The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-03-20
Montpelier Proposed to Levy
on Central Vermont
Land
CLAIMING 1T NOT
FOR RAILROAD USE
A Verdic- .v~e@ .alntiff Was
Reached IN Washington
Co. Court Last Night

A verdict of far-reaching nature, iot
because of the Importance of the single
ease involved, but because of its pos
sible general application in the state,
was determined when jury in Wash
Iington county court last night sustained
the city of Montpelier's right to tax tn.
Central Vermont Railway company for
real estate. The amount involved in
this instance was only about $500. the
plaintiff being awarded the full amount
asked. The case was given to the jury
at $3.50 and verdict was returned two
hours later.
| The land involved was the meadow
land lying off the west end of State
street the Langdon and Nicholas mead.
iows. 1t turned out in the testimony
yesterday that the railroad paid S35 900
for the Langdon property.
Attorney f. B. Thomas made the open.
ing argument Tor the city, saying that
there were three parcels of land con-
cerned in the case, small parcel near
Taylor street. three-eghths of an acre
and appraised at $780, and the Mich
olas and Langdon meadows. The TAYLOR
street property was dismissed from con.
sideration with the brief statement that
there were storehouses and stoneshed
upon it,
Turning to the meadow land, ATTORNEY
Thomas said the land below the railroad
bridge under the spur tracks at the
storehouse was not set in the grand list
because the listers knew, as they had
testified they knew, that land so used
Tor railroad purposes was not taxable
to the city. That land was never taxed
by the city, But the remainder of the
meadow land was taxed and should bc
taxed, the attorney contended. Just be-
cause circus used the land occasional
ly, said the speaker, it did not establish
that the land was used for railroad pur.
poses, any more than it would if the
circus should exhibit on any farmers
land. The storehouse, he said was not
used for railroad purposes or business.
being used for agricultural purposes, for
storage of farming tools, etc.
Attorney H. r. Amey, for the rail
road, maintained that the land about
the storehouse and under the spur tracks
was set in the grand list and that they
are outside the right ofway owned BY
the railroad. The testimony of Agent
J. T. Gallaher established the fact that
.he storehouse was used for railroad
though it was, as an accom-
loaned in part for storage OF
ome farm tools. Such usage of the
louse, as a matter of accommodation,
hould not, he maintained, deprive the
abroad of its right to exemption from
ocal taxation on land taxed by the
tate.
Judge Fish gave his charge to the
ury late in the afternoon, and the jury
vas out, as above stated, about two
ours.
Pig Sale In Court
After the completion of the railroad
axation case, the suit of d. H. skinner
s. L. NJ Chandler, both of Middlesex
eneral assumpsit, was taken up. This
ase grows out of the sale of nine pigs
v Skinner to Chandler, the latter pay
lg by check and later stopping payment
n the check Chandler alleged that
he pigs were bad and that he couldn't
ell in Burlington, where they were
hipped The pigs were slaughtered in
lid July. The amount of the suit is
1925. This case will take up whole