The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-11-02
CONTRACTOR
CRITICIZED
Because He is Not Rushing
Work on Reservoir
TOO FEW MEN EMPLOYED
1t Is Feared That the Construction Can
not Be Completed Before Winter.
City Council Hears Of Con-
ditions.
TOO FEW MEN EMPLOYED

At the meeting OF the city council last
evening, Alderman Alexander, chairman
Of the water committee, stated that the
outlook for the completion Of the new
storage reservoir at Orange brook this
fall was very discouraging. He said that
he recently visited The reservoir and
when be saw the amount of work yet
to be done at this late time Of the year
be felt that 1t was useless to think Of
getting the dam completed before cold
weather sets in unless the contractor
puts on an extra force Of men.
The city engineer, he said, had notified
the contractor last week that be ought
to increase his gang Of men, but the
contractor had not done ii and had made
the excuse that he could not get the men,
The alderman said that the engineer bad
oered to get the men il the contractor
would agree TO pay their fare one way
from Bosten; but no agreement had been
reached In this proposition. The engi-
neer states, he said. that they would
probably be able to get the dam in shape
so that the work that had already been
done would not be damaged by the frost
during the winter and that the finishing
Of the dam could be better accomplished
in the warm weather Of the spring than
In cold weather.
Alderman Alexander said that II it
had not been for tke trouble caused BY
the quicksand the dam would have been
completed In contract time without any
~ la rwFtrt~ hn fLgs ~
doing In the construction of the dam, he
said. was very satisfactory, but he
thought that he should increase his men
and endeavor If possible to complete the
Job this fall He said that the contractor
has not enough men to keep all parts
Of the construction work going at the
same time and for this reason the work
was not going ahead as fast as 1t might.
A permit was granted Gardner Poor
to string a telephone wire across Elm
street extension TO connect his house
with the Peoples telephone line.
Some discussion arose between the wa
ter and street committees over the price
the water department had placed this
year On the water used BY the city for
sprihkiing the streets. The price had
been raised from $50 t0 $500. and Alder.
man rhurston o. the street committee
asked why the price had been doubled
when only third more feet Of streets
were sprinlxled than last year Last year
he said, there were $4,000 feet Of streets
sprinkled for $3.50, and this year there
had been added 5000 feet more. only
third Of the whole amount spTinkled last
year
Alderman Alexander Of the water com.
mittee stated that the water department
considered that the street sprinkling was
the poorest Investment it had ard that
the street department was getting It's
water TOO cheaply The water snpeYin-
tendent had secured figures to show that
on some days, when all three Of the
sprinklers were il operation. they used
10000 gallons Of water a day, and the
water committee thought that the price
should be raised The question was re-
ferred to tie water COMMITTEES to bring
IN a written report on next week
The bill from Place Paige for
sls0.05, the amount Of the premium Of
the eity's liability policy in the Travel
ers' Insurance company was presented BY
the clerk, who stated that the city could
pay this amount and continue the policy,
|or 1t could cancel the policy bY paying
$780, After some discussion Alderman
Alexander suggested that 1t might be
well to try and see II 1t could not be
with the company to make out
the policy TO cover only the departments
in which 1t is conceded that the city is
liable for injury to workmen. The may
or referred the matter to the finance
committee to see what arrangements
could be made
Communications from Central Vermont.
A letter was read from @. G. Jones,
general manager OF the Central Vermont
railroad, giving notice that the company
Rad repaired all it's crossings IN this city
and asked the council TO answer If they
found them satisfactory Referred to
the street committee to investigate and
report
Another communication from Mr. Jones
was received to the effect that the COM
pany's tracks throughout the city and
especially their railroad bridge below
Granite street were being used BY men,
women and children night and day. as
a thoroughfare. endangering their lives
and retarding the work of tire trains in
the yard Mr. Jones suggested that a
foot bridge across the river near the rail-
road bridge and few more highways in
suitable places would eliminate this diff
Guilty and Ia said that the officials Of
the road would be glad to meet the city
officials On the question at any time.
Alderman Campbell said that he con
sidered that was 4 matter for the com
pany to look after as there was state
law against trespassing on tracks and
railroad bridges The clerk stated that
it might be good plan to notify Mr..
Jones that the council would be glad to
talk over this matter when they meet
TIE ocials to discuss the river PROPOSE
ton, which meeting the city has been
trying to arrange for with the company
for two months or more. Alderman
Campbell thought there would be no
harm in II and he made motion to
that effect which was unanimously car
ried.
Alderman Thurston Of the street com-
mittee wanted to know what the council
had decided in regard to the resurvev Of
Washington street He said that it had
been decided by the council to make the
street three rods wide and where It was
found to be wider than that for the city
to keep what it had, but the question IS
to where the survey lines should run, he
said, had not been settled upon by the