The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-30
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
w. ]. CLAPP'S STATEMENT
Concerning His Dealings as 0verseer OF
the Poor.

Editor Barre Daily Times,
Barre, Vt.
Dear Sir:
Owing to the item in your valuable
paper of April Is entitled Claim Ex
Overseer Did Business with the City," |
feel that few explanations ought to be
made in order that the citizens and vot-
ers of Barre may know the truth in re-
gard to matters contained in said article
pertaining to me as overseer of the poor.
In regard to that part of the statement
which refers to myself and Mr.. 4. Letter
being in company in the wood business,
wish to deny that statement, the fact
being that | bought four loads of hard
wood, dry birch edgngs at So per load;
that each of those loads of edgings con
tanned three running cords of edgings, or
one solid cord; that the four loads con-
tanned IL running cords of edgings or
| four solid cords of edgings, or approx
mately that amount, for which / paid
$l2; that at that time, was paying So
for running cord of l4inch hard block
wood, so if | had used the $l2 for buy
| ing l4inch wood | could have purchased
only four running cords of wood, or one
and one-third solid cords, but instead OF
doing that, / considered it was for the
interest of the city of Barre that / get
four solid cords of hard wood edgings in
stead of one and one-third cords OF IA
inch hard block wood, and consequently
! bought the edgings from Mr.. Letter, for
which | gave him check as overseer OF
the poor of the city of Barre, and which
edgings, before ] bought them, had alb
solutely no interest of any kind in, and
by this transaction the city got solid
cord of wood for 50 instead of running
cord.
In regard to the items for bookkeep
ing, paid in the year 1915 for all the
bookkeeping pertaining to the oyerseer
of the poor's business myself. also
paid for several small items which prop
erly belonged to the city OF Barre to
pay, for which ] made no charge to the
city Of Barre, but beginning with the
year 1916, owing to quite good deal OF |
work which ! was putting into the office |
which did not properly pertain to the |
oyerseer of the poor, but which was for |
the interest OF the city of Barre, | felt |
that the city of Barre should pay for the |
bookkeeping, and | took this matter up |
with the charity committee and they |
agreed with me that ii should be paid |
and that | include it in my monthly |
bills. Each and every bill, whether it
was for bookkeeping, for wood. for gro
ceries, for shoes. or for wha liver other
purpose it might have been Tor, was APP
proved by at least ii majority Of the
charity committee, and then stamped by
the chairman, who was o. d. Shurtleff.
During the year 1916 the charity com
mittee was fully aware of the bookkeep-
ing items and approved of the bills month
by month as they came along; that the
business for the year 1916 was presented
to the auditors of the city Of Barre some
time in January, 1917, and the books
were audited and vouched for by them;
that no new arrangement or condition
existed between that time and April /,
when | ceased to be overseer of the poor
of the city of Barre; that soon after
April /, | presented my books in accord
ance with the charter and ordinances of
the city OF Barre, to the auditors of the
sity of Barre. in order that the same
might be audited in accordance with the ,
,ity charter for the time between Dec.
81 and April !, and these items which
The auditors are now questioning are of .
he same character as those which two ,
If the same auditors namely, d. j. Sui
ivan and William Stevens, approved of, s
'or the full year of 1915, consequently | =
,annot see why there should be any
question raised at this time in regard to q
aid items. The items for making up
he annual reports were for assistance on {
he bookkeeping end which had been
AIRED for by the bookkeeper for the year, \
Consequently were of the same nature as a
he bookkeeping items above referred to.
There are few other minor items in
aid article which to my mind are of no
Importance. and which are incorrect as
tated in The Times
| cannot help feeling that any honest e
minded citizen who reads this article will b
,e convinced that ] have not done any
hing relative TO the matters contained S
erein but what had right to do, and S
which was for the best interest of the
ity of Barre.
Relieving that have fully answered
verything that needs to be answered
ertaining to this matter, am,
Respectfully yours,
W. j, Clapp,
Fx-0verseer of the Poor of the City