The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-12
Public Meeting on Trolley
Franchise Is Pro-
posed
BOARD OF TR DE
ASI sd FOR 1T
City Counc' S.tot Eager but
Will ! to Partici-
pate

, -
3 The Barre Board Of Trade, through its
I president and secretary, has rendered its
good offices in an effort to give the Barre
4 Montpelier Traction & Power Co. some
of the things it has asked for in several
petitions looking toward the abrogation
of the franchise now in operation. At
the regular meeting of the board of al
dermen last evening, G. n. Tilden, the
president, and II. A. Phelps, secretary, of
the Board of Trade, appeared in the
council chamber and asked the eo-opera-
tion of the aldermen and mayor in call
ing a public meeting for the purpose of
discussing the franchise needs of Barre
and the traction company. Although
some of the aldermen did not warm to
the proposal, others thought that meet
ling of the sort proposed might prove
beneficial, and in the end it was left to
the council to call meeting in the opera
house sometime next week, the Board of
Trade representatives promising to have
c. H. Tenney and H. I. Sands of Boston
on the job to explain what they are seek
ing in the way of new franchise.
1t appears that the Board of Trade of.
ficials in taking up the cudgel for the
street railway company has reopened the
agitation summarily closed when the
council, at a meeting two weeks ago,
voted to table indefinitely the company's
latest idea of franchise. So Alderman
| Reynolds argued when he declared that
the proposed new franchise was a dead
| issue so far as the council was concerned
and that until the company submitted
something new the city fathers would
have nothing to work on. President Til
den, the first speaker for the Board of
Trade, expressed an opinion that a public
meeting might help to straighten out the
franchise matter and offered the Board
of Trade as medium for holding pub
lie gathering sometime in the near fu-
ture.
Secretary Phelps, in complementing
the presidents statement, said that the
railway company seemed to be at fault
in the matter as he understood it, but
expressed belief that an ,amicable set
|tlement-of difficulties might grow out of
a public meeting such as Mr.. Tilden had
advocated. He suggested that Mr.. Ten
ney and Mr.. Sands, president and gen
eral manager, respectively, of the Ten
ney company might be present and that
the meeting should be purely informal,
giving everyone an opportunity to talk.
Mr.. Phelps thought that the franchise
which the council rejected fortnight
ago might be read over and discussed.
Mayor Glysson gave it as his opinion
that the meeting could do no harm and
that some of the people who have been
the council for its attempt to
protect the city's rights might be en-
lightened Mr.. Phelps argued that the
city could not afford to lose its arteries
of travel, although he reiterated his for
mer statement that the council had done
wisely in rejecting the last franchise sub
mitted by the company.
Alderman Reynolds sprung something
Of surprise when he declared that per
sons favoring the street railway had been
conducting quiet agitation for the past
.hree weeks. He, too, had been horse
he said, and he intimated that
,thers in the council and outside had
been approached by persons working to
he end that the company might gain its
nds. Alderman Alexander said he could
Zee no harm in public meeting and
moved that the city council attend the
Meeting, if it were called by the Board of
'rade. Alderman Healy, who had taken
xception TO the statement of Alderman
reynolds that the council had disposed
f the last franchise, seconded the mo-
ion. Alderman Rossi objected on the
round that he didn't want to be forced
0 attend the meeting and the motion
-as withdrawn Before the Board of
rade officers withdrew, however, the al
ermen had given their tacit consent to
ttend the meeting and participate in
he discussion.
The New England Telephone Co., petit
oning through its general superintend-
1T, asked permission TO build under
round conduits and string wires therein
ong South Main street from a point
,uth of the Barre & Chelsea railroad
ack to the Mill street intersection. An
,plcation similar to that used when
orth Main street was paved and the
lies changed was presented and after
amining the application, permission
as granted. The permit carries with
the privilege of erecting distributing
les where necessary. George H. Col
mer. representing the same company,
ked and was granted permission to re-
ace n llhnntlt III AANhN VI Niit AANN tdhd
ilding Mr. Collsmer explained that
e old manhole needed a new rim and
yer and stated that the work would en-
Il the removal of few paving blocks.
A letter from Manager p. Gropelli of
. Cristoforo Colombo band asked per
ssion to fulfill the concert contract
de early in the season, the music max
having been postponed because Of the
arantine Alderman Rossi explained
It some Of the musicians are young
Is who are prohibited by the present
lrantine regulation from participating
public gatherings. The request was
erred to the mayors special hand COM
ttee
l resolution apprOpriating 81 900 70
city buildings account, $1,000 20 the
lth account and $4,000 20 the special
account was read by the clerk and
sed 20 a second reading Over-eer
liam Mcdonald. in a commun icat i0n
the aldermen. stated that an add
lal appropriation q SIS would BE- nec-
nv "a paw the August bills - the
ritv department The money was ap-
uriated aud q warrant IN favor 20 the
~..r~ n-rr.~rrrf Tho rrrfrss sF e.