The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-09
BILL STARTED DISCUSSION.
Montpelier Aldermen Also Thought Street
Dept. Expenses Excessive for a Time.

Montpelier Aldermen Also Thought street
Dept. Expenses Excessive for Time.
The Montpelier city council had an ex-
citing session last night, which lasted
until five minutes of midnight. The
chief disturbing topic vas bill OF $40
presented by Mayor Estee for clerical
assistance, which was, however, amicably
settled before the evening was over.
The mayor employed G. A. G. Jack
son to assist him in the city business IN
clerical capacity, the bill amounting
to $l0 which the mayor presented to
the council. Aldermen Howes and Ath-
erton objected to it, the latter not on
the ground of eXcessiveness but because
it would form precedent and he was
against such bills being presented in
the future. He considered $1,000 sal
airy year for city clerk and assistant
ought to be sufficient without securing
outside assistance As soon as an argu-
ment became inevitable, the mayor
asked that the bill be dropped and he
would pay it personally. lie said that
hereafter, when he needed outside as
sistanee he should have it, but the coun-
ell was at liberty to throw out any such
bills it chose and he would pay them
himself. Alderman Anterior thought il
outside help must be had, it would be
better to hire stenographer half day
each week To this the mayor object
ed, stating that part of the work was
such that a girl could not do it and
stenographer was not all that was need
ed He wanted brain work OF another
kind. If the council wanted to hire
stenographer, he was willing, but 1t
would amount to nothing. 1t was then
stated that ii the mayor had seen fit to
discuss the matter with the finance COM
mittee, he could have procured the de-
sired information without hiring Mr..
jackson. Alderman Howes said the
mayor had criticised him sharply and
then had done the same thing himself.
The mayor, though stating he failed to
remember wherein he had criticised Mr..
Howes. made public apology TO him,
ii such was the case, and what had
started as heated discussion ended in
love feast No vote was taken on the
matter.
A question arose as TO the right OF
installing plants in which city water is
to be used in manufacturing and operat-
ing vacuum cleaners. They have been
installed in the homes OF W. \. Their
iault and J. r. Adams and in the shop
where the cleaners are manufactured
Part of the council were OF the opinion
that, according 10 previous vote OF
that body in regard to the installing OF
motors, the use Of city water in such
way had been prohibited. Others con-
sdered its use in this way was for a
purely domestic purpose and therefore
was allowable. The machine Uses only
3.l6 inch stream in jet. which creates
vacuum and conveys the dirt from
the room to the sewer. The matter was
left to the superintendent and water
committee to report.
Reports We're made concerning the new
high school site and discussion fol-
lowed Alderman Anterior thought ii
was time to cut down the street de-
partment expenses and stated that in
1911 the total expense of the depart
ment to May 9 was $4,000 while
to May 4 this year il had been s4,655l7,
an increase of $l,44497. Superintendent
Roberts explained it by saying he had
paid out double this year on cleaning
walks and sanding ice and that the flood
had caused him to lay 5000 feet OF
walk this spring, which was not includ-
ed in the statement. The high wa
ter added at least $1,000 expense to his
department for the year. Work on the
ice alone this spring cost 5000. Super
intendent Roberts was supported in his
statements by the mayor. Alderman
Doueette thought if the expense was
already so great il would be inadvisabe
to attempt all that had been planned
for work at the Hubbard park brook,
to which Mr.. Roberts agreed, and it was
decided to do part of the work each
year.
price has been requested on all the
buildings at Berlin pond owned by the
city. Last summer the council asked
$500 and was offered Sl25. Whoever
buys them must take them away The
matter was left to the water committee
and superintendent One fire horse is
being hired from private parties at a
yearly cost of 5000, besides feed, and
it was voted to purchase one instead.