Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-07-02
ALDERMEN VOTE SIX TO SIX
Board Equally Divided on
Charges against Supt. Kidder.
jority and Minority Reports, Dis
agreeing on Most Points-Mat-
ter Goes to City Council.

The opinion of the board of aldermen on |
the question of the mayors charge |
against j. Frank Kidder. superintendent |
of the waite" department., was fatty ex- |
pressed asst night when the committee |
made its report. The opinion was that |
six aldermen believed that the charges
in the main were true and had been sus-
tanned The other six entertained the OPP |
poste opinion.
There were two reports. The majority
report was signed by Aldermen Crane and
Boucher and the minority report was
submitted by Alderman Buell.. The for
mer found that the charges to large ex-
tent had been sustained. The latter found
| they were not sustained
Immediately after the two reports were
| read, Alderman Dion expressed the view
| that the city had been subjected TO a
| large amount of undesirable publicity
from the investigation and shat 1t was
well to close the matter up now. He
moved that the majority report be adopt
ed. Alderman Lamson agreed with Aid
erman Dion about the undesirable public
ity and he thought the best way out Of 1t
was to adopt the minority report. He
moved that the motion of Alderman Dion
|
report. Alderman Hall took occasion to
say that he regretted that such an inves-
tigat!on had been held and that II there
was any trouble in the depa rtment there
!, had been a time when it could have been
| remeded without all the publicity it had
| caused 1t certainly was no. an adver-
tisement for Bigger and Better Bur-
, llinGton." He said the attempt of those
| who were trying to put through the mo-
ton to adopt the majority Export were
playing a Skin game" and it was all
! wrong. Alderman Buell. said one could
Judge in what spirit the charges were
Brought when it had been stated and
proven that If Mr.. Heininger We're taken
back to the department the charges
against Mr.. Kidder would not have been
brought, Alderman Crane said the state
ment had been made but had not been
proven.
| The vote on Alderman Lamsons amend
ment to adopt the minority report was
lost by tie vote. Those who favored the
substitution We're: Aldermen Hall, Lam
son, Reynolds. Buell.. Walker and Drew.
Those against We're Aldermen Grafton,
Dion Boucher, Dwyer, Keislich and
Crane.
The vote on the adoption of the major
ity report made by Alderman Dion was
lost by similar vote. the lineup pro
and con being the same. the yeas of the
first vote changing places with the nays.
OTHER BUSINESS.
resolution was adopted authorizing
. the sale of the $4,000 refundng school
bonds to Oldham, Merrill & Co, they
being the highest of the nine bidders,
, The bid of the firm mentioned was below
par. 1t appeared that this sort of secur-
ity was not in demand at the present
time. and it was the opinion Of the board
| of finance that the bid had better be ac-
copied rather than go to the expense OF
l advertising for new bids The bonds are
four per cent issue. The bid of Mer-
r1l. Oldham & Co. Is SIC 90 under 500 900.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
A meeting Of the city council will he
, called for this evening, at which the
council will take UP for consideration the
report of the committee on the findings
of the aldermanic committee which made
the in tigation of the water depart
ment. 1t is generally understood that the
fate of the water commissioners hangs in
the balance In so far whether they
will retain their offices further or not.
The vote of the board OF aldermen taken
on the adoption of the respective reports
shows an equal division, six TO six. Any
. matter relating to the water department
, which might be brought to the attention
l. of the council would therefore probably
. find a seven to six vote the mayor has
= a vote.
O After last nights meeting the aldermen
fingered about their meeting place. and
y the spectators also. Some hot words
We're exchanged between ]. f. Whaler
/. and the mayor on the subject of whether
:, or not the mayor had always done his
4 duty. Supt Kidder made the state.
n ment that the mayor had been stealing
). water from the city for a number OF
/ years while he was conducting his black
- smith shop. and he also accused the
o mayor OF keeping the shop in an unsanl-
: tary condition.