Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-01-08
Investigation
Mayor Wants City Water
Department Looked
Into By
HIS own COMMITTEE
Aldermen Want Their Own
Way and Deadlock
Follows.

The city council met last night in
regular session with all members pre-.
sent.
George w. Bassett was given per-
mission to reshingle house and barn
on Prospect street.
An application from the N. E. Tel.
& Tel. 90. for permission to locate
pole in Depot Square was referred to
the committee on streets with power
to act.
Next on the program was little
brush between Alderman Mann and
the mayor about special police. Mann
thought his honor had ignored the
police committee and overstepped his
authority IN appointing certain spec
ial police, when there already were
eight whose names had been approved
by the council.
The sixth annual report from the
city engineering department was read,
accepted and adopted and ordered to
be printed in the annual report.
A big batch Of city warrants from
numbers 5555 to 1852 and varying iu
amount from Is cents to S25, 642.36,
were ordered paid.
A resolution was introduced by the
mayor relating to the printing Of the
annual city report. 1t provided that
the printer be directed to submit all
matter to the mayor for his direction,
in accordance with section SO Of the
city charter. Another scrap followed
but the mayor gave the council to un'
derstand that he would not hold up or
alter any Of the department reports,
and the resolution was finally passed,
two votes being for and one against.
The mayor then introduced another
resolution, relating to matters 10 the
engineering and water works depart
ment. 1t resolved that the council
did thereby appoint special commit
tee, composed Of w. A. Boyce, Alder
man Mann and the mayor, to investi-
gate matters In the afore mentioned
departments, and report to the coun-
Gil. 1t also resolved that w. A.
Boyce was thereby appointed to act
as assistant city attorney in the in
vestigation, city attorney Barney be-
ing in Florida. Then the fun began.
The mayor made a long speech, re.
iterating the insinuations he has sew
eral times before m sde against Supt.
G. s. Currier. Alderman James Mac
kay wanted to know why his honor
had not submitted some definite
charges, as he had promised to do, in
stead of repeating his insinuati ms.
He, Mackay, wanted the matter thor
oughly Investigated, but he wanted it
done by an unprejudiced committee.
Mr.. Mackay also told bis honor the
mayor that it did not look we'll to put
himself on the committee. SINE
sharp repartees we're then INDUCED in
by ,th sides.
The mayor repeated the assertion
that he has made several times before,
that he should sign no warrants for
the water department till Curriers'
accounts and methods Of doing busi-
ness had been Investigated. Alder
man Robins asked the mayor If he
did not tell Mr.. Currier that he would
sign warrants for his, Curriers' pay,
if he would resign, and His Honor
admitted such was the fact, but ad-
ded that he did not promise to pay
all Currier claimed was due. Alder
man Robins and Scott both thought
the mayor should prefer changes and
stop 1nsinuating. A general scrap
followed which would be almost as
interesting as vaudeville perfor-
nance If we had space to reproduce
it.
1t was finally moved that the
mayors name be stricken off the in.
vestigating committee and then some
one moved that the name of W. A.
Boyce be eliminated and then the
mayor Withdrew the resolution, leav-
ing the matter open and no charges
preferred.
A bill from Mr.. Robinson Of South
Barre for damages caused by pumping
water from the Williamstown brook
during the summer, was referred to
the water committee with power to
act. City Treasurer Wells announced
that there was no money with which
to take care of the warrants ordered
paid, and he hoped the mayor would
see fit to assist in making arrange
ments for securing the necessary funds
at once, especially as there was an exc
cution against the city which might
be issued at any time. A discussion
on finances followed.
Alderman Mackay announced that
the finance committee was not yet
ready to make a full report in the
matte ing to reach settlement
wit Whitcomb & Cook; the
StaA LHolden Manufacturing Co.,
and Wells. Lamson s. 90. for damages
incurred when the city took Peck
Pond, Towne Spring, and the Martin
Brook, and he asked tho council TO