Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-01-12
CHOSE WATER BOARD OF IL MEMBERS
Directed to Procure for the VILLAGE by Purchase Otherwise
Water System at Expense Not to Exceed $3.50 Oo0 0bec.
tons by Mr.. CroweIPs Counsel

Resolved, that Articles 1, 2 and of
the warning be and hereby are CONSOLE
dated and that the same be acted upon
as one article, and that James F. Hooker,
George e. Gilman, John Calvin, Henry
r. Brown Dr. Henry Tucker, Lyman 10.
Holden, George A. Eeis, Albert w. Rock
well, ID. p. Dewitt, J. A. Taylor, Fred
w Putnam and John l.. Roess are hereby
elected and constituted a water board Tor
the village of Brattleboro; said board Is
hereby authorized and directed to pro-
cure and establish, by purchase or other
wise a water system for the use OF the
inhabitants of the incorporated village or
Brattleboro, If the same may lawfully be
done, and at an expense to SAID village
of not exceeding $250,00O; $2OO,OOO Is mere
by appropriated therefor, and Tor the
payment of the same said board may cause
to be issued the bonds and orders or notes
of said village upon such terms as they
may deem expedient under the provisions
of the law: that it is preferable that said
board procure by purchase or arbitrator
the contemplated Sunset Lake water
system and the Chestnut Hill reservoir
system, if they can do so for just ana
fair consideration, but upon failure so to
do by contract or arbitration, they are to
construct an independent system; that IL
further legislation is required to carry
out the provision hereof 1t shall be
the duty of said board to use all
same: that in case of vacancy upon said
board by death, removal or resignation.
the bailiffs are hereby authorized to fill
the same by appointment; that seven
members of said board shall constitute n
quorum and the action of majority
shall be deemed the action of the board.
The bailiffs are hereby authorized to
borrow the sum of $1,000, and such part
of the same as may be necessary is here
by appropriated for the use of said water
board in carrying out the provisions here
of.
BY a vote of 1863 to 1853 the above
resolution was adopted at the special VIII
lage meeting Wednesday night and its
adoption was the only business transacted.
While the votes were being counted, ii
being apparent that the yes votes were
a majority, c. c. Fits announced as
counsel for George E. Crowell that he con-
sidered the proceedings illegal, ana he
stated seven grounds on which action
under the resolution might be opposed
by Mr.. Crowel. These grounds are given
elsewhere in this report. Mr.. Fits made
his statement not as a threat, but as Civ
ing fair notice to the voters so that they
could not go out and say that Mr.. Crowell
made no objection to the action of the
village. Thus it appears that there is
fully as much possibility of legal en-
tanglements over the water question as
there would be had the village adopted
any of the other resolutions which have
been presented at the three special meet
ings within the past few weeks.
The gathering was the most largely at
tended of all the village meetings in recent
years. although only about one-thrd of
the total voting strength was polled. On
Tuesday the village was flooded with
copies of a circular letter signed by ]. l..
Martin, James F. Hooker John L. Roess,
John Ga1Tin. George A. Ees, L. E. Hol-
Wy
headed: The true facts and figures
about the water question: contrasted with
the gross and eXtravagant misrepresenta-
tons of the local press" 1t said, among
other things, that the construction of
municipal water works would not require
one dollar to be raised by taxation, that
it would be followed Immediately by a
reduction of taxes and charges on the
public of at least $4,000 a year, and that
insurance rates would be reduced even
more than taxes. Certain statements in
the local papers were characterized as pre-
posterous outrageous and imbecile. This
was followed by a flyer urging the voters
to vote for a water board and promising
that the board, if elected, would establish
a water system without the assessment
of any tax. On Wednesday a circular
signed by large number of business men
was issued giving a resolution which
would be presented at the meeting and
of these circulars was to create a wide
interest in the subject and when the
meeting was called to order Festival hall
was crowded.
John Calvin chairman of the board of
bailiffs, presided and Clerk w D. Perry
read the warrant, containing three articles
relative to establishing a water system,
appointing a committee and issuing bonds.
Immediately after the warrant was read
u. L. Martin arose and was recognized by
the chairman. He presented the above
resolution and it was seconded by c. H.
Davenport. Mr.. Martin said the intention
of the resolution was to prevent delay,
He thought it was time to elect a board
with power to act and said he would not
harm Mr.. Crowel or advocate that the
village install an Independent system I'M
less compelled to. He said delay might
find the village powerless to act At this
point Mr.. Durham presented the following
resolution, which was seconded by L. F.
Adams:
Resolved, that articles l. and 3 of
the warrant for this meeting be laid upon
the table; that a committee of five be
chosen to ascertain and satisfy themselves
between the present time and the sitting
of the next Legislature as to the quality
and quantity of the water supply of the
Sunset Lake Water company; to procure
from the next session of the legislature
suitable legislation to give to the Village
Oh ITdltleDOIO the necessary power TO
purchase or construct water system,
with the right to issue bonds to an amount
sufficient to pay for the. same, and all
legislation necessary to fully carry the
same into effect; to procure a village
meeting to be called as soon as possible
upon the taking effect of such legislation
to act upon the same, and to secure the
insertion in the warrant for such meeting
of the necessary articles upon which a
vote may be legally taken to purchase or
construct a water system; employ in the
meantime an engineer If they deem neces-
sary to carefully examine and report upon
the expense of a new system, including
the laying of distributing mains in the
village; also to carefully examine and re-
port the condition and value of the whole
Crowell system; that said committee be
authorized to eXpend a sum not exceeding
three hundred dollars in and about the
duties to be performed by them as pro-
vided in this resolution.
Mr.. CroueIIis 4 etfar