The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-03-08

when IL ceased to use its stone crush
ing plant, and he expressed the hope
that more in the way OF macadam
road building would be done in the flu
ture. ID. 4. Perry said he knew the
citizens of Brattleboro wanted better
roads. 10 this end the state offers
an incentive by supervision as Wei rs
by financial aid. Mr.. Perry said he
felt sure that Brattleboro would take
every advantage which was offered
and he hoped to see Mr.. Pierce's reso'
luton carried without dissenting
vote. This is just what happened.
In regard to article Q, "to choose
three trustees of the Brattleboro Free
library for a term of three years. IL,
II. Chamberlain nominated Charles A.
Miles, Ephraim II. Crane and Rev NJ
j. Carmody, who We're elected unani'
mously. After article relative to the
appropriation for the library had been
read, Col. Miles in behalf Of the trus'
tees asked for $4,000. Under the law,
he stated, the town was entitled TO
vote this amount and he believed 1t
could well afford TO do so. Col. Miles
said that of all libraries supported by
the town funds, the Brattleboro library
was the largest in the state and that
the number of books taken out during
last year averaged nearly five to ev'
cry man, woman and child in the town
When Col. Miles s motion was put to
vote there seemed to be some doubt
about the result, but the chair held
that the ayes had it, Articles s, 8 and
10 were disposed of in short order.
The usual amount of 5000 was appro
priated for the proper observance oil
Memorial day and $3.50 for care of the
common and burial grounds. j. Il.
Roess moved that the latter approprla-
ton be increased to $500 so that Mr.
Devine, the caretaker of the Common,
could have an increase Of $50 in his
salary, but the amendment was lost
after it had been opposed by Il. Il.
Holden and J. G. Stafford on the
grounds that the town was already
paying enough for this work. The sal
aries of the town officers were made
the same as last year.
When w. l.. Walker moved that the
town exempt from taxation polls OF
the members of Western Engine com
panv No. / of West Brattleboro, =. S.
Chase Intercepted Mr.. Walker as to
the condition of the department, Mr..
Walkers answer was as follows: "We
use the engine when there is fire and
when there isn't we don Z. ~ This
brought out round Of laughter and
seemed to settle all doubts about the
pppttlahnrn fro
department for the motion was carried
unanimously.
Considerable discussion ragged about
article u, "tO see if the town will
vote to grade the hill and the sidewalk
on the east side of the highway known
as the Cemetery Hill highway and If
so, raise money to dcfray the eX
pcnscs of same" J. g. Stafford, the
Watchdog of the treasury, said he
should vote against the article be-
cause the present road commissioner
had been raising the road instead OF
lowering it. Mr.. Calvin thought that
the voters ought to have some infor-
nation as to what was planned and
the probable cost. In answer to tins
T.. Ii. Putnam said that in round fig
ures the cost of grading the hill and
sidewalk three feet and building
new fence for the Prospect Hill GENE
terv association would be about 3d.
900. Something, he said, would have
to be done to the highway at this
point whether there was an appropria-
ton or not. l.. E. Holden moved that
the article be passed over. Mr.. Vim
ton said he hoped that Mr.. Holden's
motion would not prevail. "The
plan to grade the hill, ~ said Mr. Vim
ton, "'was held up three years ago by
a few people who thought their prop.
erty interests would be Affected and
he hoped this would not happen again.
After the voters had dismissed Mr..
Holden s motion Mr.. Vinton moved
that the selectmen be empowered to
cut the hill three feet according to
plans now in the office of the select
men. the expense not to exceed ST.
900. Mr.. Putnam said that in order
to do this it would be necessary to
raise an additional tax of 4 per cent.
since the original recommendation had
been reduced, and he amended Mr..
Vinton s motion to that effect. This
brought Mr. Stafford to his feet again
with the inquiry in tremolo voice,
''Can you afford to do it, gentlemen2'
The majority thought they could not,
evidently, as the motion was voted
down summarily. 1t was expected that
there would also be considerable agi-
tation over article 13 in regard TO cut
ting down the hill on Vernon street,
but there was hardly any opposition to
Mr.. Pierce s motion to pass over this
article.
Article IA relative to issuing bonds
at per cent for the purpose Of pay
ing and retiring the notes given by
the town to William S. Newton, trus-
tee of the United States deposit fund,
was settled on motion of w. II. Brack-
EFT to adopt the plan laid out IN the
warrant. This provides for the issuing
of bonds to the amount of $4,000,
dated March Is, 1907, issued in demon
nation of $1,000 each at 4 per cent,
payable semi annually on March 10
and September Is and maturing as fol
lows: January |, 1910, $4,000; Janu-
airy l, 1911, $4,000; January |, 1912,
$4,000; January /, 1913, $4,000; Jan
uary |, 1914, $4,000; January l, 1915,
$1,000; January l, 1916, $1,000. These
bonds will be payable at the People s
National bank of Brattleboro.
The question of continuing the use
of the Australian ballot was embodied
in article II. j. j. Eckels moved that
the town do away with this system and
return to the old-fashioned town meet
ing and his motion prevailed almost
unanimously. Under the head Of any
other business John Calvin introduced
a resolution which provided that the
minimum rate of wages to be paid by