Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-08-12
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.


Mr. EDITOR:
Ia the last MONITOR l saw quota |
ton from the Randolph Herald TO the
effect that the landowners would have
to pay for cutting the bushes along
the highway. Will you please ex-
plain, through your columns, why?
TIE copy of the new law which We
received from you says The select
men of a town shall cause all trees and
brush to be cut and removed" etc.
"rhe owners or occupants of lands
bounding highways shall cut or cause
to be cut the grass and needs" etc.
Where did the Herald get its
authority?
The law further says "This act"-
relating to the cutting of trees, brush,
grass and weeds-"shal take effect
from the first day of June, 1917.
Approved December IA, 1907"
Will you please explain these mat
tiers and oblige
A SUBSCRIBER.
Ira8burg, w., august z, 1907.
The writer of the above did not
read the statute referred to in its
entirety, it seems, else the question
as to who should pay for the work
referred to would not be raised, If
proper notice has been sent by the
selectfnen to parties not cutting grass
and weeds. The last paragraph of
the following, taken from the statute,
makes the penalty clear, and it will
pay all landowners to read it. As 70
the date en- which it shall take effect
being 1917 in the law supplements
sent out by the papers, and the date
on which it was approved December
IA, 1907, the editor has nothing to say
except that it was one of those
abominable errors of the parties
printing the law supplements, which
at the time was explained as being
done by the state and furnished
the papers for their readers. The
papers themselves had nothing to do
with those law supplements more
than to mail them. A mere matter of
10 years in the date of the time when
law takes effect, and a matter of
year in the time of its approval
should make little difference how
ever. CD Little errors like that Gin
those law supplements) can be borne
with d smile. EDITOR.
The selectmen of a town shall cause
all trees and brush, except shade or
fruit trees that are especially set out
or marked by the abutting landown-
ers, to be cut and removed in the
months of August and September
within the limits of the highway, ex-
cept where thu highway passes
| through AUDITING timber lands, in
which case brush shall be cut and re-
moved for space of ten feet from
! the center line of such highway, and
alloverhanging branches that obstrucG
travel thereon shall be cut and re-
moved. The selectmen shall, at least
ten days before the cutting of such
trees and brush, notify the abutting
landowners, who shall mark shade or
fruit trees which they desire to re-
main uncut.
The owners or occupants of lands
bounding highways, except timber
lands, shall cut or cause to be cut the
grass and weeds growing within the
bounds of such highways, on or before
the twentieth day of July in each
year.
In case of the failure or neglect o.
! nt tn
ply with the provisions of the proceed
ing sections, the selectmen of the
town shall notify said owner or occu
pant in writing that unless the pro
visions of thr preceding section ar
complied with within ten days afte
the delivery of such notice, said Sc
= lectmen shall forthwith cause sucl
3 grass and weeds to be removed at tn
q expense of said owner or occupant
Such notice may be given by persons
delivery, or by mailing the same t
8 said owner or occupant at his las
n known post office address. If sal
" owner or occupant is a corporation
the delivery of such notice shall be (
o any officer of such corporation.
10 Upon the failure or neglect of sal
J. owner or occupant to comply with tt
n provisions Of the second precedir
section for ten days after the delive,
II of such notice, said selectmen sha
b" forthwith cause such grass AM weo'
l. to be removed at the expense of sa
- owner or occupant, and in case of r
fusal or neglect Of said owner or oc5
70 pant to pay such expense, the toV
it shall thereupon be entitled TO recov
lie the same with costs from said own
a. or occupant In an action on the ca
founded on this statute, and sa
i owner or occupant shall be fined u
more than twenty dollars nor Il
than FIVE dollars.