The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-11-20
BOARD OF HEALTH
FIGHT FOR PURE
WATER
Bill Of Chancery Brought
Against st. Johnsbury
ATTY. GENERAL PROSECUTING
Claimed VILLAGE Has Used Water From
Passumpsic River Contrary to
Orders Of the Board.

st. Johnsbury, Nov. 19.-The state
board of health, consisting of Charles
s. Caverly, of Rutland, Henry d. Hol.
ton of Brattleboro, and Fred T. Kidder
OF Woodstock, has brought bill in
chancery against the trustees of the
village of st. Johnsbury and others to
compel them to appear and show cause
If any they have, why restraining
order should not be issued against
them restraining them from further
using or permitting to be used for do
nestle purposes the water taken from
the Passumpsic river, which consti-
tutes the village water supply.
Subpoenas have been or are bipg
served upon G. c. Follcnsby and F. E.
Spaulding, trustees of the village, and
Elisha May, Michael Bannahan, John
Dumas, James Learmouth, Anthony
A. Mccormick, Mrs. l.. w. Morris, JOS
eph Brunette, Lothrop Lucas. Preston
h. May, Mrs. Louise Weber, f. Be-
dard, Miss Rebecca Gleason, Henry
Boynton, Henry Gardner, John Dumas,
Mrs. Amanda NJ. Newton, Joseph Sic
ord, X. w. Warner, Edwin Underwood
Dennis Cassidy, Miss L. Nugent, A. l..
Bailey, Mrs. James Blewitt, Richard
r. Gibson, Peter LaChance, John Nc
Cutcheon, e. Il. Tiff, Mrs. Sarah P.
l.dcas, AIRS. Clara ID. Laird, Joseph st.
John. Albert w Babcock, Louis De-
Blois, Mrs. Abigail Hartman, H. Z.
Dean, Felix Laferriere, Benjamin Nor
ency, Frank Nolan, Mrs. Hattie Is. Tay
Tor, Horace +. Stanley, Mrs. Kate o.
keefe and George Ayres, all of this
place. commanding them to appear be-
fore the court of chancery to be held
here December to answer to the bill
OF complaint.
This is the first case brought by the
state board of health to enforce its or
ders under the authority of section 1
OF Act No. lis of the Acts of 1902 as
amended by section /, of acts No. 1879
of the Acts OF 1904.
The bill of complaint sets up that
the water supply was examined previ-
GUS to July T. 1906 and that samples
were analysed and that the result of
the analysis showed that the river at
the point where the village supply Is
taken was contaminated, unwholesome
and impure and of such quality and
character that its use for domestic
purposes was menace and danger
to the public health. At meeting of
the board on the date mentioned the
secretary, DR.. Holton. was directed to
notify the users of the water, including
the trustees. manager and superin-
tendent of the water plant, janitors of
the public buildings, inhabitants and
heads of families, of the condition. of
the water as found by the board and
to prohibit their using 1t for domestic
purposes until such time when, In
the opinion of the board of health such
| danger has ceased" and the direc-
tons were carried out by Doctor Hol-
ton.
The bill further alleges that the trus
tees and the other defendants named
have not since the notice was served
upon them refrained from using the
| water for domestic purposes or from
permitting it to be so used, but that
continually since then 1t has been used
by them for drinking and cooking pur
poses without filtering, boiling or other
wise treating 1t as contaminated water
should be treated and that as conse
quence the public health of the village
of st. Johnsbury has been and is being
| injured. The court is asked to make
such order as seems necessary to en-
force the order of the board Of health.
The bill is brought through Guy w.
Hill of st. Johnsbury, states attorney
and Clarke c. Fits of Brattleboro, at
torney general.