The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-27
Apparently to the Satisfac-
tion of City Council on
Trolley Franchise e4i
SOME CONCESSIONS
BY THE CORPORATION
But Regulation and z IS
Are Much Moot !
Questions $

Officials of the Barre Z iontpelier
Traction & Power Co az city coun-'
ell met in another conf at city hall
last evening, and the = llts of which
have opened the door to continued nego-
tations and may lead to the sale of the
present franchise for the proposed fran
chise which the citizens repudiated at the
public meeting last Friday night. Some
of the council men were in trading
mood and as the two parties to the pro-
posed contract went down the line with
the counter offer of the traction COM
pany, it was discovered that the traction
officials were ready TO make a number of
minor concessions, although the subject
of fares and regulation by the public
service commission continued to consti-
tute snag. Il
Mayor Glysson called the meeting to
order at s o'clock and Immediately the
council was confronted by query from
Alderman Rossi as to who had asked for
the special session. He described the sit
uation as peculiar and thought that re-
sponsibility for bringing them together
should be fixed at once. Apparently he
thought that the traction company had
taken the initiative, as he said he ex-
pected new statement from Mr.. Sands.
The mayor did not offer to solve the
mystery any more than to say that the
company got its knocks at the citizens
meeting and that he was always ready
to give its officials chance to come back.
The buck was finally passed to Alderman
Alexander when Supt G. F. Millar of the
company stated that the member from
ward 6 had called at his office and asked
for or suggested a meeting. Alderman
Alexander was not present until later in
the evening and the explanation stood.
Previously Vice. President Sands said he
had read in The Times that be had RE-
quested the meeting, which was news to
him, he added
The railroad was represented by HI. t.
Sands, the vice-president, f. E. Gleason,
attorney for the company, and Supts.
c. F. Millar of Barre and H. ID. Larrabee
of Montpelier. There was talk at the
outset about fares and regulation and on
those two points the two parties split,
but the suggestion was made and car
ried out that other features of the tenta-
tive franchise be read and approved or
rejected. Alderman Healy came out fat
footedly for regulation by the public
service commission. His colleagues stood
pat, although Mr.. Sands divulged the in
formation that under the present fran
rhise the company could exact l5-cent
fare and there would be no appeal, pos
sibility which the city clerk considered
somewhat remote, inasmuch as the COM
oany is still leaning on the well-known
aw of self preservation. Apropos P. s.
. regulation, Mayor Glysson said the
people of Barre preferred to handle their
,wn business. Atty. Gleason quoted
someone as fearing that politics IN the
, s. C. might work to the disadvantage
If the city. Going on the assumption
hat politics count with the commission
rs. he went on, the chances are that they
vould operate in favor of whole COM
ounitv rather than in the interests OF
he traction company.
The city clerk proposed a board OF
hree citizens to act as board OF appeal
Alderman Alexander later suggested
oard of seven. three to be chosen by the
itv. three bv the company and one by
he first six. The officials did not believe
hat they could act impartially in trac-
ion matters. There was a somewhat
Gated colloouy over workingmen's fares
etween Alderman Alexander and Mr.
ands and then it was decided to exam
,e the tentative franchise piecemeaI,
ithout, however, paying any attention
, the matters of fares or regulation
Evidently the suggestion was worm
hile and in the light of what transpired
is to be believed that the council ana
,e company were about two years over
ne in getting together on the basis OF
or rejecting. section by section
ttv. Gleason read the franchise and ire
lentIv City Atty. William Wishart was
lied upon for opinions. In lieu OF any
DIVISION for extension, the company Of
,ials consented to inserting words which
in bind the traction people to an exten-
m to the CITY limits in the south end
henever so ordered by the public sery-
, commission. In the matter OF chang
. pole and track locations, the council
ked that the burden of making the
anees be borne by the city Both par
5 finally compromised on a $3.50 basis.
question arising as to who should de
Ie whether the removal Of snow and
from the tracks is satisfactory was
cided BY leaving the matters 20 the
-eet committee. There was much talk
er workingmen's fares and finally Il
S decided 20 have the officials draft a
ledule Of cars and special fares TO be
omitted TO the council for its approval.
individuals who dig under the tracks
otherwise change temporarily the ap-
iranee Of the highway over which the
ID runs must replace the roadway az
.ir own expense unless the work 10
le under the supervision Of the city.
is much was decided with Atty. Wish
siding with the company in their con-
tion that the railroad should not b
4 accountable for work which sverv
ividusl wished to do on his own ini-
tive. In the matter Of bridge con-
nction. the proposed franchise hsd
' little 70 offer. but the company
Illv consented to pay one-third of ths
of construction whenever = bridge =
ted over which The company may