Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-12-08

such state OF facts into a village
debt, The only element of right In
such argument Is the fact that In the
earlier years OF the system. because OF
me small aqueduct companies 10 d.
VIDE the business. Mr.. Crowell did not
set any income from Il: but this con-
siueration does not apply TO the bond
holders, who are the only parties
within our reach In this company and
VINO got their money regularly. II Is
only reason why we should Inn
prove the opportunity TO do what we
properly can for Mr. Crowell through
the other company.
The coming village meeting should
iirst record In unmistakable terms its
determination that the village own Its
water system, Then IL should offer
the Chestnut Hin company a fair price
Tor It's pipe system. and for the pres
emf reservoir. and perhaps its feeding
springs. as or some value as re-
serve In case of accident to the main
system, Such price to be the engin-
GERS valuation, less the cost of neces-
sary digging up, substitution and re-
placement OF pipes: or, IL the company
prefers. an appraisal on the same ba-
Sis by board of engineers. one to
be selected by the village, one by the
company. and IL they cannot agree a
third by them. This viii reach right
ms nearly and surely as possible In
human affairs; and having thus Of
fered all the property Is worth, all
anybody can possibly get out of II. let
the village record notice that II the
oifer Is not accepted. II will proceed
To install a system of its own
There will then be no danger of its
not being accepted. one of Gen.
Grants many wise observations was
that after n battle and in deciding
what TO do on the morrow, II Is always
well TO consider how things may look
In the other camp. The bondholders
will not fail TO realize that refusal
would leave their property worth only
old junk after being dug up. Talk of
buying off their competition is simply
talk of throwing away taxpayers
money If it should turn out as
claimed that the property Is really
worth the amount of the bonds. the
village of course ought to pay that
amount; but it shouldn't vote dol
lar on the mere claim. or on guess
work. against all the evidence we
have, or as a bonus.
Then having made this offer, the
village should instruct its committee
to continue investigation through the
low water period of next summer IL
.
venture the quality of Sunset Lake
water, and If it proves to be as good,
or that 1t can be made as good-and
why not?-as from the other sources
of supply, to conclude negotiations
with that company-and report back
to the village-for the purchase of
what 1t has. The village can well
base its offer on the $151,050.14 which
according to Engineer Davis. it would
cost to carry out the other most ell
igible scheme, at North Branch Broad
Brook. and which is $25,557,S6 in eX
cess of the cost of the Sunset Lake
scheme according TO the same esti
mates, which ought to be about right
comparatively, however prices of ma
terial may vary. Here is an equity
that belongs to Crowell that the vii
lage can pay without mulcting tax
payers at all and that would very
likely be enhanced by profits on rights
he has secured and in construction. If
he thinks it should be more, or If
there is disagreement over details, let
that also be settled by disinterested
appraisal.
How i'm any other way can such
equal and exact Justice be done all.
the only policy worthy of free peo-
pie? How else can we hope to get
water system within any reasonable
cost? What other plan is there that
without most cruelty stripping Mr..
CroWell does not mean cost well tow
ards $500, 900 instead of about $250.00O
in this way. on the basis of the Davis
estimates? Is there any doubt that
such an offer would be accepted? III
not, the village can proceed as the
committee recommends with clear
C. H. DAVENPORT.