Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-03-15
SEWER TAXES LEVIED
BaiIiffs and Land Owners Dis.
cussed Assessment Plan
Rates Lower than Formerly and Salts
faction Prevailed-Cost Of Sewers to
VILLAGE In Past 80 Years.

Village In Past 80 years.
In response to notification from VIII
lage Clerk W. II. Perry a large number
of real estate owners whose land abuts
new lines of sewers met in the steamer
house on Elliot street Friday evening to
hear and discuss the plan of the village
bailiffs for levying sewer assessments on
those. new lines. All the bailiffs were
present except o. T. Ware, who was Ill,
and while there was some opposition TO
the proposed rates, the opposition was
not of pronounced form and in the END
the bailiffs decided to adhere to their
plan, and practically everybody was
satisfied, as the assessments are much
smaller than they would be under the
plan formerly in force.
The names of those of whom notices
were sent were published in The Phoenix
last Friday Thirty or more came to the
meeting, which was called to order py
Chairman H. G. Barber. Previous to lsos
sewer assessments were not levied until
owners of lots built upon them. Under
that scheme the village had to carry the
burden of the sewers, cost and malnte-
nance often for a long time before II
was able to levy assessments. since
then the plan has been to divide the COST
on completion of the sewers, among the
abutting owners, making the expense 10
each less than it otherwise would pc
This plan was followed this year and the
amounts assessed were READ III the
meeting Friday night
The cost of the sewers and the assess
ments against each lot were as follows:
Fort Drummer Mills and Fort hummer
Heights district, cost approximately
$4,000, assessment $3.50; Belmont avenue,
cost $3.50, assessment Sl5.5O Clark ave
nue.. cost 5000, assessment Sl564; OAK
Grove avenue, cost 5000, assessment
s15.S5: Fairview and Maple streets, cost
$3.50, assessment SIS. John O'Connor was
assessed $50 on account of his new
building on Canal street. Patrick flem-
ing, through Attorney A. T. Carpenter,
sought to have his assessment Of $4o on
a lot on Forest street reduced but the
bailiffs voted not to grant reduction.
The assessment was made year ago ana
Is against lot on which there are TWO
houses, served by one entrance TO the
main sewer.
for the Fort Drummer Mills corporal ton
who are asked to pay $444. He thought
that inasmuch as the building covered a
large number of lots which never Woulo
be connected with the sewer the tax
ought to be at a lower rate per running
foot than for the lots used for residential
purposes. L. E. Holden appeared for the
Brattleboro board of trade trustees, VINO
hold land abutting on the sewer, also foi
Holden &, Martin. He though the village
ought to carry some of the burden o.
expense as a low rate would tend to en-
courage building w. A. Shumway rep
resented the Fort Drummer Realty com
pany. but made no objection to th'
rates c.. L. Stickney appeared for th'
Brattleboro Memorial hospital an'
thought the assessment ought to be abat
ed as the land was bought to protect I'M
institution and not to build upon.
The bailiffs decided that it was thel
duty to assess the hospital and suggest
ed that the management could bring thu
matter before the voters in the comlhs
village meeting If they desired 1t wa
voted to assess the Swedish Lutheran
church, but in view of the fact that m
sewer assessment has been collected
from the churches it is not expected tina
anything will be collected in this in
stance No assessment was made agains
the Austine Institution The total mum
Der of persons or organizations asalns
whom charges are made is so. and thu
clerk has made out bills against tneii
since the meeting.
Village Clerk Perry has compiled IRON
the printed village reports some figures
showing the cost of sewers in the village
the past 30 years, also the income there
from, with the exception of the yea
1887. the printed report for that year be
ing missing. Beginning with 1881 TIT
cost of sewers for 30 years has beer
S38 0S2. The assessments collected amour
to $3O,957. or s7125 less than the cost
There is due from the South Main stree
and Clark street sewer $500 ana IRON
the branch of the Pine street sewe
running east $3.50, most of which will b.
collected when the connections are made
and there Is on the county court docke
a suit against the Connecticut Rive
Power company for $4,000 on account
the Vernon street sewer. If these thre'
items are figured as collectable the defici
paid by the village in the 80 years Il
$1875.