Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-26
ANNUAL REPORTS.
CITY OFFICIALS RENDER ACCOUNT
OF THEIR STEWARDSHIP.
Care of the Poor Cost Burlington S03s5
Last Yenr-Polics statistics
Room Needed" Again the Appeal
From the Library OmoisIs.

Overseer Of the Poor D.. c. Barber in
his annual report shows the expenses of
the department for the year 1898 to have
been 50, 375. 66, made up as follows: Aid out
side almshouse, s~6,679.06; farm expenses,
81, S72.9 81; office expenses, $3.50; salaries,
$500; d.. c. Barber for error in 1897, 500.
The receipts amounted to 50. 41l.4 40, made up
as follows: Cash on hand Jan. !, 1897,
s36. %; received from city treasurer. $9,O1i-
AZ; from sale of farm produce, $lgi.T; from
other towns. $93. 3S; from other sources,
s17.SS. The balance now on hand amounts
to $3S. "A.
There were IA people in the aims house
December 81, 1898, of whom SIX were class
ed as insane and eight as destitute. Tim
othy Noonan is the oldest inmate in years
and in time Of residence at the poor house,
being 81 years old and an inmate of the
poor house for Is years. Twelve inmates
were admitted, L. were discharged and
two died during the year.
Overseer Barber says that the increase
in the expense account over last year 10
due to the increase in the number of tho
unemployed. Every proper effort has
been male to keep the expenditures as
low as is consistent with humane de-
hands He again calls attention 20 the
de5irability of separating the fceble-nind-
ed and those stronger in mind at the aims
house.
CITY ATTORNEYS REPORT.
City Attorney d. j. Foster in his annual
report says that four cases in which the
city is Interested are now pending in tho
courts One Is that OF Bernard II. Porter
VS.. T.. j.. Brownell and trustee of the city
of Burlington, now in COUNTY court; an
other is that of j. j. Finn. administrator
VS.. the city. brought to recover damages
for the death of Proctor n. Barnes, now
in County Court: another is That Of the
Rutland Railroad company vs.. City Con-
stable Sails, to recover alleged damages
for railroad property sold by Mr.. Sails
for taxes. and an important case because
it involves the validity of a large amount
of taxes assessed upon railroad property.
1t is expected that this case will be tried
in March. The chancery case of II. S.
Taft VS.. the city is sttll pending.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Chief of Police Smith begins his annual
report with a tribute to his predecessor,
jerome Dumas, saying: when God call
ed him the department lost an efficient
officer and the city a jealous Waterman
of her interests" The 5000 appropriated
TO the department was increased by
S100.S3 in fees paid to the city treasurer.
The total amount expended was 1881. go,
= leaving a balance of $685. on hand. The
! whole number of arrests during the year
was 3l3, being two less than in 1897 and an
Increase Of seven for !ntoxication. OF the
9l3 arrests 1l3 were for intoXication, 30
for breach of the peace, AZ for larceny, AZ
for selling liquor, q for tramping, IL for
truancy, 10 for trespassing, three for rape,
= two for burglary and one each for pros
? t%itution, aSsaulting AN officer, forgery.
keeping store open Sunday, riding Il BIZ
, cycle on the sidewalks. exposing person
=, and keeping a house of ill-fame. There
were Is officers on the pay roll Of the de-
+ partment at the close of the year. Chief
Smith says hat he has been unable to
grant requests for a patrol on the out
skirts of the city, because the appropria-
ton at his disposal would not permit the
employment of more men.
| rr1r TT E,u,curp I1ppAPy
n MISS Sarah I. liagar. horarIan OF the
/, Fletcher free Library IN her l4th report
f ana the 2oth since tho organization Oh the
: library, says mat $50 volumes haVe peer
added during inc year, making d lotal
OF % $50. There were 6S cards issued te
n new applicants, NJ less IMAM IN 1874 again
as in each year since 1887, the cards can
celled exceeded the number ISSUED &c
v new applicants. The number OF BOOKS CIV
s en- out Tor nome use during the year was
;. 2,f56, s% less than in 1897. although onl!