The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-03-27
is
IN DISPUTE
Walpole Claims Property
Taxed in Vermont.
IS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Asserts G. J. o'Neil Who Has Engaged
Prominent Lawyers to Bring Suit
Question OF State Line May Affect
Property Up and Down Connecticut.

One of the greatest fights in the his
tory Of New Hampshire has been start
ed in walpole. For years the immense
paper mills. located on the beach OF
the Connecticut, on made land jutting
out into the stream west of that town,
have been taxed by the village Of Bel
lows Falls, says the Boston Post.
walpole citizens now claim that the
mills are on New Hampshire territory
and taxable in Walpole. A great sen
sation is the result. The matter came
up at the recent Walpole town meet
ing, when Representative Charles j.
.O'Neil demanded that the seleetmen
tax parts of the big International Pa
per eompany's plant, the Robertson .
sons plant, the Moore a Thompson
Paper company's plant, and any other
property on the Vermont side OF the
Connecticut, which is situated beyond
the point where the bank breaks and
vegetation ceases.
Mr.. O'Neil is prominent IN Walpoie
affairs, having been member OF the
school board for 10 years and repre-
sentative to the legislature for three
sessions. He is heading the movement
and has offered TO pay with his own
money all costs of the contest IN the
supreme court if lawsuit should re.
suit, provided the town OF Waipole
reimburses him if his contention proves
correct. The proposition meets with
high favor in Walpole and the town
officers have been authorized TO use so
much of the contingent fund as may
he necessary to determine the bound
ary line between New Hampshire and
Vermont.
Leading Concord attorneys have
been engaged and if the present plans
are carried out the movement Will at
tain extraordinary importance, for
property the entire length Of the Con
necticut will be involved,
More than 100 years ago great
controversy arose between New Hamp..
shire and Vermont for the control OF
the Connecticut river. In order TO es-
tablish peace the Vermont Assembly
on January |, 1882, voted "that the
west bank of the Connecticut rlVer
shall be considered as the east boun-
darv of Vermont.
December %, 1894, the New Hamp'
shire legislature passed an act proVld-
ing that the northerly and southeriy
lines of each of the several towns IN
this state adjoining the Connecticut
river "sball be considered to continue
and extend across said river to the
westerly line of this state, which line
is hereby declared to be the westerly
boundary of said state.
In 1884 Governor William Badger OF
New Hampshire approved an act OF the
general court, declaring the westerly
bank of the Connecticut TO be the
boundary of this state. The popular
idea for many generations has been
that the division between the states
is low water mark. Consequently all
property on made land, ledges ana
beaches, below the general bank, mas
been considered in Vermont.
According to lawyers whom Repre-
sentative O,Neil has consulted the
New Hampshire courts have decided
that the boundary is above the beach
ut the nOlUU WHcIt lue piSoho y"
ward the stream. Competent persons
said that the property on the Bellows
Falls side of the river is at the very
lowest estimate valued at more than
$6,OO0,000. 1t is probable that towns
all along the river will follow Wal
pole s lead, so that the mill plants,
dams, bridges and other property in
volved will reach a total of many mil
lions. Next week the New Hamp-
shire assessors will commence the an
nual tax collecting, and if so advised
by their counsel, the Walpole select
men will make an assessment upon the
Bellows Falls property. If objection is
made the matter will be referred to
the courts.
Representative O'Neil said: 'My
lawyers words give me little doubt
but that our contention is correct. The
fact that New Hampshire river fur
nishes the power, practically without
recompense, for turning the Vermont
mill Wheels. not only here but the
whole length of the state, first led me
to investigate the question: -