The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-23
The MeddLer
If The coat fits you. put Il on"

In view of what he has said at va
rious times about the shortcomings of
the selectmen annual reports The
Meddler feels in duty bound to give
the present board credit for getting
out more comprehensive document
than is to be found in any recent ex-
hlbit of town finances. 1t goes into con
siderable detail concerning town mat
ers that have TRANSFERRED during the past
year, and from it the voters can get a
fairly comprehensive idea of the views
| of the town fathers on various munich |
pal topics.
| In speaking of the condition Of the |
town house the selectmen call attention |
to the fact that the stage scenery in the |
Auditorium is badly III need Of re
placement, and from this opinion it
would seem safe to assume that they
favored the article in the warrant pro-
q
to exceed 81 900 to repair said scenery
as well as the drop curtain. Whether
this appropriation is made is a question,
but there can be no doubt that the An
ditorium stage property has reached a
Estate of dilapidation that makes the
need of renovation almost imperative if
the theater is to be used as place for
frst-class dramatic offerings
The Meddler was somewhat surprised
a TO find no reference in the selectmen s
e report to the problem Of utilizing the
quarters in the town house that are
= soon to be vacated by the postoffice, al
n though the reason for the omission may
h be the fact that the selectmen have no
9 definite opinion as to what should be
j. done with the space for which the town
has been receiving 1900 year from
Q the federal government. The Meddler
! has already said his say on this subject.
i He believes that at least part of the
g room should be used for s.. able offices
d for the various tom officials with a
IS view to incrcas;ae T., oc,ei>acy with
n which town bus.ness is haadl If such
x a thing is posi- aae Ell present
O. Anticipated systea
IL The selectmen are sa7a tae 700 eeet
e of cement road laid o. Nr-. avs..ue
will prove to be dur N. MI Ne work
The Meddler wishes AIRED theil
. opinion. The total cost Of this strip OF
highway was approximately $500
lie which would make the cost per mile
X somewhere in the neighborhood Of
u $4,000. Certainly at that price til,
: road ought to be durable, and The Med
: dler hopes his misgivings in regard t,
r its construction are wholly unwarrant
so ed. 1t is interesting to note that TIL
Id special appropriation made last yea
for work on the Marlboro stage roa
Ut resulted in the construction of a littl
over 1000 feet of gravel highway at
:. cost of approximately 1880, and tina
the distance from the further end 0
20 this road to the Marlboro town line i
only 1850 feet. If this stretch wer
DO improved the coming year Brattlebor
would have done its share toward max
If. ing the Brattleboro-B Bennington turn
II. pike good enough to recommend to aut
he tourists.
do
no Evidently the selectmen are not yer
to much in favor of spending $4,000 9
or more to improve Vernon street. for the
to express the opinion that it is wise fC
at the town to defer all large constructio
IL work until the price of labor and mf
" terials becomes normal. The NEEDLE
:, ), has heard this opinion expressed b
st others; he also has heard the argumer
made that if any special appropriate
is to be made for highway work il ougf
il to provide fer improving Main stree
ty. Still another viewpoint is embodied
X this expressive utterance made Just I'll
ho other day by a business man: Il IN
favor OF improved highways, put
"a not in favor of spending another re
:, cent for road work in Brattleboro unit
l m convinced that the work is goin
ne to be done by somebody who knows no
to build roads, Many who read tn
So quotation will doubtless breathe a fe
/! vent Amen.
ky
But to get back to the selectmen S r
y port. Under the head of finances IL
town fathers point out that Temporal
loans amounting to $4,000 $4,000
tic them accumulated the past year. a
o1, now q part of the town s liahilitin