Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-03-01
TO CONTROL BUILDING
Village Voted to Have BaiIiffs
Appoint Inspector
Applications VIII Be Considered Tomor-
row Nleht-Resoutons Naming COM
mittee to Draft New Charter Adopted.

mittee to Draft New Charter AuoPteo'
By voting Tuesday night to accept and
ADOPT the provisions of the Public Stat
utes providing for a building inspector,
and through the action of the village
bailiffs since then in adopting a resolu-
ton covering the same ground, the viii
lage of Brattleboro is now in a position
to control the erection of buildings with
in the village limits, to abate fire traps
and enforce regulations to avoid danger
to life and public health. In due time
the village also will have new char
ter. These two subjects were voted on
in a special village meeting in Festival
hall, which was attended by about 100
voters. Chairman Herbert G. Barber
of the board of baiiffs presided with be-
coming dignity This was his first eX-
perience in directing a village meeting.
He called the meeting to order at $50
O'Clock and Clerk w. II. Perry read the
warrant.
Taking up article l. relative to accept
ing and adopting the provisions of chap
ter 100 of the Public Statutes of 1906,
which pertains to building inspectors, Mr..
Barber stated that the substance of
the chapter had been published in the
local papers and that he would not have
it read unless requested. Bailiff Scion
A. Richmond stated some of the reasons
for calling the meeting, stating that
questions relating to building, plumbing
lighting and heating often came before
the bailiffs and that the powers of the
board were not adequate to meet local
conditions. The old regulations provided
for a penalty of 500 for violation of the
local building ordinances, and after pay
ing the fine a builder could go ahead
with his operations unmolested. The
necessity for greater powers comes with
the prospect of large building operations
on Flat and Elliot streets and else
where, he said, and the citizens owe it
to themselves to protect the public in
terests. A building inspector would pre-
vent a repetition of the mistake which
was made when the Taft building on
Flat street was erected. On account of
that large frame structure materially
higher insurance rate is paid on the sur
rounding property from the Methodist
church to the corner of Flat and Main
streets. Mr.. Richmond moved the ac
ceptance and adoption of the provisions
of chapter 100.
l.. f. Holden asked if the law gave
the inspector the right to prevent man
from erecting a building at any place
he choose on his own land. Bailiff John
T. Kaine wanted to know if the inspec-
tor could condemn buildings and have
them removed. He asked to have the
chapter read, and the next Is minutes
were consumed in the reading of the
chapter by Clerk Perry. The law gives
the inspector, and the deputy inspector
in the absence of the inspector, the right
to restrict building operations, condemn
buildings and take such measures as are
necessary to protect the public good, his
orders be subject to appeal, and the
chapter prescribes all the legal ma
chinery. Mr. Richmonds motion was
seconded by George l.. Durham and
was carried by a unanimous vote.
When article was taken up, which
was to see what action would be taken
in reference to providing for new viii
lage charter, George L. Durham offered
the following resolutions:
4Resolved, that a committee consisting
of ]. NJ. Tyler, C. A Harris, C. c. Fits,
NJ. j. Moran and S. A. Richmond be APP
pointed to draft new village charter
and to present the same to the annual
village meeting to be held in May, cop
les of the proposed charter to be pub
lished in the local papers a week or ten
days previous to the village meeting.
BE it further resolved, that this COM
mittee shall have the power to engage
the services of one or more assistants
to gather material for the above men
toned charter, at an expense to the viii
lage of not to exceed two hundred dol
lars"
In support of the resolutions Mr.. Dun
granted in 1882 and was amended seven
times that in 1872 a new charter was
obtained by Col. Kittredge Haskins, then
a member of the Legislature, which has
been amended II times; that If it is de-
sired to find what the powers of the
present charter give it is necessary to
search through all the session laws since
1872. He said that if a new charter did
nothing more than embody all the
amendments to the present charter it
would be worth while to have the work
done. A new charter, he said, might
provide for the inspection of buildings
in a more comprehensive way even than
the statutes provide. We suffer tre-
mendously, he said, in the way of insur-
ance rates on account of fire traps. The
rates in this country are 10 times as
high as in some countries. A new char
ter ought to provide for sprinkling the
streets. Some pay S. a year and some
$40 and some nothing, but all get the
same protection from dust. The present
system is an absurdity and a species of
blackmail, he said. Another need is that
teams meet the trains. This could be
accomplished by a system of licensing
suitable carriages.
Attorney Arthur P. Carpenter moved
that the resolutions be amended by add
ing the name of H. G.. Barber to the
committee. He thought the chairman of
the bailiffs ought to be a member. Mr..
Durham said he would be glad to add
Mr. Barbers name, but that he con-
suited Mr. Barber before the meeting
and was requested not to include his
name. At this point Mr.. Barber stated
that he personally would prefer not to
serve, but would do so if the voters de-
sired. The voters present decided
that they wanted him and the
resolution as amended was adopted
without a dissenting vote. This con-
cluded the business of the meeting and
adjournment was taken.
2 The bailffs held a special meeting
Wednesday night and voted, on motion
of Baliiff Richmond to adopt in behalf
Of the village the provisions of chapter
100. This was done as there was some
uncertainty as to whether a vote of the
village or vote of the bailiffs was the
proper step to put the provisions of the
chapter in force, The bailiffs will meet
in the Office of Chairman H. G.. Barber
in Crosby block at 730 o'clock tomorrow
night to consider applications for the po-
sitions of building inspector and deputy
building inspector. No petitions will be