The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-07-31
For First Tenement Use of
Water on Barre Wa
ter System
S6 FOR EACH OTHER
TENEMENT CHARGE
City Council Decided on the
Rates at Special Meet
ing Last Night

One of the most vexing questions that
has confronted the present city, admin
istration was practically settled last
night when the council in an adjourned
session voted to accept in part the rec
concentrations embodied in a report on
local water conditions, recently submit
ted by f. H. Crandall, Burlington en-
gineer, and fixed a minimum annual rate
| of SS for the first tenement and Sc for
each additional tenement connected with
the city water system. Not without n
good deal of debating was decision
reached. For nearly three months now,
the council has been considering the prob
lens arising from a desire to fix an
equitable rate schedule and consequently
much of the discussion that preceded
final action last night consisted of argu-
ments that were warmed over from the
Tuesday night meeting and other ses-
sions.
From the outset, apparently, there has
been wide variety of opinions on the
question and this fact was never more
emphatically brought out than last even
ing, when meeting called at o'clock
had waddled into the later hours before
the councillors got right down to the bus
mess of declaring themselves by vote.
Alderman Rossi early glued his opin-
ion to the theory that $40 minimum,
or double minimum of $40 and Sc could
not be surpassed. He elung doggedly
TO that proposition and refused to be
budged. He gave his reasons, too, for
standing pat. Others were in a more
compromising mood. As for instance,
Alderman Glysson, who reminded his
colleagues that the idea of changing the
had terminated in desire to
conserve the water supply without de-
creasing the revenue.
Additional evidence that in the past |
the water department did not adhere
strictly to the published rates on the
meter card was Forthcoming when Super
II. o. Lee produced a table
showing the results of six months with
meter in various stores, tenements,
blocks and dwellings. The table GOV.
sred period of months and bore only
on connections that have been metered.
II showed that S49l.32 was the sum
actually paid by the consumers in that
lime, that S64l75 was the sum which
'hould have been paid had the apparent
Element of discrimination been eliminat-
d from the collector of water revenue in
hat period, and that under the proposed
chedule recommended by Mr.. Crandall
he revenue would have been S5T5.35.
The Crandsll report sets forth sched-
lie of meter rates and advocates a $40
rate and Alderman Rossi
cuched off the argumentative fuse when
le moved that the report be accepted
ogether with the $40 minimum. Mo.
ions and counter motions were in the
ir for two hours afterward. Once az
east two members were for dumping
he meter scheme into the brook, or con.
igning il 70 some other frequently heard
( resort, but neither OF them was TAX
n seriously nor did they mean to have
heir views Interpreted seriously. Alder
IAN Shurtleff offered TO amend Mr.. Ros-
i's motion by slicing the $40 minimum
, So, but nothing came of the sugges-
on. The council appeared 20 be as one
! favoring the Crandall schedule OF me
r rates and the divergence Of views q
,me solely on the minimum.
Il was Alder-Hn Glysson who finally I
owed in favor Of the eight aud six com y
nation and his motion was seconded bv !
lderman Bruce. On the oral vote, Al !
'men Bruce, Glysson and Shurtleff sup 4
1rted the motion and the mayor said he
ould follow sui. II he were called upon y
vote. Aldermen Rossi and Cook voted o
the negative. >
According TO the Crsndail report. the q
flowing rate schedule should become y
,erative II the city follows out its an. a
,unocd purpose Of shifting the system n
the meter plan; ts
FIRST 5000 cubic feet Of water or any
n thereof 20 cents per 100 cubic feet. q
Next 1000 cubic feet or any part there "
u cents per 100 cubic feet b
Next 1900 cubic feet o. any part Vi
ereof. eight cents per 100 cubic feet. er
over $4,000 cubic feet. three cents per AZ
cubie feet.
Before adjournment, The matter of re-
ing The fat rates was discussed. but
action taken.