Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-12-21
CHARTER FINALLY PASSED
VILLAGE HAS YEAR IN WHICH TO
PURCHASE cRowELL SYSTEMS.
Al A Flat Price of 260.ooo-uniess
Such an Offer is Made the Entire
Bill Becomes Null and Void-No
, Possibility Of Competing System.

q water system. The bill which was ap'
proyed bv Governor Proctor "Wednesday
morning provides in brief that the va,
lace may construct water system and
issue bonds therefor TO the extent OF
500 600; that at special meeting
duly warned the village may elect a
water board Of not less than hve OF
more than 10 members who SHAH nave
authority to negotiate the bonds OF the
village and take charge Of the con-
struetion Of the system. The portion
OF the bin which is Of special interest
to the village at this time is Section
Is. which is as follows
This act shall be of no force or
effect unless the said village Of
Brattleboro shall within one year
from It's passage dec. l9) purchase
or offer to purchase the water sys-
TENS and all the properties, real ana
personal. including all rights, pri-
vilcpps and easements of the Chest
mt Hin Reservoir company and OF
the Sunset Lake Water company,
including all water rights and rights
ia run water and other right priv
leges now owned and held by
Georpe T.. CrOwel for said corpo-
ration or intended for said sys-
tens for the sum of S26O,OOo ana
at the time of purchase the prnei-
pal sum or sums with accrued inter
est of any mortgage, mortgages oil
liens resting upon said property,
shall be deducted from the pur-
chase rrice and assumed By the vii
lare. ANY work done upon or adj
ditions to the said plants of SAID
COMPANIES after the passage OF TINS
act shall be with the approval OF
tbe bailifs of said village, and
tho expense thereof shall be added
to the purchase price as above hXed'
The bin further provides that the
amendment shall be ratified by the vi,
lage at special meeting to be called
Inv the bailiffs before action can be
taken under it.
The effect of the measure is that Tue
village must offer Mr.. Crowell SOU
0a0 for his systems before any action
cam be taken toward constructing q
competing system, although II Mr'
Crowell should refuse such an otfer inc
village would not be under any further
obligation to him and could take sueh
action as it pleased without regard 70
bis rights. la Other wOfds 4 doer
away with the idea of an independent
system by making such thing an mn
possibility, the charter amendment OF
1899 having been admitted unconsti-
tutional. The bill means also the elec-
tion of a new water board of smaller
size than the former body
Mr.. Crowel is willing to stand square
w ON the requirements OF the amend
ment. He believes that the prlce ~
which he is practically forced to sen
if the village wishes to purchase IS TOO
low a figrce but he viii accept the
nrice if It is offered. If, on the Other
hand. the village decides not to pur-
chase his systems within year ne
will 90 on and make the improvements
originally contemplated with the ldea
of serving the village in the most ef-
fcient manner possible.
The bill in its present form passed
! the legislature only after bitter ngh'
in which Brattleboro washed its dlrtl
| linen in front of the face and eyes OF
| the remainder of the state. Last frl-
/ day afternoon the house committee on
/ mnnicipal corporations decided to re
mort the bill without recommendation
! Tho bill which went to the lower body
! for consideration was in effect the olD-
| son measure revised to make 1t consu-
/ tutional and containing a few changeS
agreed upon by both sides, among theh
the omission of the clauses legallzine
tbe acts of the special meeting of Jan
10. 1906 and continuing the old water
| board in power. As soon as the coun-
sci for Mr.. Crowell learned or th'
committees decision they decided tt
save their powder, and the bill passed
the house Friday afternoon without
trace of opposition.
This left the matter entirely IN th'
hands of the senate, and the munlclpa
corporations committee of that pranci
of the legislature decided Tuesday ar
ternoon to make the amendment whlcl
was finally adopted. This amendmen
nasse,l the senate without strenuous op-
nosition and the bill was returned Z
| the house Tuesday evening. Nheh !
came up Representative Gibson sal'
that he was not satisfied with tn'
amendment and did not believe 1t woul'
meet with approval by the maJorlt;
of the voters of the village. He SAID
however, that he should not oppose tn
hu in its amended form because sucl
a course would simply cause more trou
BILE but would rely on his own pes
Judgment that the matter would event
nallv be brought to satisfactory am
amicable settlement After Mr. Glib
SON s speech the house passed the bll
without discussion and it was slgne'
bv Governor Proctor the following
morning.
From the time the bill passed tn
house until it came out Oh the senat
no small amount of lobbying was don
bv the warning factions. and the pro
gress of the controversy was conVeye
to Brattleboro by frequently recurrln
telephone messages. j. X. Batchelde
Of Arlington and George A. Weston Q
Bellows Falls were in Montpelier IN tn
interests of the water board, while MI
Fits. w. B. G. Stickney OF Bethel an
RI q. Barber of Brattleboro put !
nlenty of work at the capital IN tn
interests of Mr.. Crowell. l.. e. Holder
T. F. Hooker and DR.. Henry Tucker 0
the water board spent some time wit
the legislators as did also +. Z. CROSBY
Just how much influence was brough
TO bear on members of the general as
semblv by some of the parties interest
ed will probably never be known, ou
, it is safe to say that to those not ia
milar with the situation the whole a.
fair looked considerably like mast