Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-07-09
COUNCIL MAKES CLEAN SWEEP
New Water Commissioners and
Superintendent Elected.
Old Officials Decline to Give Up Their
Positions and Some Fun May Re
suIt If They Decide TO
Stick.

Burlington now has two sets OF water
commissioners and two superintendent
of the water department. The first con-
sist OF Messrs. c. II. Jones' A. H. Rutter
and Jules Simays, who were deposed by
the city council Thursday night, and Su-
perintcndent Kidder, whose office was de-
clared vacant by n meeting OF a new
board Of water commissioners elected
Friday morning by the council The new
set of commissioners Is Peter r. Grady
Fred S. Angus and David j. Leonard
Tho have elected w. II. Wilson superin-
tendent. The old board of commissioners
and The superintendent refuse to bulge.
They claim they have not been ousted
from office and will continue to perform
their duties until something happens that
Is more decisive and convincing than any
thing that has yet appeared
THE NEW COMMISSIONERS
The city council met at nine O'Clock
Friday morning in response to a call
issued by Mayor Burke, which to tn,
effect that a session would he held for the
purpose OF filling the offices OF water COM
missioners. which we're vacant The
meeting was n very short one, not occu-
plying more than ten minutes. Peter f.
Grady was elected to succeed c. H. Jones
for the three year term. Mr. Grady re-
ceived votes to Clarence Cranes t. Da-
vid J. Leonard was elected to succeed a.
II. Rutter for the two year term and Fred
s. Angus was elected to succeed jules
Simays for the one year term. Mr.. Leon
ard defeated j. r. Reeves to 4.
| Later In the day the commissioners met
In the city clerks Office and organized ny
t,..fr ,,,I
Grady secretary. After organization the
commissioners elected w. II. Wilson, who
has been in charge Of the filtration plant
for some time superintendent of the
water department.
Some time later in the day the new COM
missioners and superintendent went to
the water Office and the commissioners
asked Superintendent Kidder to turn over
the KEYS of the office to them. Mr.. Kid
der refused. He said he wanted the COM
mssioners to put him out and suggested
that they get a policeman to accomplish
the Job. AS a substitute for this he sug-
gested that the commissioners put him
out. He added he would guarantee 20
make no resistance and that the KEYS
were in his hip pocket and easily obtain
able
That ended the incident for the time be-
ing and the commissioners departed.
Messrs. Jones and Simays were asked
| Friday afternoon what view they took
of the situation. Both replied that they
still regarded themselves as water COM
missloners. They had no notice to the
contrary beyond reading the newspapers.
! They said also that they had not been
derelct In the performance Of their du-
ties and that they were honest Both
had just returned from the regular meet
ing of the commission. which is held the
last Friday OF each month.
| Mr., Simavs said that ne had paid the
| water department for tho hot water heat.
err which he had been accused of stealing
and which the mayor had termed as q
criminal act by it's removal to his house.
Mr., Simays said that he had never had
| opportunity to pay for II as he had been
una bic to get a price on II, and he also
wanted to be sure that he paid enough
for Il, He said the price he had paid
was arrived al by the judgment of men
who We're competent and who were not at
all interested in the affairs OF the water
depa rtment The bill was paid in accord
ance with an entry on the department
books made last year in the hand writ
ing Of Oscar Hein!nger. the entry not
having price attached. a question mark
appears after the entry.
The object of the ousted officials not
quitting their Offices until actually put out
Is to save their rights in any litigation
that they may bring hereafter, and to all
appearances there will be plenty of litiga-
ton when the time comes.
Mr. Wilson is regarded by those who
know him to he a person wei! qualified
TO hold the position of superintendent OF
the water works. He has had the neces-
sary technical education. also much ex-
perience during the period of his service
at the filtration plant. The fact that
there is apparently to be fight in the
department is regretted by many.