New-York tribune., 1907-07-07
4 TOUN'S BURDEN.
1t Has a House for a Physician, but
Cannot Make RepQirs.

Chesterfield. Mass. July (SpecaD-T'his little
town has a house It's hands which It cannot sell
by the terms OF n bequest and which IL cannot
keep in repair because of the town statutes II IS
attractive residence and was bequeathed for the
occupancy of the village physician but the village
physician win not live in it. because II needs re-
pairs Tho town fathers have no authority to rent
it to any one. ana the fno old farmhouse with an
extensive garden and orchard. is deserted and
likely decay. II any timo the village physi-
clan. whether it bo the present one, DIR. J. =.
Hayes, or some future one shall consent to dwell
In II and look after the repairs himself the diff
, Guilty Will be temporarily solved. But the problem
Will never be permanently off tho towns hands for
. there will be many minds about tho house from
generation to generation as there village physi-
clans
The house was left by Miss Lucy A. EnGrnm, who
died about two years ago, leaving a property worth
$1,000 The bcquest worded; Il give and be-
queath to the town OF Chesterfield my homestead,
be used FOR the occupancy Of the resident physi
clan of the village. free OF all expense except the
necessary repairs" DR.. Hayes was promptly In
formed that the house at his disposal but he
stuck for repairs. The seectmen searched the
will and employed lawyer 10 work on II. but no
where could they ind a clause which would give
them the ability collect from the doctor for eX-
peascs they might incur The physician said the
expense was up the town, but the town laws did
not give any authority for eXpending money for
such n purpose. They decided to threaten to rent
place. but threat did not go with tho pnySl-
clan for the will said expressly that the house was
for the village physician and none other.
There is way of wrigglinG out OF the matter
for the scectmen voted unanimously TO accept the
bequcst The difficulties of the situation came only
as afterthoughts The more the matter IS studied
the more complex it becomes. The town owns the
house and yet il doesn't In that 1t neither sell
II nor collect revenue from II. The town has
right to expend money on the property. but IT,
after the house had been let go to decay for sew
eral years a physician of the town should demand
that he be permitted to occupy it, the town would
be obliged to present II to him In a hvable con-
dition The house is insured for $lOO, but who
S TO renew the insurance when II expires? II the
building should burn the town would be rid or It's
burden but what would happen If ten years from
now the resident physician SHOULD call on the town
for his residence as he would have every right TO
do? Who Is going work the land and have the
profits from the crops and apple orchard while a
physician is not occupying the place? The town
would have no right to them If in the future
Chesterfield should have two physicians. which
seems not unlikely, the town is growing, which
one would get the house:
All these phases of the problem the town fathers
are talking over. with more help from the ma
tority of the townspeople than sly chuckles and
broad faced grins.
Miss Engram undoubtedly made this bequest be
cause she was distressed in her lifetime over the
dicutv different village physicians had In secur-
ing a place to- live She wished TO remove such
dificulties for the medical practitioners, but she
has defeated her purpose by neglecting TO provide
funds for the maintenance OF the property.