The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-03
$ e System of Assessment for
Sewer Extensions in Barre
BY FIXED CHARGE PER FOOT
City Council Considered Matter at Regu-
lar Meeting Last Evening and Referred
1t to Proper Committees-Co -Consid-
cradle Other Business Done.

A proposal to change the method of
sewer assessments was made at the close
Of the regular meeting, of the Barre city
| council last night, the purpose being to
remove the inequalities of the present
system, by which abutters are assessed,
according to the cost Of construction in
the specific extension which they Ggn fit>.
The city pays half the ea<I .s,,,Ss lne abut-
ters the remaiHs2s'. Yae latter amount be.
ing gS@x Getween the landowners on
sE, two sides of the street. To remedy
the injustice Of the system, it is proposed
to fix an arbitrary cost per running foot
which shall be based on the average cose
OF sewer extensions.
The matter was called to the atten-
tion of the council by City Clark
Mackay. One illustration of the in.
equality of the system of assessment is
shown in the case Of the man who builds
a house en- new street and who desires
the extension of the sewer, but finds per-
haps that it is necessary to dig trench
through a ledge. thus greatly increasing
the cost per foot to him Later another
householder further along on the same
street desires the sewer extension and
finds, when the construction is made,
that the digging is through sand, thus
making the cost per foot to him at a
minimum, as he pays merely for the
extension from his neighbor's house.
Now, it is argued, the value of the
sewer to the latter householder is az
great as to the former, and the sewer
would not have been possible if the earli- !.
er petitioner had not been compelled
to channel through the rock and pay
the maximum cost per running foot It
is therefore argued that the man who
paid on the sand digging should be made
to share in the rock blasting, as the
latter operation was necessary before he
could get the sewer to his house.
Then there are other illustrations,
which show the inequality of the pres
ent method under which the assessment
varies from 35 cents to one dollar per
running foot The council, after discuss
ing the matter, referred it to the joint
street and legislative committee to in
vestigate and report.
Cemetery Lot Deeds Invalid.
Among other matters considered City
Attorney f. T. Scott reported that the
Ahi III vi dNtd ~ HhACh tOtS tit obiu III
Elmwood and Hope cemeteries is in
valid under the laws of Vermont, and he
recommended form of deed which
would conform with the law The city
attorney said he did not know by whom
the old form of deed was drawn up, but
he could find no basis for the right to
deed the lots by the cemetery commits
sioners sin behalf Of the inhabitants"
The municipality might, but not the in
he said.
Therefore, on motion of Alderman Will
ley. the report was accepted and the
as to a form of deed
was ordered carried out.
Some Money Matters.
The council also handled some financial
matters, including bunch of 90 city
warrants for the weeks and the months
bills. After these warrants had been
read. Alderman Thurston interposed the
objection that some of them had not
been before the finance committee for
approval Thereupon, the business of
the session was suspended temporarily,
while the finance committee looked over
the bills which had not been O. K.'ed.
One of the bills, that of Sl,09704, for
the changing of water pipes in the river
bed project, was referred to the street
committee, as that river bed project was
under the direction of that committee.
After the bills had been approved, the
warrants were ordered paid The num-
ber included Slll.3l for the engineering
department. $30767 for paving assess
ments. $50 to +. L. Scott fer legal serv-
ICES. S55l "A to the Consolidated Light
NC company. Sl0220 to the Peoples Gas
company for care of the fire alarm sys-
tenn and supplies. $500 to the overseer of
he poor department, S50.63 for fees in
Judge Scott's city court, SIS to City
Physician j. w Stewart. S605.25 for
he call men of the fire department. SIS
'or the salary of Building Inspector J.
A. Field for October, November and De-
,ember.
Building Applications.
The last-named official presented sew
raj reports on applications, in which he
that a permit be granted
o the Aldrich fund trustees to place
narduise over the corner entrance to
he Aldrich building on Main and Elm
treets, that Hebert & Ladrie be allowed
o change roof of their granite plant on
Vest Second street, so that they could
,uild tramway, and that Jonest& Reed
,e allowed to put in a window, a door
md basement steps OF cement in front
# their building on North Main street.
Alderman Brown moved that the two
after applications be granted and that
he petition of the Aldrieh trustees be
eferred to the street committee. The
notion was carried, and at the same
ime the council accepted the report o,
he building inspection on ten minor
uildinr permits granted in December
.ater in the evening, n. ID. Phelps of the
lldrieh trustees appeared before the
ouncil and stated that the petition for
ieht to place marquise at the corner
1 their new building was because il
rould project a few inches over the
treet line. Mr.. Phelps said this mar
uise is in addition to the one which
ill be placed on the Main street side
f the building. He and the street com
littee arranged to get together this aft
rnoon to look over the situation.
At the same time this afternoon tho
treet committee will investigate the ap.
lication of W. c. Quinlen to hang an