The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-27
NO REFLECT Ms
ON ORPORAT|ON
ATTORNEY
Henry Chase Says Controversy
Is Not Personal
is LOOKING FOR LIGHT
Wants a Decision by Public Service
Commission on Branch Street
Poles.

Editor of the Banner:-lt Is very
evident from Mr.. Maurers commune
cation in the Banner of last evening
that our genial corporation attorney
has become >unduly excited and is
attempting to repel assaults upon his
personal character which were not
only never made, but never dreamed
of by the Undersigned mother words,
he is making a mountain out of
molehill and like the brave Don
QuiXote of old. is furiously charging
upon imaginary windmills, for as
matter of fact, there was not SEN
tence in my former letter to the Ban
ner that could be construed by any
fair-minded person as reflection or
insinuation of any kind on either the
corporation attorney or any MEMBER
of the board of trustees. Also, | had
taken occasion to specifically dis
claim any such intention. And to sat
isfy myself further upon this point
requested dozen good citizens OF this
villagelage to read my letter in ac-
vance and inform me if they could
discover therein anything in the way
of a reflection or insinuation upon
anybody, and they unanimously decid
ed in the negative.
Mr.. Maurer takes exception to a
single sentence, and uses this as an
excuse TO rush into print to explain
something which | did not suppose re-
quired explaining. and at the same
time misrepresent the views of resi-
dents of South Branch street. The
sentence referred to reads as follows:
"On the contrary we could plainly
see that, owing to the way the board
was being advised in the matter, the
trustees could not offer us such relief
as would be satisfactory to residents
on both sides of the street"
Now, just a word further in regard
to the above sentence and | am
through, as | have no desire to con-
trovert pisstatements of facts. Ii is
wholly true, as Mr.. Maurer has said,
that he and | consulted with respect
to the law and were in entire agree
ment about most phases OF the case
and | do not see that / disagree with
him in that regard yet, but we did
not agree about the principal point
which first arose, and that is this:
1t was myscontention that the statute
in question should be construed liber-
ally, giving the trustees power to-
wholly exclude poles and wires from
our streets in certain cases. MIR.
Maurer holds to the contrary, and so
advised the board, and / confess that
he has been absolutely consistent in
his view. If we revert back a few
years ii will be remembered that Mr..
Maurer appeared before the trustees
in the interest of an Independent
telephone company and requested the
privilege of using the village streets
for his clients poles and wires He
claimed then the board had no author
ity to exclude his clients poles and
wires altogether and still maintains
that view. But we all know that, up
on the advice of the corporation at
torney, who then held office, Mr..
Maurer's request was refused and the
trustees denied the use of the streets
for that purpose absolutely to hIa
clients. Thus / have a precedent for
my position in the way of an act by
former board But if the corporation
attorney is still of that view of the
law, surely it is no reflection on him
for me to call attention to it.
have neved claimed that the trus-
tees have power to order these wires
placed underground, but know that
the Public Service Commission does
have such power and that is why we
have appealed to that body for relief.
and if Mr.. Maurer is a good citizen
he will join with us in this appeal
and not waste his time attempting to
stir up local quarrel over mere pri-
waite opinions which amount to moth
ing. That is just the reason we have
so much difficulty in accomplishing a
public benefit here in Bennington
someone always desires to make a
local row out of the matter. So. to
put things on a better basis | hereby
disclaim any intention of criticising
/ Mr.. Maurer. the trustees or anyone
else in this matter and now invite
them to join us in an attempt to Sc
cure a public benefit by getting a fair
decision of this question by the Pub
/ lie Service Commission of Vermont.
Henry Chase.