The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-04-22
THE RIVER PROJECT
STILL IN THE AIR
Three Of the Abutters Have Not Signed
Petition for 1t and Financing Of Work
Is Another Hitch, Although
Progress Has Been Made.

~ Ahotutt AltCny AAhhVu6h
Progress Has Been Made.
There's many twist before the
crooked Stevens Branch is straightened.
That's what the city council and the
abutters are discovering in their efforts
to get the project started before the
time expires on May ], under the enab-
ling act Of the last legislature. They
threshed the matter our for three hours
last night and then adjourned to wait
for q report Of conference committee
on the financing Of the scheme.
The chief hitch lies in the fact that
thr4 Of the seventeen abutters have as
yet failed 10 signify their desire for
the change, with the attendant implied
promise to pay for the betterment
without the necessity for litigation. The
Barre railroad, at the same time, has
offered to pay onehalf the entire cost
OF the work, while the city has agreed
to pay $1,000 Of the cost On an esti.
mate Of $4,000, that leaves about $751;
600 to be collected among the individual
property owners.
As estimated by City Engineer Reed
and Engineer Hayward Of the railroad,
the total cost will be approximately the
above amount. There were some items
which could not be estimated with any
degree Of accuracy, but the cost Of
changing the stream itself would be
S32,S0O. They considered that 81 200
should cover the other items Of expense.
The plans Of the proposed change, pre-
sented last night, call for q channel
fifty feet wide and nineteen feet deep
at Prospect street, running in as nearly
straight line as possible from the
Trow 4 Holden dam to a point northerly
Of r. L. Clark's store on Prospect street,
where it curves gently across Burnham's
meadow and into the present channel
at the corner Of the granite sheds on the
meadow.
d. M. Miles, r. G. Howland and W. G.
Reynolds spoke for the individual abut-
ters and urged that the work proceed,
with the city assessing the abutters ac-
cording to betterment. This gave rise
to the difficulty Of providing funds for
financing the scheme, since the cost would
not be known until after the work is
completed, and the assessments cannot,
therefore, be levied until that time
Alderman Thurston declared that he
wanted to see the color of the abutters'
money before be started in the project.
The railroad was willing TO pay half,
the city $4,000, and he wanted a surety
that the remaining cost would be as
sumed BY the individual abutters; and
nothing but money would satisfy him.
Attorney Harry G. Shurtleff, repre-
senting the railroad, then reiterated the
promise Of the company to stand one
half the total cost Of the work.
Mayor Robins also reiterated that the
city would give its promised $4,000 under |
the terms Of the agreement made several
months ago; which statement caused the
agreement tn X produced. with the re-
selt tlat ifs llnf8afions were 3ouui
to Be distasfefui, II not absolutely pro
hibitiye, in the opinion Of the ahutters.
For instance. the railroad would not
agree to an outlet into Depot square
for the highway which il proposed to |
be built in the Old river bed, Air. Shurt- /
left taking the position that there is not /
room enough between the track and the |
block for the road, and that
were such road possible it would be /
extremely dangerous. Finally, the coun-
I'll voted to recede from that position,
with the understanding that there should /
he an outlet between the Gordon and
The Miles granite blocks into North Main
street.
While the council was discussing other
Of It's agreement sugges-
ion was made that further consideration
be postponed until after conference COM
mittees Of the council and the abutters
iad met and arranged a scheme for
the project Mayor Robins
hen appointed Aldermen Alexander,
and Thurston on the part Of
he council, and It ID expected that they
will meet the abutters committee this
afternoon. Then the council, somewhat
Ileepy from It's six hours session the
light before. adjourned.
The abutters on the river who would
,e affected are, the blanchard block COM
,any, Il. NJ Averill, Granite Savings
Bank, Charles II. Campbell, z. A. Drown,
4 q. Howland. Allie G. Reed, Alice
Iones, Cornclia King estate, w. A. Boyce,
Mary Jane Durkee, Reynolds 6 Son,
Mower estate tnow 9. G. Mascottl Il.
I. Rice. L. J. Bolster estate, d. NJ. Miles
md John W. Gordon