Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-01-05
WATER SUPPLY QUESTION AGAIN.
Special Village Meeting Has Been Called for Next Wednesday
Night-Th Articles and Some Ancient History,
WHAT PRESENT CONDITIONS ARE UNDER CLOSE SCRUTINY.
Does the Village Want to Take Action Which Will Burden Tax
payers 2...Letter from John Calvin

session. This act grants the village the
right to construct, maintain and repair
reservoirs, pipe lines, ETC. and to purchase
and acquire streams, springs, water
sources water rights real estate, and
| howage rights necessary for the purpose
within the limits of the towns of Brat
tleboro, Marlboro and Dummerston. Sec
ton of the act provides that If the viii
lage authorities cannot agree with the
owner of any necessary property, fran
chise or rights as to the price to be paid
therefor, either party in interest may APP
ply for a courts commission and that
| such a commission shall hear and de-
termine the matter and report to a Judge
of the supreme court who shall make the
necessary orders accordingly. 1t can be
seen, therefore, that if the village should,
for instance, undertake to take either
branch of milestone brook for a village
supply. every riparian owner and the
owner of every water power on the stream
could demand a courts commission to
| appraise his damage The water powers
affected would be Knight & Walker at
West Brattleboro the street railroad com
pany at Centrevlle, II. b. Iarkin, the
! Fletcher mill property and the Prescott
mill property controlled by Holden &
Martin, Vinton's paper mill, and the Gas
Light companys power; and in addition
every owner adjoining the bank of the
stream would have the right to demand
a courts commission to determine his
damage. The water powers and indi-
viduals affected would be much more
numerous if Broad brook were to be taken
a water supply.
/ The provision for raising money to pay
for water system is contained in sec
ton Il of the act. That section empowers
the village to purchase, take and hold
property to the amount of 100000 only.
1t authorizes the village to levy and coll
lect such taxes as may be necessary for
/ the payment of expenses and present and
1 future indebtedness, and to issue not to
! exceed $125,0OO in bonds. and to raise
money from time to time as may be nee
essary to carry on and complete the work
| of supplying the village with water and
paying current Indebtedness. So much
I for the legal right now possessed by the
village to build or own water works.
! AS to the cost, the lowest figure named
for a new system is $4,000 and this es-
! innate is based on a cost of pipe for mains
much lower than the market price at the
present time. These figures, moreover,
represent the cost of getting supplies of
water from various sources by a main to
the town hall, but they do not embrace
! nj a nf dicfr tfps,
system to all parts of the village. As
matter of fact We think this matter
of the cost of distribution has never been
gone into in detail.
Still further than this, the sum of $780,
900 does not include any estimate for pro-
tecting the water supply wherever OBJ
tatned, from pollution by drainage or
seepage from farms and dwellings. This
item would be a large one counting up
into tens of thousands of dollars It has
already cost Mr.. Crowell more than $1,000
to take care of the drainage from a single
farm in Pleasant valley.
Taking these items into account in
connection with the wel-known fact that
the cost of all such enterprises always
largely overruns the original estimates, it
! Is evident that the cost of a water sys-
TEN would be from $500, 900 to $500, OOO
Suppose we place the cost of a com
plete system at S35OOOO as a fair esti-
mate. The legal limit of money which
the village can raise by bonds or loans
as already stated is 100000. This would
leave $4,000 to be raised by direct tax
alton should a vote be carried to proceed
at once with project of municipal own
ership. With the grand list of the viii
lage at about 5000, this would mean a
tax of about four dollars on a dollar of
the grand list. or $40 on thousand of
valuation-a burden which would be pro-
hibtive.
Besides the legal questions, elsewhere
referred to- as to what will constitute a
majority" vote under the act of 1892
! there is also a question whether the viii
! lage now has a right to take any action
under that act which is inimical to Mr.
! Crowelrs interests, since in 1898 it voted
| not to proceed under the act but to have
Mr.. Crowell add to his system, which he
| did, However it may be with either of
! these legal points, or with any others that
may be raised, it is apparent that ad-
! diuonal legislation is needed before the
village is safe in going ahead. If action
can be taken at the meeting next We'd
nesday evening which will provide for
securing such legislation, and which will
also make sure that in the meantime, the
village will gain definite information on
the points here suggested, we believe
this to be as far as We can safely go at
! the present time. With these purposes
in view the following resolution will be
offered for the consideration of the meet
| ing:
| Resolved That articles /, 2 and of
the warrant for this meeting be laid
| upon the table: That a COMMITTEES of
nVe He chosen to ascertain and salts
| fy themselves between the present
time and the sitting of the next leg
islature as to the quality and uuan-
uty of the water supply of the sun
set Lake Water company; to procure
! from the next session of the Legislature
suitable legislation &c give to the viii
lage OF BratrleDoro the necessary