The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-11-20
HUDDLED POPULATION
M BARRE REVEALED
Statements To and By the City Council
Showed That Some Portions of the
Population Are Living in Too
Restricted Quarters.

City council meetings still bark back
to the gloomy days of the flu. The
mounting cost of maintenance in the
charity department, an acceleration inn
mediately due to the epidemic, continues
to challenge serious thought upon the
part of the city fathers, but while the
matter of finances was lengthily dis
cussed again at the regular meeting last
night, attention was diverted for time
TO the sanitary problems growing out of
the epidemic. To the testimony given by
personal Investigators among the council
men were added the observations of Rev.
came in the course of travel through the
stricken areas last month.
1t transpires that congestion such as
one does not look for in Vermont towns
and cities exists in tenement houses and
blocks. Members of the council, the city
clerk and the clergyman bore witness to
visiting rooms where four and five and
six persons were accustomed TO sleeping
Other alleged unsanitary conditions were
mentioned. For instance, Alderman Nc
MILAN referred to a practice of convert
ing Easements into hen roosts and in ex-
treme cases, into pig sites. II was ar
gued that there is plenty Aof law in the
city ordinances to compel a renovation,
but Alderman Milne thought that the
council should not be content with pas
sive attitude in the matter, and to that
end he moved that the aldermanic health
committee and the local health depart
ment make systematic inspection of
premises under suspicion, the inspection
to be followed by orders to clean up. The
motion carried.
Previously Rev. Mr. Reardon had said
that delegation of the clergy waited on
the board of health when the epidemic
began to wane with the suggestion that
a health circular Incorporating timely
recommendations be issued from official
sources. 1t was proposed to have the
circular printed in English, Italian, Span
ish Syrian and French. The board of
health endorsed the suggestion, although
it was apparent that no action had been
taken.
Subsequent statements from the char
ity committee brought out more iBfoT-
nation concerning the sad estate into
which the INDECENT folks of this town
have fallen. Poor farm facilities, it was
said, are wholly inadequate, and in addi-
tion the city is facing an expenditure of
$4,000 in 1919 if the increased burdens
of the charity department are to be
borne The only solution, in the opinion
Of the charity committee, is an institu-
tion which shall be capaeious enough to
take care of impoverished adults, while
providing a home for children rendered
homeless by the epidemic. The commit
tee proposes to ask for special city
meeting, but in the meantime more data
is to be prepared, and at the next meet
ing of the board OF aldermen it is ex-
pected that w. H. Jeffries, the state com
missioner Of probation and charities, viii
be on hand TO advise.
The actual business transacted was
not of large account, but the extended
discussions took up good deal of the
councils time albeit the council felt that
the exchange Of views had been produc-
tive of much good.
A communication signed by f. j. Shea,
who purported Co speak for other petit
TONERS, reminded the council that a
street light to be located near the corner
of Walnut and fremont streets had been
requested last spring. The eommunica-
tion further stated that the need for the
light had not been eliminated, Alder
Continued on eighth page,)