News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1900-02-28
That Stowe Land Case

A%titOA @'Ch . anu OIUILCH -
1t muse be evident to your readers.
and the voters of Stowe, in perticu-
lar, that there has been some wrong
doing in connection with the "Stowe
Land Case" Either | wronged the
town in asking for a lease of the pub.
lie lots, or else MesSrs Cheney and Me-
AIlister, acting under the advice of
the "village ring" did wrong in dis
posing of it as they did. SO | ask
leave TO place the following questions
before the voters of that town.
When [ discovered that the town
had a valid title to some valuable
land claimed by the Burt4, did | do
wrong in notifying the Selectmen of
the towns interest in these lots?
Wishing to obtain some timber land
was it wrong for me to ask the town
to transfer to me its interests in said
lots for a just compensation?
| asked the Selectmen to satisfy
themselves what AUST compensation
would be and allow me to take or re-
fuse the land at their price. This they
refused to do. Which party was in
the wrong here?
/ then made an offer (which | knew
would be communicated to the Burts)
for the purpose Of getting them to
make their offer. After this was done,
asked for the privilege of coming
before the board and making an Of
Ter for lease of the lands and to as
sumo all liability as to title-a fair
inference that | was to make a better
offer than | had done-and what
planned to do with the understand
ing that the SelectmeD were to either
accept or reject my offer on the spot,
but was told that Messrs. Cheney and
McAllister had decided not to lease
the land to me on any condition.
They then leased one lot of the
Burts for $500, and refused to have
anything to do with the other lot,
No. 40. | am told that an employe
of the Burts has made the boast that
the lot they leased has $500 worth
1of timber on it, and the lot they re-.
tue to take any compensation for has
$4,000 worth OF timber on it. Because
they have leased one lot to the Burts
tor one-third Of it's value and refuse
to take any action to secure the
towns title to what the Burts claim
has $4,000 worth OF tim Der on the
other lot the village leaders are prais-
ing Messrs. Cheney and McAilister
and attempt to cast all opprobrium
OF the case upon me. Is this right /?
understand the Village ring'
have a complete ticket for town Off
GERS, which they propose to elect for
the purpose of continuing the above
policy. | also understand that there
is portion of the people of the town
who believe it would be best to learn
what right the town has to the prop
erty above mentioned, also to inves.
tigate the towns title to seveal
thousand dollars worth of similar
property that some claim has been il
legally disposed Of, and to see if the
town is entitled to compensation for
it and secure it, although some mem
bers of the "village ring" may have
to pay it. They do not propose to
court any expensive litigation, but
want to know what the town is enti-
tied to in the matter and will place a
ticket of their own before the voters
of the town for their support.
1t is not proper that Interfere with
local politics, but cannot help feel
ing a deep interest in the verdict the
voters of my native town will givea
to who has been in the wrong in this
matter of public concern.
Respectfully,
W. j. BIGELow.