The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-29
Barre Is to Charge Accord
ing to Quantity Used
or Wasted
CITY COUNCIL TAKES
IMPORTANT STEP
Meters Will Be Placed in the
Stonesheds First
of All

| Those two old bogeys, the water me-
ter resolution and the proposed sidewalk
up Camp street, again figured in long
and wearisome discussion last evening
when the city council came together in
special session. Mayor Ward presided
and every other ward was represented
around the oak table when the gavel
struck for order at o'clock To re-
duee the doings to their least common
denominator, in other words to eondense
the proceedings of full hour and a
half into few words, the resolution
to place the city's water system on a
meter basis was taken from the table,
where it had reposed since Aug. 20. and
was adopted with a minor amendment,
while Chairman Patterson's request to
have the committee of the whole again
consider the Camp street sidewalk was
granted by a unanimous vote, after the
man from No. had submitted an esti-
mate on the cost of the work. an esti-
mate prepared by the city engineer
The special session was not without
its rhetorical pyrotechny as usual, but
the arguments advanced for and against
the meter resolution suffered little nor
changed greatly from their storage ex-
perience. Alderman Dawson was chief
among the dissentients. with Alderman
keefe quite strongly inclined to concur
with his neighbor from over in ward
four. Everybody else, with the possible
exception of the clerk, who voiced his
views just before the curtain went down.
seemed to favor the resolution. Ii was
on Alderman Hoban's motion that the
little document with the big possibilities
was taken from the table and subjected
to second reading by the clerk. From
his seat in front of the fire place, AL
derman Dawson assaiied the resolution
from several angles, declaring that the
money spent. viz, $4,000 festimated)
could better be diverted toward a new
reservoir; that the meter system en-
tailed hardship for the consumer, since
he must pay for water at meter rates
the year round for the simple sake of
conserving the supply for three months,
with millions of gallons going over the
dam to waste and the meadows below
in the other nine months.
Alderman Brown. who said he had al
ways favored the meter system even be-
fore its present need mad become ap-
parent, attacked the fiat rate method of
taxing on fixtures, instead of the amount
of water actually consumed. Only
through the meters would the public get
a square deal. Alderman Patterson sub
mitted that it would cost only $1,000
to install the meters in the stonesheds,
where as he claimed, the greatest waste
had been discovered. AT the request of
Alderman Hoban, chairman of the water
committee the clerk read lengthy com
ment on the advantages of the meter
system an article from the pen of Supt.
Frank n. Carpenter of the Northfield
water department. Soon afterwards the
,lerk and Alderman Dawson were found
favoring a system of water inspection.
setting up that it would avert the high
,ost of installing meters and prove just
IS effective if the inspections were made
Turing the months of May, June and
July. Alderman Patterson said the me-
ter system Law along the only honest
,ourse and Alderman Dawson said it
wasn't honest.
The latter moved an amendment to
he resolution which would provide for
he appointment of three inspectors to
tisit the consumers in the months al
eadv mentioned His motion to amend
vas not seconded. Alderman Bancroft
moved an amendment to the original
esolution which would place all new
onneetiens ON the meter basis. IL was
econded and in the next moment, Alder
nan Hoban was calling for an oral vote,
which had the following outcome; Yes,
Ioban, Patterson. Bancroft, Brown,
Iayor Ward; no, Dawson and Keefe.
The Meter Resolution.
For the benefits of those curious few
Tho may wonder what kind OF II reso-
uton could possibly keep the kettle
boiling through three successive meet
1gs. it is given here in full For the
urpose of conserving our city water
upplv, maintaining its efficiency, pre-
enting any undue waste and the estab
shment of a system that will insure
Just and equitable payment by all
atrons of city water for the amount OF
ater used by them and for what we
elieve to be for the best interests of
ne public,
BE it resolved, that the whole
city water system be placed on
meter service and that the water
committee is hereby instructed to
take whatever steps that may be
necessary to carry the resolution
into effect, and further,
THAT said meter service shall
first be put into effect at the manu-
featuring plants and blocks connect
ed with the system and all new
services and later with all house
hold and other services connected
Herewith.
THE installation of said meter
system to be completed at as early
date as the finances of the city
will allow
A resolution appropriating $4,000 to
art the system in operation was aft
wards passed to a second reading.
Another Matter Resurrected.