The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-31

or were told to do, we would not need
A police; however, we may congratulate
4 ourselves in the modest outlay Of this
department while apparently everyone
has been amply protected and no one
abused. This department has been
worked under the expenses Of the pre-
Esvious year although considerable sick
ness has been amongst our officers. The
chief being off duty for thirteen weeks
and at the present time the well known
officer Gamble being off duty which has
reduced our force considerably during
tha year and has been the occasion Of
having the police committee substitute
| special officers for part of the time. We
have now added an extra patrolman
which has been called for by the pub
tlic for sometime past. Are sure the ad-
dition will not only be the means OF
prompt answers to calls but viii be
/ a relief to the members of the force
who have many times to work over
hours. Hope the continued support and
cooperation of the public, police force
and city council will prevail.
Cemeteries.
| The last resting place of every citizen
of Barre, his family and perhaps near
relations should have special attention
given to it and all assistance possible
for improvements on the grounds should
be accorded our commissioners. The
! present year the commissioners have
made great improvements not only in
regard to the entrance but throughout
the grounds and we have no doubt if
encouraged in the work that they have
set before them. we will have something
to be proud OF in the near future, and
will not be ashamed to know that We
will ultimately have to rest there. For
expenditure on same see commissioners
report.
Finance.
Sound finances are one of the basic
principles of stable government and we
feel that the close of the year 1911
finds ours mostly in good healthy
condition. The progressive ideas held
by our citizens regarding improvements
and the insistence with which they press
the same makes it more and more Of a
problem each year to keep abreast with
the times on our present tax rate and
still keep our indebtedness within rea-
sonable limit but until such time as
we can get a material increase in our
grand list, we will always have to con-
tend with the question of high tax
rate.
A reference to the report of the as
SCISSORS will show that the amount Of
deductions for debts owing made on
last years grand list amounted to
S64T 662 more than the deductions of
the previous year, an amount which
seems 70 MS excessive. If this prop
crty could have been taxed ut last years
rate il would have produced a sum
equal to what would have been raised
by a tax Of 2s12 cents on last years
grand list or in other words, if this
amount OF property had been taxed last
year. a tax rate Of s20615 would have
produced the same amount OF revenue
as was produced from the tax of 1896.
II is to be hoped that the next legisla
tire will pass law that will in some
way regulate in a more satisfactory
manner the taxation of personal prop
erty.
BY referring to the report of the fl
nance committee it will be seen that
satisfactory progress has been made in
the past year, the issue of Sl5,000-four
per cent. refunding bonds which ma
tured last May was retired, and our
sinking fund still shows an increase OF al
most $1,000 over the preceding year
and the full years business shows
net gain to The city OF $S,767,47
There is one branch OF our finances
that / do not consider TO be in as good
condition as they ought to be, | refer
to the trust funds left with the city for
the care Of cemetery lots. Not but
what the city has complied in every re-
spect with the law regarding the mat
ter: the law only holds the city respon-
sible for the interest of the funds and
not for the principal; but these funds
are accommodating to quite large sum,
the amount at present being $s,54O.00
on which we have to pay four per cent.
interest annually; as the funds to in
crease the amount to pay out annually
will increase and will soon become a
yearly burden.
We believe that these funds should be |
preserved intact and invested instead !
OF going into the city treasury and be- !
ing expended for general city purposes, |
as has been done in the past Although /
nrder the law the city is not liable for |
lnt principal VI tutSt IuiluSs II II hduit !
for the annual interests and without /
the funds to earn the interest, the same |
becomes burden.
Referring to the water department |
finances, we believe now that the Orange 1
reservoir has been completed, there win I
be large yearly surplus of earnings
over expenditures in this department.
and that said surplus should be used to
reduce the bonds issued on account of
our water system.
We do not believe that it viii be good
financing on the part of the city to
use this surplus for general city pur-
poses, as long as we have so many water
bonds to meet; at the present time there
is S235 900 water bonds outstanding, and
the only provision made to meet the
same is $1,000 yearly; at this rate it
would take AZ years to retire these
bonds, which we believe is too long
PERIOD a certain portion at least Of the
surplus income should be set aside each
year for the purpose of meeting a por-
tion of these bonds when they mature,
IL N .