The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-07-22
For Changing Course Of the
Stevens Branch
ANNOUNCED LAST NIGHT
Barre Railroad to Pay Four-sevenths,
Abutters Two-sevenths and City Ono
seventh-Two Abutters Thought
Their Share Of Cost Too Large.

That the course Of Stevens branch will
be turned from the rear Of the business
blocks on Main street and made to flow
across Burnhsm's meadow was practical
" settled at meeting Of the city coun-
Ell and the abutters. held last evening
Unless something now unforeseen comes
up before the next meeting Of the council
on Tuesday evening, It can be said with
certainty that the project which has
been agitated and IN the process Of con-
summation since zoos, will be carried out
and under favorable conditions be COM
pleted before winter sets in this year.
The prime movers in the scheme 70
have the river changed to avoid the
yearly flooding Of the Easements Of the
business blocks and to abate the perpet-
ual nuisance in every way which the
river has been to the shutting land own
ers and tic city IN general were four Of
the abutters, W. G. Reynolds, T. G.
Rowland, +. A. Drown and D, N. Miles.
Through the efforts Of these men, the
project was first aeitated in 1908 and
petition presented to the city council,
requesting that body's cooperation with
them in the project. which they claimed
the public good and the necessity Of in
dyiduais required should be done. The
council took the matter up with the un-
derstanding that a highway should be
laid ont over the old course Of the river
from Prospect street 10 Depot square,
without any land damages for the land
taken for the highway.
This was agreed upon by the Barre
Railroad company and the abutters with
the exception that the railroad obi-cted
10 the proposed highway extending clear
through 10 Depot square, for the reason
that the passage between the eompanv's
tracks and the blocks near Depot square
was So narrow Finally it was decided
to run the highway only TO the rear Of
the p ". Miles granite block. where
Hoop viii be laid ont for teams 20 turn
laround The Barre railroad, through its
Hate president. A. F. Sortwel, was most
enthusiastic for the change and finally
agreed to pay -four -sevenths Of the total
cost Of the project
The proposed route for the new course
of the river starts Just south Of
Prospect street bridge and goes :
Bmnham's meadow and into the riyer
again near the e. T. Smith 4 company
sheds The meadow, which is owned BY
the Central Vermont Railroad company,
will he cut IN two by the channel. and
the Central Vermont objected to the pro-
iect for this and several other reasons
which they presented. After a long siege
Of parleying with the company, an ex-
change Of land with the O. VI was made,
so thar IL was agreed that the G. ".
should claim no land damages for the
channel being run through its property.
An enabling act had been granted by
the legislature OF l90S to allow the city
to proceed with the laying out Of the
highway.
After many hearings with the prop
erty owners whose property IS to be
damaged by the change Of the river, the
street committee has made the following
awards: WI r. Dnrlyee, for his entire
property and the buildings thereon, $751;
poo: Mrs G. II. Bickford. $1,000 the
land formerly owned by II. X. Bush and
now held by John Mcdonald administra-
tor, $4,000: thus making the entire land
damages To be paid the sum Of $4,000
HUT the street committee believes that
there will be land available after the
river IS changed. which can be sold for
81 400, which amount deducted from the
lSI3 200 will leave a net land damage Of
$500
Owing to matters connected with the
findings, as read last night, the council
Edid not sign them; but it is expected
THAT everything will be cleared up so
that the findings can be signed next
I Tuesday night The estimated cost Of
TIE project $4,000, Is sufficient, the
street committee feels certain, to cover
the cost and in case the total cost does
not equal this amount, and two-sevenths
of the total cost does not equal $4,000,
(which the several abutters have been as-
scssed. then the city win remit TO the
abutters in proportion as they were as
sessed-
Division Of the Costs.
With the total cost Of the project set
lat $4,000 and the Barre Railroad COM
panv's voluntary offer to pay four sew
enths Of the total cost, the council de-
cided that the city should pay one-sev
enth of the total cost and the ahutters
the remaining two-sevenths. This apr
portionment makes the total assessment
on each III tae three parties of $4,000
for the Barre railroad, 100000 for the
iabutters and $4,000 for the city
There are fifteen abutting land owners,
exclusive Of the Barre Railroad company,
iamona whom this s20o00 is divided in
proportion 70 their actual benefits over
land above the damages, and these abut-
ters will pay the following prcportionate
assessments; Blanchard block company,
sIlG7 40: T.. N. Averill, Sl5a0; Granite
savings Bank & Trust company S5I5;
Charles II. Campbell s526 +. A. Drown,
81 255 So: Frank G. Rowland Sll00320;
Reed estate. 81 1850; w a. Boyce,
SS5l. %; Mary J Dnrkee. s05S.s0; NJ. G.
and Mary Jane Reynolds, SS.646l0; G.
Re- Mascot estate. s. 25i.5l; Eli 8 Rice,
sl a77 80; i. j Bolster estate, sll57s;
ID NJ. Miles, ss58 John w Gordon.
s7426o. TIE $4,000 which the Barre
railroad is assessed S also assessed over
land.above an hencfts and damages
There were present II the hearing last
night Eve of che admitting land owners,
TIE. & Rowland Mrs. Bolster. T. NJ.
Continued from first page.