Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-12-16
STREET LIGHTING RATES WITHDRAWN
Bas Instructed to Make 0neYea Contract at Rate Quoted ON
Fve,Year BassTwn State Company Refused and Another
Special Meeting Has Been Called

An unexpected turn in the discussion at
the special village meeting Friday night
left the question of municipal lighting
in a very unsettled condition. BY adopt
ing a resolution directing the bailifs to
make a contract with the Twin state Gas
& Electric company to furnish light for
one year at the rate quoted by the COM
pany on the basis of a fVe-year contract,
without finding out whether the company
would agree to one-year contract on
that basis, the meeting assumed the at
titude of debating to the company. Ma
turally the company was somewhat dis
pleased and it promptly withdrew the
rates which had been in force since the
old contract expired last August and
while negotiations for new one were In
progress and submitted a contract on a
one-year basis at an increased rate for
the year. Thus the village bailins are
unable to carry out the instructions Of the
meeting. Since then, as before, there
has been much talk about establishing a
municipal plant, but there is decided
difference of opinion as to whether the
village wants to go into that sort of thing.
There was no disagreement between
the company and the bailiffs, the bailiffs
feeling that the rates then existing were
satisfactory. The whole trouble came
over the question of commercial lighting,
which does not concern the bailins in
their official capacities. 1t was suggested
action which would prevent the small
consumers from getting their current at
a lower rate than the company now
charges Z. NJ. Adds, manager of the
Twin State company, said that the COM
pany had not been taking electricity from
the Connecticut river power plant long
enough to have statistics at hand showing
what the ultimate rate would be, where
upon George l.. Durham introduced a
resolution which was adopted, calling for
a one year contract, his idea being that at
the end of that time the company would
have the desired statistics at hand. Mr..
Adds said he could not tell without COM
municating with the head office in New
York whether the company would exc
cute a one-year contract at the existing
rate, and next day he sent the following
letter to L. ]. Waterman, chairman of
the board of bailiffs dated Dec. 10 and
signed Twin State Gas & Electric COM
pany, E. NJ. Adds, manager"
I'VE acknowledge the receipt of your
verbal official notice that our quotations
to your honorable board for lighting the
village streets for a term of five years
were rejected at a special village meeting
on the evening of December 9th; also, ac-
cording to vote of the taxpayers at this
meeting you were authorized to enter
into a one-year contract with us at the
same rates quoted for a five-year term.
I'VE hereby withdraw our figures for
village street lighting on a tive-year basis
and substitute these terms for a one
year contract Arc lamps eighty dollars
(SS0) per year each; forty t4O) candle
power incandescent, twenty dollars $500
per year, each burning all and every
night. There shall be no change in the
present arrangement of the lighting sys-
tenn nor additional lamps installed, unless
the cost of so doing shall be paid by the
village of Brattleboro.
LOT V0lpntg and prOViSlOu
for rebates for outages to be the same as
outlined in the form of contract which
was to cover the five-year period, a copy
of which is in your possession
I'VE also hereby give notice that from
this day we terminate the verbal agree
ment between your board and the Twin
State Gas e Electric company pending
a contract being made for a five-year
period that the price for street lighting
from month to month be the same as Of
fered on a five-year contract basis, ana
pending the closing of a one-year con-
tract will furnish village lighting for the
prices quoted you herein on one-year
contract.
I'VE wish strongly to impress upon
YOUR board that those figures and condi-
lions are final, also we stand ready TO en-
ter into a five-year contract on the terms
and along lines covered by the blank con-
tract you have and which was rejected at
the village meeting"
When the bailiffs met Tuesday night II
was decided that inasmuch as they were
unable to carry out the instructions or
the village meeting there was nothing
further to do but call another special
meeting and report the advance in rates
made bv the Twin state company and
take definite action in regard to establish
ing a municipal plant. Warrants nave
been posted calling a special meeting
Wednesday, Dec. IS, at p, m, to hear
the report of the bailiffs regarding the
contract proposed Dec. 9; to see If the
voters will vote to establish municipal
lighting plant and, if so, to raise money
to defray the expense; to transact and
other business that may come before the
meeting.