Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-03-04
The most of our people, who pay any

The most of our people, who pay any
considerable amount of taxes, hire money
The city can hire it at a less rate thai,
can the Individual or at IL saving OF
about ? per cent. supposing that we re-
ducc the rate s. cents on the dollar OF
the grand list for one year. This on the
grand list of $35 100000 would amount
to 1922, 10000, 2 per cent, saved on this
ir $3.50. yearly, or with its interest add
ed over SG00O.00 in ten years, $4,000.
In twenty years, and S3l, 800 in thirty
years.
This being fact, why should we be
called upon TO pay such extremity high
taxes, or to go without improvements
which we so mich need simply to car
ry out :" pay as you 60 policy"
Taxes in our city must of necessity
be high, but let us try lower rate,
bonding to pay up our floating debt,
which is plain, can not be paid even at
the high rate of the past, and add whal
is needed in the various lines of inn
provemenls. / am inclined to think
/ hat if the most of us, could get nothing
only what we paid cash down for, that
at times we would 60 cold and hungry
We canno; apply the 'pay us you 20
policy'' to the purchase OF the plant Of
the Barre Water Company, but do be-
lieve, that we could, and should, find
out (and the sooner the better) what it
is going to cost. 1t will cost more this
spring than it would last fall, ,Iand it will
cost more next fah than it would if the
price is fixed nnis spring. Why has not
it's value been fixed so we can know
just where we stand in the water bus
inesso
Evidently Mr.. Goodhue (who is a
very amiable man. and one who under
stands his blsness) is not sweating
very much because the price is not SET
tied as to its value. Oh No he knows
that the value of that plant has depend
ed entirely on the growth of Barre, he
knows that the longer it is put off the
more he will get for it.
AT the NEE ing in which we voted to
take that plant, had some one made the
prediction that we would have seen so
many blocks, stores, Office rooms and
tenement houses built and so we'll filled
us they will be in one year from that
time, he woulG have been called vision
arv to say the taast. This is no vision,
1t is solid fact. and it has added thors
ands of dollars to the value of that wa
ter plant. Shall we let it 60 on another
year and add II ousands more?
] he net income from the water rent
ais from it must have been larger than
ever before, all the business taken from
the several spring water companies
must have gone to the Barre Water Co.
adding more value, more money to Mr..
Goodhue
Perhaps is s.36pnih .rtake myself be.
lieve that what the spring water conf
panies have lost, will 90 to the city, or
if the price had been fixed on the plant
of the Barre Water Co before the city
made its move % reduce the value Of
the spring water companies property,
| might think different than do regard
ing this matter.
/ he time will soon come when we
will need it all, ana the better way
would be for the city to take it, in one
of the ways we voted to apply to the
plant of the Barre Water Co., and then
if our water system is rightly managed
its income will 60 long way towards
paying up our debt, large as it is. Let
us 90 back little to the time when the
Barre Water Co.. had plenty of good
water. a change came caused largely bv
the growth of East Barre, and we could
see that sooner or later the water there,
would be unfit for domestic use. 1t was
this condition of things that started the
most Of the spring water companies into
business. 1t was Il legitimate business,
and was welcomed by our people. The
village (and the city also) gave them
certain rights. 1t seemed Il God-send
to give Us better water, which was so
much needed for the health of our peo-
pie. Who would care to reduce the
value of the property of our own G. i
zens, and give it to non resident
Yet that is the result if the city's action
is sustained by the courts, meaning
more value to the plant Of the Barre
Water Co., more money to Mr.. Good
hue.
If the action Of the city is not sus-
tanned by the courts we will not only
have more to pay for the property OF
the Barre Water company, but a large
sum to the owners of the spring water
companies as damages. 1t is high time
that this matter was settled. Mayor
Gordon represents and upholds a policy
which to my mind is against the best in
terrsts of the largest number of ou'
people, and should he be elected he will
undoubtedly do what he can to continue
to carry out that policy.
Mr.. Swasey says that should he be
elected he will do what he can to make
a change, that he is not in favor o
keeping taxes so high, that they will
drive out, or keep out, capital, or Sc
that it will bear so heavily on the poor
er class of our people, he is not in favo1
of going without school houses o.
streets because we cannot raise take;
high enough to pay as we 60. lie il
in favor of having Il price fixed as to th'
value of the plant of the Barre Waite
company.
For these and other reasons intent
to vote for Swasey for the next mayo
of the city of Barre.
Yours respectfully,
Il l.. SMITH.
Barre, March 3, 1899
OAS SsT @ R L n