St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-03-02
Caldbeck and Jackson.
They Were the Winners in Contests
at Annual Town Meeting Tuesday.
Town Votes to Have New SchOolh0uSe at
the Center.-A Change in the Town
Agent.-Voters Authorize the
Hiring of Town Physicians.

Town meeting Tuesday called out
good attendance despite the weather and
difficult travelling. AS stated when the
nominations were made there were some
hot fights to be settled by the voters. In
the contest over lister the citizens candi-
date won, the vote being George w.
Caldbeck SOC, Delos M. Bacon, 433.
In the fight over the road commits
sionership the candidate named by the
republicans won, the vote being Horace
Jackson 478, Charles Owen, 457.
J. Rolf Searles defeated L. P. Slack in
the contest for town agent by a vote
of 43S to 43O.
The ticket elected is as follows:
Moderator, Robert w. Simonds.
Clerk, treasurer and trustee of public
money, c. 6. Bra1ey.
Selectman, William WEIGH.
Overseer of the poor, w. H. H. Robie.
First constable and tax collector, w.
II. Worthen.
Lister, George w. Caldbeck.
Auditors, Harry Carr, Preston 3.
May, ]. F. Puffer.
School director, A. J. Higgins.
Town agent, Rolf Searles.
Road commissioner, Horace Jackson.
The meeting was called to order at
nine O'Clock by Moderator r. w. ST.
nonds who read the warning. On mo-
tion of Mark Hovey the articles from
two to 13 in the warning were passed
over until two p. M. and the ballot
boxes were declared open. They were in
charge of the following officers:
S. D. Atwood, Joseph F. Cossette,
Harold Bond, Jason M. sCady. Daniel P.
Healey, Luther Jewett, John B. Tousaint,
David R. Cole, A. H. Gleason, Cortes J.
Berry, George Asselin, Charles H. Wood
bury, David .Frechette. Sr., Charles G.
Braley, Preston E. Nav
One of the first ballots cast for school
commissioner was cast by DR.. Alice E.
Wakefield, the first woman to appear at
the st. Johnsbury polls in years.
At two O'Clock the hall was filed with
voters. The first business was to fix the
tax rate which was made the same as
last year, $1.55 on the dollar of the
grand list. 1t was voted that the town
pay $3.50 for the observance of Memo
rial day. The matter of electing a tree
warden was laid on the table and the
disposition of the United States deposit
fund was left to the discretion of the
treasurer and selectmen.
The town voted to expend $500 for
permanent highway work in order to
take advantage of the state aid for
similar amount.
The salary of the town clerk and town
treasurer was fixed at whatever fees
came to them in their official capacity,
one per cent of all the taxes collected and
5000 for assistance. The pay of the Sc
1ectmen and other town officers was
fixed at So per day for time actually
spent.
A resolution was adopted instructing
the town to pay St. Johnsbury Academy
a tuition of $46 a year per pupil sent
there from the town until the town
officers make other arrangements.
1t was also voted to authorize the
school directors to erect separate
school building or enlarge the present
one as they deem best at St. Johnsbury
Center at a cost not to exceed $4,000.
The matter of exempting the American
News Vending Machine company from
taxation for period of ten years was
laid on the table.
The same disposition was made of the
proposition to sell the town farm.
When article 13, "To do any other
business that may be lawfully done at
said meeting" was reached the wisdom
and eloquence of the town was poured
forth in volume resembling a postal
card shower at a tin wedding.
Prof. Henry Fairbanks moved that the
town treasurer be required to furnish
suitable bonds. This was voted and
Selectman Morrill, informed the voters
that the present treasurer had furnished
bonds for $4,000 from a recognized
surety company. It was then stated
that all town officers except the select
men and overseer OF the poor are required
to furnish bonds.
Loren A. Shores then moved that the
overseer OF the poor be required to fur
n1Sh bonds. The matter was eloquentlv
aired by Messrs. Shores, Caldbeck and
Mcdonald and it was voted It was
then moved that the selectmen furnish
bonds and more eloquence was unloosed
but the motion was voted down.
F. 6. Bundy then presented the facts
regarding the increase in the expense of
caring for the sick poor and it was voted
that the selectmen be instructed to en-
gage the services of one English speaking
and one French speaking physician to
/ care tor the sick under the care of the
town at a salary of 5000 each.
Then Mr.. Caldbeck moved that in case
they were unable to make a contract
withaany physician in town they be en-
powered to go outside the town and en-
gage one physician for salary not to
exceed $500. This was voted.
Mr. Shores then tried to get motion
passed that the uncollected taxes be col
lected or abated but this failed
The following grand jurors were elect
ed: A. F. Lawrence, w. Sargent, A. w.
Scott and F. @. Bundy.
These were elected petit jurors: W. c.
Rodlif, E. A. Gray, c. E. Gorham, D. S.
Frechette, @. w: Young, James Robin
son, 6. c. Wright, 6. B. Spaulding. I. w.
Sinons, c. G. Meserve, A. S. Cheever, o.
N. Drew, w. 81. Ward, T. E. Brewer and
E. L. Spencer.