pointed out
the need of retaining wall on the river
bank on the Berlin side and said that good
walks were needed. 1t would be a source
of expense to the city for the next ten years.
Mayor John W. Gordon of Barre spoke
next for the demonstrating faction, saying
that Montpelier had not made Berlin any
more than has Barre.
Montpelier instead Of building up the
Winooski valley had sent her money west,
never to return Montpelier has no equit.
able claim to Berlin.
Mr.. Plumley followed Mr.. Gordon and
he was followed by Hon. W. A. Lord. The
arguments were all strong and OF the stir
ring sort 1t was 1880 when the meeting
adjourned.