Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-12-16

for the next % kilowatts eight cents
for the next so kilowatts and six cents
for all in addition
Judge Kittredgc 1Iaskins asked to have
the vote of the regular meeting read
again. and it showed that Mr. Estey and
Mr. Walker were to act "in conjunction
with the board of bailiffs." He said he
would like to hear a report Of the COM
mittee, not merely a report of two mem
bers. Mr.. Waterman said again that the
bailiffs had to report that they were not
in favor of a municipal plant. Bailiff s
y. Richmond said the bailifs as board
were not in favor of "A municipal plant.
Personally, he said, he was satisfied that
the company was not in a financial con-
dition to give satisfactory rates, because
1t had to pay too much interest on water
ed stock. He thought the Twin State
company would not do business in
businesslike way Baniff Kaine said
there was no apparent demand for a
municipal plant now and that although
lighting expenses would increase it was
uncertain whether they would increase
enough to warrant building a plant for
purely municipal purposes. w. II. Vinton
said the bailiffs were a committee, with
two others, to make a report, but that
they had not made one Il think the
bailiffs called this meeting foollshly," he
said. Mr.. Waterman quoted the existing
municipal a ties, which he said the bail
iffs considered sufficiently low to warrant
making a five-year contract, and added
I'VE make this as a report"
L. f. Holden moved that the bailiffs
refrain from making a contract unless
the company agreed to make a fiat rate
OF eight cents for commercial lighting
Manager Adds thereupon stated that the
company voluntarily had made a sub
stantial reduction in commercial lighting
and that it had not had time to make
statistics of the cost OF power on a years
service from the Connecticut river plant
The viewpoint of the company is that as
the output increases the rates should 60
down, Mr.. Adds said, but he could not
promise that 1t would go down to an
eight-cent rate. He said interest on
watered stock cut no figure whatever in
the cost of municipal lighting in Brattle-
boro and he did not know what Mr. Rich
mOnd meant when he said the bailffs
We're not able to do business with the
company in a businesslike way. He gave
statistics from various cities where mu-
nicipal plants are located, and said: I'VE
are going to do business in Brattleboro
as best we can and If we have to meet
competition we shall meet it He said
he had appeared before many boards and
knew what gentlemanly conduct was and
he wished to state publicly that his re-
lations with the bailifs had been very
pleasant.
+. w. Gibson mentioned some places in
Vermont where municipal plants were
supplying commercial lighting for less
than the Bratteboro rates He thought
the village was entitled to a complete re-
port from the committee and moved an
adjournment of two weeks that such
report might be made. Mr.. Kaine con-
sidered such a move unnecessary as all
possible information on the subject al
ready had been gathered by an expert re-
Gently employed, which had been printed
and distributed.
Referring to Mr.. Gibson's wish for a
| report from the committee. Mr.. Water
man stated that while Mr. Estev was in
Europe Mr. Walker did the investigating
The bailffs have done the negotiating"
he said, land now for the third time we
| report that we do not favor a municipal
| plant and do favor executing a five-year
contract on the basis of the present rate
| Would you like that in writing, Mr.. Glib
SOM" c. \ Boyden said not one person
; in 10 used electricity and he thought
| there was no use in trying to squeeze the
company. He thought Mr. Addiss gen
erous offer should be accepted.
At this point George L. Durham said
he thought 1t would be too bad to have
| two companies and in order to give the
| present company time to collect the de-
| sired statistics he thought a contract for
| one year should be made E c. Crosby
thought the present rate was fair and he
! quoted the higher rate in Chicopee, Mass,
by way of comparison. Mr.. Holden and
! Mr.. Gibson withdrew their motions and
| Mr.. Durham moved that the bailiffs be
| instructed to make a contract for NUM-
| cipal lighting for one year at the existing
! rate His motion was seconded by Mr..
Estey Mr. Adds then said: Il do not
know what position the company will
take, but personally do not consider the
! motion a square deal" Mr. Kaine called
| attention to the fact that the company
had been furnishing light at a low figure
since Aug. l without any contract. Mr..
| Adds thought the proposition looked like
an attempt to squeeze a little more blood
out Of turnip than there was in it, Mr.
| Boyden thought there was much truth
in what Mr.. Adds said and he moved to
amend Mr.. Dunham's motion by making a
contract for three years, which was sec
onded by L. d. Taylor. The amendment
was lost, although many voted for IT,
and the motion was carried, nobody vot-
ing against it, The meeting adjourned at
$50.