The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-07-13
NEW FIRE
STATION
City Votes to Erect One
At Once
BUT NOT ON LIBRARY SITE
City Council Authorized to Pledge Credit
Of City for $4,000 for Purpose
of Erecting Same.

The city meeting held in the opera
house last evening authorized the city
council to locate and erect fire station In
Barre. and TO pledge the credit OF the city
for sum not exceeding $4,000 for the
purposes of purchasing site and erect
ing the same. The recommendation to
erect it on portion of the library lot was
rejected.
The meeting was called to order at 7 80
BY city clerk Mackay and K. G. Rowland
was elected chairman. The special COM
mittee selected by the mayor to visit other
cities and inspect fire stations reported
it had visited Nashua, n. H., Boston and
Quincy. Mass, and inspected number of
stations. II had Incorporated in set of
plans what it found best and suited to
Barrels needs, which was described In
yesterdays Times, The committee stat
ed that SIS 900 would be required to erect
and equip this building, and concluded by
recommending the taking OF portion of
the library lot on which to erect the build
ing. II also recommended paid regular
fire department.
Fred Bruce was the FIRST TO take the
floor at the conclusion OF the reading of
the report. He asked the mayor TO state
the condition of the city finances at the
present time and what the prospects were
fer the future before the meeting yentured
on any new expenditures.
The mayor replied BY giving detailed
statement Of money spent for the present
year UP TO July 8, and the amount needed
Ca take the various departments through
to January /. The amount already ex-
pended is S68, ,S0S75, and it will require
SS5 ,056.0S to carry the city through the
balance Of the year, provided no unexpect-
| ed expenses arise.
/ The mayor further stated our sinking
fund would pay Off the present city indebt.
edness by 1921 and leave balauce Of S400
| ln the treasury.
\ G. B. Gladding moved the acceptance
and adoption of the committees report. j.
w. Gordon moved an amendment that all
but that portion of the report relating to
the use OF portion Of the library lot be
accepted. He said the library lot had
been purchased by the city ''to be used
and employed as library site and that
special tax for the purpose Of paying for
! the same had beeu levied. When a city
has voted under It's charter to set aside d
thing for special purpose, 1t Is custom
ary TO apply to the legislature for author
| lty to do otherwise with it. He thought the
city would have as much right TO take a
part of the common as any of the library
lot for ire station site. He stated fur
ther that in large cities, as rule, they put
| their FIRE stations on the less crowded
streets. He did not want to see the II
brary lot diverted from the purposes for
which it was intended. The only argu-
ment that can be used in favor Of this site
/ for a fire station is that 1t would make a
J nice place for the firemen's club room. We
can get lot that will cost good deal less
that will offer Just as good FIRE protection
| to the city.
X. w. Risbee didn't think we needed to
take any such expensive lot as this for
1 for such purposes. We signed notes to
/ hold the land, aud he did not believe the
1 city had right to use It for other pur-
1 poses. II you put fire station on the
lot you spoil II for anything else. There
are other lots inst as good for a fire sta
tion. He said the signers Of the note
! NVAAA C040AA NAO OAtl AAOAa EAfAuA a AEC0.
| Fred Bruce said that Gordon doesn't
say there will be any trouble to take the
lot for federal building, neither does Mr..
Blsbee We paid for the lot with $3,S00
raised by special tax and the balance of
nearly $4,000 out of the general city
funds. There is no law to prevent the
city giving a lease OF the site 1t is a
/ question whether you take something you
already have, or 90 down into your pocket
and pay for it.
CT II. Pape favored using portion OF
the library lot. He asked If there would
not be as much danger to children coming
from schools on Summer street, provided
| the fire station was there, as there would
be to grown up people on Main street ii
the fire station was on the library lot.
I j. r. Mari believed the library lot q
good site for the fire station.
| r. S. Currier said be had suffered as
much from fire as anyone and he wanted a
good fire station, but he thought other lots
Just as good as the library lot. He said
the city was not likely to get station
this year Il 1t voted 70 putt on the library
lot. Abram Mann thought II the lot was
large enough for the library and the fire
station too, put it there. w. II. Messer
approved putting II on the library lot
The question being called for the
amendment to adopt the report, with the
exception Of the part relating to the libra
ry lot, was carried. 1t was voted TO di-
rect the city council to locate and erect a
new fire station, and it was also author
ized to purchase site. Article 8, to see If
the city viii vote to raise a special tax
was dismissed and under Article I, J. w.
Gordon, seconded by Abram Mann, moved
that the city council be authorized to
pledge the credit Of the city not to exceed
$50, 600 to purchase land and erect fire
station. Fred Bruce moved an amend
ment seconded by G Fl. Pape, that It be