The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-01-15
Appropriation for Walk on
Vernon Street Is
Held Up
EAST LINE OF
STREET is FIXED
No Provision for Sidewalk in Contract
Between Town and Railroad-WaIk
at Base of Ledge on West Side
Might Be Dangerous

The continued lack pf sidewalk on Yer |
non street, provisionj for which was speci- |
fed in the appropriation of $4,000 made |
at the town meetingI in March, 1912, has /
caused numerous inquiries as to the rea-
sons for the delay.
In the resolutions adopted at the town !
meeting in March, 1872, was one appoint
ing special committee consisting OF j. i.
| Mellen G. A. Harris and J. L. Stockwell to
have charge Of the expenditure Of the spe-
eial sidewalk appropriation. Embodied in
the resolution was the following:
e" and that sad committee are fur
| ther requested to construct such sidewalks
along the routes and courses mentioned in
| the public press of Brattleboro and also
along Vernon street from the factory Of
the White River Chair Go, northerly so far
as the manufacturers are satisfied that the
bounds of the street are permanently es-
tabIshed and thence northerly to Bridge
street when the bounds shall have been
finally established and constructed
/ There Is left from the appropriation OF
(S2e.00 especially devoted to the construc-
ton Of new sidewalks the sum Of 81 $1,000
which has been held since that time for
the building Of a sidewalk on Vernon
street. The commissioners said this
morning that they could not build the
sidewalk at the time they built the others
because the street was not laid ont. Act
ing on their instructions embodied in the
resolution above quoted they did the next
best thing and set aside sum for the
building of the sidewalk when it should be
possible.
The selectmen said this morning that
: Vernon street had not been laid out from
Bridge street to the Standard Oil Go. 5
5 plant The reason FOR this is that the
town and the railroad company are unable
! to agree tie rather important question
Il of what the width of the street should be.
n Back in the days when the Vernon street
! improvements were being made it was the
}. intention OF the town to have a street two
G rods wide In the contract for the blasting
Of the ledge the requirement was that the
n contractors should blast out for the street
< a workable width Of - feet There Is nc
8 dispute that this was done Now the rail
IS road says the east line Of this has beer
n fixed and that if the town wants 33 feet
r in width from that line there is nothing t
s do but blast the remaining necessary fee
out of the ledge The town fathers do no
believe this Is desirable expense
le To lay sidewalk along the base Of th'
k ledge the seleetmen fear may not be tn
l5 most advisable thing as it might be dan
Id gerous in such weather as the present
possible danger from icicles.
The railroad officials say there is no US
in fussing over the width OF the street fo
~ there is all OF the vacant space east q
~ the street which can be used TO drive upo
as is necessary. The selectmen realize tha
If they place the sidewalk on the east sid
as OF what they really have for highway
will be necessary to drive over it to get
cars if the fiat is TO be used bul
yard, or to storehopses il any should /
erected there as has been anticipated.
- That is where the situation rests so "a
- as the upper end of the street is concerne,
) Regarding that part Of the street from Il
&, standard OIL Co.'S plant south to Il
VI White River Chair Co. the selectmen 81
- that there was delay there because of Il
81 necessity for big fill near the Judge pro
erty and the time required for that to Sc
i tie. Before a sidewalk can be laid the
- must be more of fill for that and it is
40 very expensive job