The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-04-25

Various estimates place the number
OF people in the opera house at 750 and
900 and 1000 when City Clerk James
Mackay called the meeting to order
shortly before o'clock. Practically every
seat in the auditorium was occupied.
standing room at the rear was at pre-
MUM and in the gallery there was an
overflow of voters with here and there
a sprinkling Of women and children. II
the truth were known, it is probable
that the special meeting called by the
mayor April IA can boast the largest
attendance of any similar gathering
since the city was chartered. Splendid
order prevailed and the usual ELUSIVE
flights of oratory were outnumbered 10
to one by sensible discussions Of the Is.
sues involved. Most of the speakers
and they were many-were reasonably
brief and few soareds to the ceiling in
voicing their views. After the readins
of the warning, Frank c. Rowland was
elected moderator and the meeting set
tied down to business.
Interest centered chiefly around the
to exempt the Barre Hotel COM
pany from taxation. Undoubtedly that
was the prime reason for the heavy at
tendance of voters, although there were
other important measures in the warn
ing. Discussions pro and con the fourth
article, which related to hotel exemp-
ton, lasted nearly two hours. and by
that time probably a round hundred had
left the house. Apparently very
strong sentiment to grant the exemp-
tion request was at one time threatened
with disruption over the desire of many
to stipulate union labor on the construe-
ton work. That was the principal bone
of contention and it was only when the
of the union labor feature,
upon certain representations from the
petitioners for exemption, gracefully
Welded point to the other side that
The question was submitted to ballot.
n b. Ballard. Judge A. G. Fay. +. T..
smith, Richard Gibson. ex-Alderman
William Brown and ex-Alderman A. NJ.
Rossi were appointed tellers and bal
oting began around $3.50 o'clock. For
30 minutes the business of the meeting
vas held mp while hundreds of voters
,warmed across the stage to register
heir ballots. Careful estimates fix the
number of men who voted at $50. To
insure exemption, it was necessary for
'05 favorable voters. whose property
Constitutes one-half of the grand list.
-oting, to mark their ballots IVES Aft
II balloting had ceased motion pre-
'ailed to keep the polls open until @
lcloclI tonight, so that when the bus. :.
ness of the meeting properly concluded
{ 80 o'clock, it was not followed by
djournment.
Instead, deputation of tellers re-
NAMED in charge of the boxes through
he remainder OF the night and were re.
eved by others this morning. All dur
ng the day men frequently appeared
o vote on the question. IL was figured
hat heavy vote would have been cast
y o'clock tonight. Some little time
ill then be consumed in aseertaining
he outcome.
Salaries at Present Figures.
Quick action was taken on articles
vo and three. II was voted to pay the
ty clerk and treasurer the usual sti-
end and the salaries of the aldermen
{ 80 cents per hour. the auditors at 40
,nts per hour and the assessors at $3.50
er day were continued, in spite of
lotion made by Frank Caslani, which
ould reduce the aldermen and auditors
We cents each per hour.
The Hotel Exemption.
With the reading OF the fourth article.
le- one which had to do with hotel ex-
nption. John I. Csllaghan was on his
.et with a resolution from the city
lCnntin,,ed on secnnd naneA