The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-12-17


into a steel trunk at point near the
residence of James Dinwiddie on said
stream, approximately one mile
above its junction with the Walloom-
sac River in Woodford Hollow, and
to divert the waters of the Walloom-
sac River into a steel trunk near the
point where the Bolles Brook and the
Bickford Hollow Brook unite to form
said Walloomsac River, and to con-
vey the waters of said streams in
steel trunks to a power house to be
located near the east line of the pres
ent electric power house in the viii
'lage of Bennington, thus leaving the
water courses of said streams dry be-
tween the diverting dams and the
power house and incapable of being
longer enjoyed or used for recrea-
ton purposes by the public, and has
planned generally to similarly store,
divert and use substantially all of the
waters of Bennington County which
find their way to the Hudson River
rather than to the Connecticut; and
WHEREAS, it developed further
at said public hearing that said pro-
posed Southern Vermont Light and
Power Company has definitely and
specifically agreed with the owners
of Camp Comfort near the junction
of the said Bolles Brook and Bick-
ford Hollow Brook, to give the said
owners of Camp Comfort the sole ex-
elusive right to the use and enjoy
ment for recreation purposes OF
large artificial lake to be created at
that point, by daming waters in
which the public has at all times
heretofore had the same rights that
1t has had in other public streams OF
the state, and which have been stock
ed with large numbers of trout by
the state; and
WHEREAS, other corporations ex-
.ist under the laws of the State OF
Vermont with similar sweeping
rights over rivers, streams, lakes and
ponds, and lands which may be arti-
ficially flowed by them, notably the
Wilmington Power and Paper Com
pany, which has acquired the right
TO all of the waters of the Deertielo
River and its tributaries and has al
ready begun work preparatory to
flowing large areas of forest land,
and other bills are now before the
legislature providing that charters be
granted to still other companies; and
WHEREAS, we, the undersigned,
voters, taxpayers and citizens of the
State OF Vermont, believe that the
best interests of the citizens of the
state demand that the scenic and re-
creational advantages of the state be
conserved against despoliation, and
that the right of the public to the use
of the waters of the state in such
manner as the public has always had
right to use them shall be neither
abridged nor denied, and believe fur
Their that the development of the wa,
ter power of the state by no means
requires either denial or curtailment
of the right Of the public to use eth
err natural or artificial ponds. lakes,
streams or rivers as it has always
used public waters, and are further
firmly convinced that the existence
OF private fish and game preserves
such as those of Europe. and such
as have already been est"N''-@-' to
great extent in this country, would
not only be Incompatible with the
health and legitimate recreation of
the people of the state, but also Sc.
we're blow to its growing popularity
as a summer resort;
NOW, THEREFORE,, We, the I'M
dersigned. voters, taxpayers and citi-
zens of the State of Vermont, do
earnestly petition the Legislature to
amend said House Bill Number 412
so as to include therein provision
that all lands to be flowed by said
Southern Vermont Light and Power
Company shall prior to such flowing
be cleared of all trees, bushes and
stumps, and that all such trees, bush
es and stumps as are unmerchant-
able and valueless be burned under
such regulations for the burning of
brush and debris as exist under the
general laws of the state, and fur
Their that all streams, rivers, lakes
and ponds which said company shall
acquire, hold or control, or which 1t
may artihicially create, shall at all
times be free to the public in such
way and for such uses as are any of
the public waters of the state, and
further that no natural pond or lake
WHICH, SdAu COnpdn9 shall acquire,
hold or control shall at any time be
drawn down, or its waters taken or
diverted, in such way as to reduce
its level below the normal level of
such natural pond or lake, and fur
Their to include similar provisions in
any other bills to incorporate similar
companies And
WE DO FURTHER PETITION
that provision be made in the general
laws OF the state to conserve the see
mic and recreational advantages of
the state, and to insure to the public
at all times the same rights and pri-
vileges in any natural or artificial
ponds. lakes. streams and rivers
which shall be acquired, held or con-
trolled by any corporation or associa-
ton existing under any charter Of the
State of Vermont, or acquiring con-
troll of any public or private stream.
river. lake or pond by virtue of any
charter or authority from the State
of Vermont, that the public now has
in any Of the public waters of the
state.
WARWICK s. CARPENTER.
CHANGE OF DATE