The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-04-17
.fIGiI 10 PREVENT
MUIILA1ION OF
OUR STREETS
Before State Public Service
Commission Today
HEAhlNG AT PUTNAM HOUSE
Cc.iaerte cf Branch Street Object
To Unnecessary Telephone
PcIes.

The hearing before the puollS SSA
vice commission on the appeal py I
residents of South Branch street
from decision by the board OF ~
laee trustees was held at the Put
nam house today. The appeal IS
from the action of the trustees IN
cont nuing in force, after opJectlohs
had been made by the peutlonlhg
residents, a permit to the New Eng
land Telephone and Telegraph com
pany to set a line of poles on the
western side of the street. These
poles were to be used in carrying the
trunk line of the telephone company
from North Adams through the state
of Vermont in northery direction
Chairman Charles d. Watson Oh 81,
Adams, pres ded at the hearing ana
the other two members OF the Doard,
William r. Warner of Vergennes and
! George H. Rabbit of Bellows Falls
| were present The answer OF the
company to the petition was read by
| the clerk, Selden S. Watson OF ST
| Adams.
The petitioners were represented
by Frank C. Archibald of Manchester
and Henry Chase of Bennington, the
latter having appeared in behalf OF
the obiecting residents at the hearing
held before the village trustees. WI
lage President D,A..Ward and Trust
ees e. n. Holden, j. p. Morrlssey,
Edward J. Gunshannon, A. f. Hollis
ter and John =. McGurn and Corpora
ton Attorney Maurer were present
| rpDre
sented by States Attorney w. j
Meagher and Attorney General X. Il
Brown of Burlington.
The New England Telephone and
Telegraph company was represented
, w NJ B. Jones of Boston and severa
eIr .cvcs from the office force ant
IN inee.irg department OF the com
+ ray were in attendance.
gnmeC lately following the readinl
! cf he company's answer to the peti
{ tita discussion arose in relation {
j. .nc real status of South Branc
{ street Town Clerk Z. A. Booth wa
4 made a witness and was questione
d by counsel for both sides relative
s the filing of the survey OF the stree
V Attorney Archibald insisted that n
y testimony elative to the status OF tn
e thoroughfare as a street was admis'
able other than the record. This col
n tention constituted the basis of
r. lengthy argument but Mr.. Jones {
n last concluded to admit that Branc
u street was in existence when tn
10 present controversy originated.
r. Corporation Attorney Charles
ID Maurer, during the discussion, aro'
n. and asked as a representative OF Il
ee village of Bennington that the pc
ton be dismissed on the ground tn
the action had not been proper
brought.
Trustee f. H. Holden stated tn
ms the village trustees, of whom he W
one, did not wish to appear as
party in the proceedings. The boar
us he said. at special meeting had v,
III ed that a committee from its me
l. bers appear at the hearing and ii
sr the corporation attorney represe
ne the village if such representation
aS peared to be necessary.
'or Mr.. Maurer stated that he was
en- corporation attorney and thereto
a" the legal representative of the
ns' iage.
CHAIRMAN NdlNOu SAdAtd AhaA
ecu commission would proceed with
&c hearing. Henry Chase was cal
as a witness and was questioned
lay counsel for the parties. by Mr.. B
yer btt of the commission and by
Vi attorney general in regard to the s
Tau alton on Souht Branch street.
ticular emphasis in the questions '
gu laid upon the distances interven
us' between the stakes for the poles
the houses of the petitioners.
yea Harry s. Orr of North Adams,
anu employee of the telephone comps
u.n who was instrumental in securing
ms rights of way for the trunk line, '
the next witness. He testified
he had been in the employ of
company about FIVE years. Quest
ed by Mr.. Archibald the witness
tne titled that he had attempted to
cure a right OF way over the pro
his ties of John Rooney, Barber & d
ice. ing and Mrs. George B. Laure
own that Barber & Darling objected
BEN giving a right OF way through
center OF their property. that
and Rooney's price was so high that
in was outside the jurisdiction Of
and Wlthess anu tnal MIS-. Laurence
Co. fused to grant a right of way at
r of price. Mrs. Laurence. the wit
and testified, acted upon the advice o.
attic attorney. The witness testified
sars. the company would string at leas
oint. wires on the poles to be located
nths the street and that the line woul
,pire built TO accommodate an incre
VIII service in the future.
) his Attorney Jones for vhe COM
until desired that the witness state
price asked by Mr.. Rooney