The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-03-06

iinliuns krAs " ~ Mics hitl r n ieAi
rHWs who Wtrr elected without olf'"sl'
ton. On motion II Col, allies SAtn was
appfapfiatUl Tor the support oi the H.
brary aud on motion 81 II, g. Barber
SlO0 was voted for usc "a the Observance
ui Memorial day.
4. 4. Crosby moved that Sli0 the same
amount ~ last year, be- APPROPRIATED i't
he cane II the commons and burial
grounds aud this went through without
dissenting vote lpou the question q
.alarir. inr the town officers. u was Notei
10 make them the same a. last year winch
l. Sljn for each srlertman with - extra
Tor the clerk of the boari; slo
for the oyersrer of the poor; ~
tnr the treasurer and s. day for the
listen. and auditors Article ~ was dlss
po-,,i ni hy voting To exempt from taxa
ton the POLL. al the members Of Western
Engine company No. | Of West Brattlc'
bou. Article n IN reference TO grading
Prospect hill was passed over.
Under article - 4. -. Robbins offered
resolution providing that q sum not tn
exceed slO0OO hc appropriated Tor use m
cutting down the grade on Vernon street,
the work to hc done under the super
vision pf the selcCtmen who should he
authorized 10 meet the expenses by is,u.
ing note, ai Sl00O each payable yearly
said that the time was coming when the
Central Vermont railway would have 10
do away with the grade crossing Just north
OF the passenger station and he believed
that eventually the station would be NOV
ed to this side OF the tracks. lie thought
that IN view OF this probability the
matter OF cutting down the grade ought
10 be left in the hands of a committee
authorized to confer with the railway com.
pauy. j. II. Estey was opposed TO the
idea of deierrng action on the matter OF
grading the hill, giving as his opinion
that the town would never get a cents
worth of help from the Central Vermont.
j. G.. Stafford and II. G., Barber We're both
of the opinion that Mr.. lloldens idea
was wise one, although Mr.. Barber
thought it might be better to leave 1t IN
the hands of the selectmen instead Of
committee G. q. Robbins suggested that
il be- left with committee appointed by
the sclcctmen and was agreeable to Mr.
lIodcn's amendment in this form. The
resolution thus amended wa. passed with.
ont opposition and a committee Will be
appointed by the selcctmen at once To
take up the matter with the railway com
pany.
Articles 10 and II which related TO
changes in the bylaws OF the Brattleboro
free library were disposed OF by voting
the amendments asked for. These related
to changing the date OF the regular meet
ings of the trustees and to reducing the
age at which minors may draw books
from the library from II TO Y years. On
motion of G.. l.. Durham the real and per
sonal property of the Lowell Scale com
pany, situated on Williams street, was
exempted from taxation for a period OF
five years. l.. +. Holden moved that the
4. a,al .f In
be used in permanent highway work in
order to take advantage OF the state money
which becomes available when such
tax is voted. This motion was carried.
The next matter brought to the atten-
ton OF the voters was that OF approprlat-
ing money for new system OF ventilation
and for building additional fire escapes
ON the town house as recommended by
the state board of health. Mr.. Nlnton
read a letter from the state board to the
sGlectmen in regard to this matter ana
said that something ought to be done at
once to relieve the present situation. j.
G. Stafford was also OF the opinion that
the matter needed attention Immediately
and James +. Hooker after speaking bmet-
" in behalf of improvement in this line
moved that a sum OF $500 be appropriated
for installing a new system OF ventilation
and for equipping the gallery of the audi
forum with suitable fire escapes. Mr..
Ninton asked how the town was to get
the money and Mr.. Hooker amended his
motion by authorizing the selectmen to
borrow the amount specified Il. I. Crosby
further amended Mr.. Hooker motion by
making the amount $4,000 instead of $4,000
with the idea that the extra $500 be used
in charging and improving the gallery In
Festival hail. but later he withdrew this
amendment. II. G.. Barber inquired about
how much was needed to install a suitable
ventilation system and Mr.. Hooker re-
piled that year or two ago it was es-
timated that $4,000 would do the work sat
isfactorily. The motion carrying the $500
appropriation was passed without oppo-
sition.
When article 10 relative to a new
bridge across the West River was brought
up Mr. Hooker Immediately moved that
il be dismissed Mr.. Vinton thought the
matter was too important a one to be
passed over without some discussion. lie
said the present bridge was safe so far as
the selectmen knew but that bridge engi-
neers had reported to the contrary: In
answer to an inquiry from M. r. Micott
as to how much the dam people" would
contribute towards a new bridge, Mr..
the Connecticut River Power company:
''By provision of its charter and the
general law the Connecticut River Power
company is bound to protect the present
West River bridge from harm on account
of the building of the dam and consequent
raising of the water. 1t is not yet deter
mined Just what is necessary for that pro
lection The power company Is ready
to have its engineers meet representatives
of the town and settle and determine
upon what is necessary for that protec-
ton and the power company will then
either do the work itself or pay to the
town an amount sufficient to do it. Should
the town decide to build a bridge at an
other elevation the power, company IS
ready to pay the town the amount 1t
would cost it to protect the present bridge
and then the town can do with the money
as it sees fit either to build at the present
site or repair the present bridge or build
at a higher elevation
: G. Stafford said It seemed to be the
ge eral opinion that the. present West
Ri,lr bridge was unsafe, but he did not
believe it. He had made careful examl-
nation of the structure, he SAID, IN com,
pany with number d other citizens ano
could not see why II was not strong