The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-03-13

J AS NhAtldin lGltlIGu W Whit
We're circulated in the several towns
of the county told the voters OF eacl
particular town that the proposed
new county buildings would cost then
a sum which exceeded in most case
80 per cent of the grand list of thei
town. For instance the SALISBURY
voters were told that it would cos
them $4,000 or more The Banner
said that these statements were false
and misleading and now comes the
Journal declaring that the only error
is that the figures were too small
Which is true?
In order to not mislead in the
slightest and to confne ourselves be
yond possibility OF error we will make
no estimates of our own, but will
give things that can be substantiated
by anybody interested.
The government has just bought
the most desirable corner in Benning-
ton for a postofilce site and pays
$4,000 for it. The government de
mands a large airy site just as the
county should have and the govern
ment bought the best one offered
The county could not possibly pay
more, in fact would not pay as much,
but in order to err on the safe side,
call 1t the same. All the sites pro
posed include a house, and some OF
them two suitable or capable of being
made suitable for a jailor's residence,
Moving and fitting up the house would
add something to the cost, but would
not make the cost of the lot and the
iailor's residence over $4,000.
Consider next the cost of a court
house and here again we won't esti-
mate, but will take actual figures.
Bennington has a new Y. NJ. C. A.
building. 1t is attractive architecture
ally, well built, reasonably fire proof,
is three stories in height, cement
foundation, includes a fine gymnasium
and bowling alleys, contains exten.
siye plumbing, necessitated by the
many baths, steam heat, lavatories,
etc. This building cost $20.6O0 in
Guiding foundations and plumbing,
but not including the lot. No one
would think of asking for a larger or
better building for a courthouse.
Wen allow though in order to be con-
seryatiye that it might cost some
more, but if the committee were hon
est and public spirited and we GER
tainly believe the proposed commit
tee is, the cost need not have been over
$4,000 and would not have cost more
for one of the committee was one of
the men who built the Y. NJ. c. A..
and his experience in that would have
insured keeping inside the limit.
This leaves the Jail to be consider
ed Here again we will stick to fig
ures made by others than ourselves
There are at least three Jail con
struction companies doing business
in the country who put up jails com
plete for contract prices ranging all
the way from $4,000 to 100000 Jails
adequate for the needs of Bennington
county can be had as low as $4,000,
but we wouldn't advise buying as
cheap a one as that. It would be bet
ter to spend $4,000 and be sure of a
good article.
There you have the items: lot and
jailor's house $4,000; courthouse
building $4,000; Jail, $4,000; total
$4,000. The expense of the com.
mittee and interest must be added.
For the committee and its personal
expenses $4,000 should be a generous
's'ANW'ANNt ihANAtol Nlldl kth MOulh
have begun as soon as the county be.
gan TO borrow money. OF course the
buildings could not have been built
before another year as nothing could
have been done until all plans were
Had the plan been accepted pay.
ments on account would have begun
about July 1, 1910 and would have
been completed Dec. 1, 1910 when the
were to have been complet-
ed When the buildings were com
pleted far enough so as to be ready
for use the old building could have
been sold. This would bring at least
10000 and doubtless more, but we
will say $4,000 so as to be conser-
rative This money would have been
AVAILABLE for the last payments on the