The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-02
ON HIS RECORD.
Chairman Batcheller
Has No Fears for
The Results.
THE ALLEGED BLUNDER.
Selectmen Contend They
Have Sold Enough era
vel to Balance Up.

North Brool1deld. April 1.--Chairman
Of the Selectmen Edward A. Batcheller
issued an open letter last night rela-
tive to the statement made in The Spy
a few days ago, that blunder had
been made in paying the Worcester
Construction Company $500 for lowering
Gilbert street, Naturally, Mr.. Batch
eIler denied the charge and today re-
5terated his statement TO the reporter
for The Spy.
During lengthy conversation be-
tween Mr.. Batcheller and the reporter,
the matter was fully discussed pro and
con, the town father being perfectly
fair and above board in his arguments,
and admitted that It Yves a matter
where there iB considerable difference
of opinion. As stated in The Spy after
the electric road was put in, it was
found feasible, il, indeed, it was not
almost an absolute necessity, to lower
the grade Of Gilbert street.
This was accomplished by the Wor-
eester obstruction Company, the
town paying $500 for the job. That the
town got the best end of the bargain
the chairman Of the selectnen Ia con-
f1dent as the company delivered 800
loads of the stone and dirt taken off
Gilbert street at the orders Of the Sc
lectmen to various locations about
town and 500 more loads, according to
the terms of the econtract.
Mr., Batcheller says that putting the
value Of these loads Of dirt at 80 cents
each, an unheard of figure, the town
more than got it's $500 back; and the
#faya tn, 41.a 1,arA I- NF trn
lectmen, they did the best they could.
But on this point there has been little,
IL any fault found or any criticism
passed.
The criticism falls on the point
that the town paid $500 for
lowering Gilbert street and that
this lowering OF the street was result
ant on the construction OF the electric
railway.
"Ir Craig, our engineer, told us.
said Mr.. Batcheller this afternoon.
that the grade of the street would
have to be lowered. as long ss we made
the electric company put in a graded
road instead of surface road. l asked
him If 1t would be the electric road's
place to pay 1t or ours, and he said
that the electric road company had
obeyed the terms Of the franchise and
could not be called upon to do more"
The reporter still insisted that there
were good grounds for the claim that
a mistake had been made and brought
the matter back to the franchise itself
claiming that this was where the lack
of foresight came IN. Mr.. Batcheler
was asked what was to prevent the Sc
lectmen. before the franchise was sign
ed, from having a clause stating that
as the lowering of Gilbert street was
TO be made necessary by the construc-
tIon Of the railway, the expense must
be incurred by the railway company.
Viewing the matter in this way, he
said he could not see that there was
anything to prevent, provided the com
pany would have consented to such an
agreement. But we can't help that, -
said he. THE thing was in our hands
to be seen to. We did it TO the BEST
Of our ability. Perhaps we made a
mistake, and I do not blame any one
for critlcislng us; that is a privilege
they have.
We are Just as liable to make mis-
takes as any one else and OF course
we have made some That is what ]
Will tell the voters at town meeting,
and what more can a man do? I Will
leave it that way, and I suppose some
VIII say mistake was made, just the
same"
Mr.. BatcheLer was very frank, and
says he IS willing to stand at the polls
on his record while he has been in
Office although he has never fooled
himself that he has not made both
mistakes and enemies while in office.