The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-05-22
NO CHANGE
in TAX RATE
City Council Asks Us to Pay
$3.50 This Year
SINKING FUND NEEDS IT
Can't Reconsider Vote to Maeadamize
North Main street--or So the
Council Stated Last
Night.
SINKING FUND NEEDS IT


Night.
The city council in special session last
evening, which lasted from o'clock
until l0.s0, adopted a resolution fixing
the tax rate Of the city for the ensuing
year at $3.50, heard an unfavorable re-
port from the street committee on the
question Of widening Keith avenue in
strueted the property committee to draw
up contract with Jones b Mcmillan for
driving the city hearse for one year,
heard a petition for roadway from
Depot square across the Central Vermont
tracks to the property owned by Mrs.
Agnes Williams, instructed the water
committee to engage a consulting cngi-
neer to assist the city engineer in the
preliminary work Of and during the con
struction Of the new reservoir on Orange
brook, debated the maesdam vs.. paving
case on North Main street, and disposed
OF several other matters Of minor inn
9oriance
The total tax rate Of Tho city win be
the same as last year. The different
tax rates that 20 TO make up tho total
are as follows, state school tax cents,
state highway tax cents, county tax
cent, city highway tax 20 cents, city
school tax 70 cents, city sinking fund
tax 80 cents, general city tax 90 cents.
Though the total tax is the same as
last year, the general city tax il cents
less this year and the sinking fund tax
5 cents more.
The Keith Avenue Widening.
The street commmittee and the city
attorney, to whom had been referred
the request BY +. G. Rowland for widen
ing Keith avenue, reported that they
considered ii not advisable for the city
to widen the street at this time, and
this brought forth a lengthy discussion
between the aldermen and Mr. Rowland
The latter, as soon as the report Of tie
committee was read stated to the coun-
eli that he thought il was cold recep-
tion for proposition that meant so
much for the city. and wanted to know
the reasons why the committee had
made such a report.
Alderman Campbell, who Is one Of the
street committee, stated that they had
investigated the matter thoroughly with
the city attorney and had come to the
decision that the question was more Of
private than a public affair and that it
would be better for the city 70 keep cut
Of it If possible He said The committee
had tried 10 get the owners Of the
French lot and DIR. Worthen together and
see II q settlement Of the difficulty could
not be brought about that way, bat
nothing had been accomplished
The mayor stated that II the city |
started condemnation proceedings on the |
small strip Of land owned by Dr. WORTH !
en- between the street and the French /
lot It would probably cost the city one
thousand dollars, and as such proceedings /
take time, he thought that If Mr.. How I
land was anxious to get his block built /
this summer the quickest way would |
Be TO settle it up directly with Dr.
Worthen
Mr.. Howland then stated that he had
been trying his best to make trade
with Dr. Worthen, but could not get
him to agree to anything. Mr.. Rowland
said that he, at the doctors request, had
offered to sell the doctor the old house
on the lot for $500 and strip OF land
on the rear Of the lot 50 feet wide, onto
which the house could be moved, for
$4,000, with the stipulation that the
doctor should throw ia the offending
strip Of land which shuts of an approach
to the French lot from Keith avenue.
He also said he offered the house for
$500 and the strip Of land and the doc
tor could do what he wanted to with
the building
lie said that he considered that the
price set on the 50-foot piece of land
(Ss0 a front foot) was not exorbitant
when the doctor had set price of 500
q front foot on his vacant lot on the
opposite side of the street, which had
less than half the depth Of the French
lot.
Alderman Alexander said that 1t
looked to him as though a money con-
sideration was not what the doctor was
looking for, but he was holding of sim
ply to dictate if possible what kind Of
/ building should be constructed on the
lot. He thought that it ought not to
be held up in any such way. MIR. How
land stated that it was the intention
of the owners to build a business block
covering the entire frontage Of the lot
On Main street and have d l5-foot drive
way in the rear Of the block for the I
Of the goods to the stores
20 that they would not have to be car
ried across the Main street sidewalk
Mr.. Rowland was asked that if he had
TO present a regular petition for the
Of the street as far back as
.he French lot extends would he still
hold good bis offer to the city Of five feet
# land free for a sidewalk; he replied
hat he would not He said if the courts ]
commission had to decide the land dam
lges, he should expect the same in rela-
i've proportion as DR.. Worthen
Alderman Thurston said that the doc {
or told him that he would take 81 900 1
'or the strip Of land. Alderman Even {
aid that he did not want to see The city !
tart condemnation proceedings, and he l
made a motion that the report Of tine
street committee be laid on the table 9
lntil next Tuesday evening and IN the
meantime the committee and the city '
attorney should confer with the doctor I
gain and try their best 10 bring about