Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-04
Appropriation for Armories May
Help Burlington toward One.
Committee Reports on Proposed Amend
ments to the City Charter and Is
Given More Timc--MayOr
Vetoes Sheriffs Bill.

MILK L. POWELL Sd1u on the SUBJECT
there Is no reason to think the city
may not have a hall in the future which
will be suitable to the needs of all con-
ventions that may come here In
brief. the idea Is to take advantage Of
the State appropriation for the building
Of armories, the sum Of $4,000 being
appropriated In Vermont for the pur-
pose each biennial period. AS Bur
lington has two militia companies it
would be entitled to $4,000. Further
than this there Is a pending Legislative
measure by which the city may enter
into a contract with the state to build
its armory at once and receive the state
appropriation in installments
The committee on charter revision
reported several amendments that
might be made to the advantage of
the city: the mayor sent in his veto OF
the bill for the keep of prisoners de-
tanned In jail for the non payment Of
house rent; Senator Powell told the
board that in his opinion the taxes
against the shares of Burlington Trust
company stock held in trust for Mrs
II. l.. Ward were a collectable asset of
the city and several other matters Of
Importance were considered.
THE CONVENTION HALL
I Senator Max L. Powell, in addressing
the board. said that the city's need OF
suitable convention hall was appar-
ent and that there seems to be solu-
ton of the problem at hand. Burling
ton at the present time has two militia
companies and Is in need of armory
room. The matter of building armories
for the state of Vermont is In the hands
of an armory board and the state has
the right to appropriate $4,000 every
two years for an armory. In making
these appropriations the state has the
right to exact the condition that the
city or town desiring an armory furnish
a site for the same. AS Burlington has
two companies We have the right to a
double armory, or $4,000 appropriation.
The best possible site is the city market
ground. and should the city see it to do
nate this for $4,000 building 1t would
not only give us the advantage OF a con-
vention hall but would clean up
an unsightly spot in the center
of the city as well. Senator Powell also
stated that he had Just introduced a bill
which had passed the Senate and had been
favoraby reported on by the House COM
mittee which had II in charge, to the ef-
feet that the adjutant and inspector-gen-
eral would have the right to enter into
a contract with a city. town or individual
for the construction of an armory by
which the State may pay for the armory
as soon a 1t is able This would enable
Burlington to build its armory when il
pleased and get the money from the State
, in installmentso of $4,000 each two years, II
the people of the city were willing, the
sum required to build the armory could
he raised by bond issue.
There was some discussion Of the matter
and Alderman Lamson introduced tbs
following resolution:
Resolved. That the city attorrsw confer
with Senator Max L. Powell in the prep
aration of a bill TO be presented to thu
Legislature empowering the city Of Bur
lington to enter into a contract with tn
State of Vermont for the erection Of al
armory for the city of Burlington
Alderman Keislich remarked in connec
ton with what had been said on the sub
iect that he had talked with some of tn
members of the armory board and that n
understood Burlington would be entitled
to s62, 800 for the city has not only tW'
militia companies hut hospital corps a
we'll
ON TANNING TRUST FUNDS.
Senator Powell also had something t
. say on the subject OF taxing the 81 share
of Burlington Trust company stock whic
is held by the bank In trust for Mrs. War
and claimed as exempt from local taxation
as being trust fund Mr.. Powell sal
? that in his fathers estate were 81 share
of Trust company stock which wer
taxed in Burlington. although the presi
dent of the Trust company, who owne
81 shares, was only assessed the Stat
tax of seventh tenths of one per cent
and had escaped local taxation so faI
Mr.. Powell said that 1t struck him tina
t these taxes against the stock held Il
@ the capacity mentioned by Mr., War
was an asset of the city and collect
1 able one also He added that It was tn
: only property in the State that escape
t local taxation by what he termed
e | quasi-trust Senator i>owell furthe
d averred that the unpaid tax in the yea
a of 1913 was undoubtedly collectable be
t cause, in his opinion, the city assessor
d had given the owner OF the stock tn
f proper notice that tho same was assess
i able and had placed 1t In the list II
3 thought the olty had been lame in nr
giving the proper notice on the assess
j. ment of 1914. He suggested that Judg
g Mower counsel for the Trust compan,
:, had once offered In behalf of the Trus
=. company to leave the question to Jude
= Rowell and to abide by his decision q
q to whether the trust stock mentione
h was assessable locally or not. and :,
= advised the board that an attempt /
made % obtain renewal Of the offe
q He also quoted an opinion OF Chief Ju.
/. tice Rowel when the latter was actin
v as associate justice In the hearing
II n similar tax case Justice Munson hel
10 that It was evidently not the purpose
| the legislators to discriminate in fave
% OF the bank as trustee Of funds as again:
= the Individual In the same capacit!
n city Attorney Sherman was not a
). together in agreement with Senate
, Powell as to his Interpretation OF tn
n law relative to tho assessors OF the cit
., giving proper notice in 1918 to the trustt
n IN the Burlington Trust company cas-
= and said he would like further time
which to look the matter UP,
!, 1t was finally decided to give the cit
attorney further time and to ascertai
- | whether or not a renewal Of the OFF
. Of Judge Mower relative to submittir
:, the question to Judge Rowell or SON
other competent authority could be OF
4 tanned.
* CITY CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
W The committee appointed for II
r purpose OF considering amendments
Y, the city charter made Its report. Anon