The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-10-13

AT OLD BENNINGTON
Report of the Trustees for Year End
ing October

ing October
The following is the report of the
Trustees to tho annual meeting of
the voters OF the Village of Old Ben
nington, October 6, 1914:
TO the Legal Voters of Old Benning-
tor,
In presenting their annual report
your trustees feel that they cannot do
better than to make brief summary
Of the mere important work in the
nature of permanent Improvements,
undertaken during the year. This
work is, naturally, as a whole, addit
ional TO the work of ordinary years,
and has been made possible only
through the special bond issue of last
year.
lst. Authorized by the board of
trustees of last year, at the close of
their term OF Office but wholly car
ried out in the present year, first
place must be given to the somewhat
extensive improvement comprising
the new concrete sidewalk from the
lower line of the residence of NJ.
Spargo to the village limit at the
railroad track, together with the i'm
proving OF the main highway on West
Main street from the fountain to tho
railway crossing. This improvement
involved regarding, understanding
and re-surfacing the road, as we'll as
the installation of adequate catch
basins and paved gutter for carry
ing the surface water The work
was planned and supervised by the
government engineer, Mr.. Winslow,
and your Trustees believe that the
resulting improvement in the high.
way is too obvious to call for any
commnet
2nd. At the south end of the vii
lage we have executed an important
and long-needed improvement. At
Elm street and Monument avenue
two large steel culverts have been in
stalled, together with the necessary
bitches and catch-basins, and the
road from a point above the resi-
dence of Mr.. Holden to the corner OF
and underdrained. Your trustees be
lieve that. having regard to their
great value in preventing for great
many years to come. the disagreeable
and dangerous conditions which have
prevailed there in past years. the
expense involved in the stallation of
the steel culverts mentioned abund.
antly iustifies itself as an economic
measure.
sd. Regarding the bank road, so.
called, as one of the most important
parts of the highway system of the
village your trustees undertook a
very necessary improvement there.
From the junction of Catamount lane
and the bank road to the railroad
crossing the road was widened, ditch
ed, re- surfaced and underdrained, the
necessary catch-basins being install
ell. This road is now in very good
shape and makes a much better en-
trance to the village for the large
number of automobiles and other We
hicles using il.
fth. On Mount Anthony street.
from Mrs. patersons 10 Academy
street distance OF over 800 feet.
new concrete sidewalk has been laid
II is worthy OF remark that this
work was done by our own en-
ployees, without the Intervention of
a contractor at considerable saving,
the total cost of the work was about
Sl25 less than the lowest bid receiv-
Cd for the wo.k, Notwithstanding the
fact that the work was actually car.
ried out according to specifications
greatly superior to those for Which
the much highe- bid was made. As
this sidewalk was constructed upon
the basis OF an equal division of the
cost between the respective proper
tN owners aid the Village. the actual
cost to the village Of this gorat pub
lie improvement was only about 1896.
9Th. From the corner near the
Walloomsac inn across to the brook
We have underd rained the road.
ditched both sides and installed
catchbasins. thus doing away with a
great deal of mud in wet weather.
9Th For many years past. in the
rainy periods. that part OF Monument
avenue near Harry Shields residence
has been rendered unsightly. dis
agreeable, and even dangerous. by
reason Ct the great accumulation OF
water there. rendering that part of
the road mud-hole From time TO
time in past years various attempts
have been made TO correct this evil.
but with small success. our trustees
believe that as a result of adequate
understanding. with catchbasins. con
nected up with the undertaking on
West Main street they have. at very
small cost to the Village. permanent
ly remedied the trouble at this point.
9TH. Walloomsac street has been
greatly improved by grading. ditching
and thing TO care for the surface
water. The highway here is In very
good shape now TO the village limits.
Sth. BY removing the old and use
less water-bars on Monument avenue
between bank road and West Main
street the grade has been made cas-