Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-04-04
CITY GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZES FOR 1918
Mayor jackson, in Annual Mes
sage, Serves Notice on Any
Who May Have Hoped Other
wise That Liquor Law Will Be
Rigidly Enforced.

II. A. Luck was elected president, and
Mayor jackson read his message, the city
council went into executive session and
elected the city officials. Some changes
were made, but not many. Three MEM
bers Of the board were elected to as many
commissions. As a logical sequence to the
entrance Of women into city politics, Mrs.
j. H. Middlebrook was elected ceme-
terry commissioner.
Every member of the council was
present at the meeting. Seven newly
elected aldermen were sworn in by City
Clerk Corley. These comprised three
aldermen new to the business in the per-
sons Of George d. Mcbride, F. A. Deyette
and ]. p. Ladd F. ]. Dwyer, who has
been an alderman before but was elected
after an absence Of term or two; and
]. L. Hall. v. A. Bergeron and E. B.
Bessett, who had been reelected.
E. B. Corley was reelected city clerk
without any opposition as was L. G.
Grant to the office Of treasurer and
trustee of the U. S. deposit fund.
Then some changes came in with the
appointment Of Thurman w. Dix to the
office of city engineer, in place OF Jesse
H. Sinclair. Mr.. Dix is on the engineering
faculty Of the Univerity Of Vermont.
Clarence r. White. who formerly held the
office, was elected grand Juror, in place
of Ezra M. Horton, whose name was
not brought UP. City Attorney H. 8.
Peck was elected to succeed himself. as
was Constable J. s. Denning. A new thing
happened in Burlington politics when
Mrs. ]. H. Middlebrook was elected O
cemetery commissioner, succeeding s. L.
Platka.
John l.. Bergeron was elected street
commissioner for three years in place Of
r. T.. Burgess, who Is i'll and was not q
candidate.
E. B. Bssette, the alderman, was
elected a water commissioner for three
years to succeed Jules Simays.
F. E. Perkins was elected to succeed
himself as fire commissioner for three
years.
Charles Caisse was elected electric light
commissioner for three years to succeed
Claude d. Grafton, who has left the city.
Edward Lavallee will succeed himself
for three years as police commissioner.
DIR. p. E. insolvency was again elected
to the board Of charities, for three years.
Joseph Frank was again elected to the
board Of health, also for three years.
Dennis O'Day and T. w. Dix are the
fence viewers, Solomon Mellow is the
pound keeper, Earl M. Pressey is in
custodian Of the city scales.
There were three contests. H. 8. Peck
was reelected city attorney, receiving
eight votes to five for T. E. Hopkins;
c. r. White was elected grand Juror.
receiving seven votes to six for A. j.
Simays; ]. L. Bergeron was elected street
commissioner, receiving seven votes to
six for r. l.. Patrick
MAYOR JACKSON'S MESSAGE.
To the Honorable Board Of Aldermen:
To-day begins another year in the life
of our city as municipal corporation.
We who are charged with administering
the affairs of the city will be expected
,, to discharge the duties and responsible
ties of our several offices faithfully and
we'll All this will require some personal
sacrifice on our part; but we have ac-
copied the trust committed to us and SO
must be true to it.
I wish to congratulate the new men,
bers of this board upon their election and
note with pleasure the presence OF
| former members who have again been
elected to this body and whose expert
ence will go far in assisting US in our
duties.
Such matters as shall demand our at
tention should be given careful and stu
dious consideration and the new problems
met and solved with the sole idea of ben
citing our people and improving our city
APPOINTMENTS FOR WOMEN.
Under the law enacted by the Legisla-
ture Of 1917, women now can vote at the
annual city meeting held in March.
Many Of them qualified and voted at the
recent election In view of this law and
Of this fact see no reason why some ap-
| INF, 20 ~
be made to such positions as they are
we'll qualified to I'LL. and 1t Is my purpose
| to give this large class Of voters recogni-
ton.
! / may suggest in this connection, that
women who have been given these en-
larged rights and privileges will see the
propriety Of having the law amended SO
that their property qualifications to vote
will be at least equivalent &c the grand
list of person who pays a poll tax:
that Is the sum of $500.
The number of people who come to our
city for pleasure and to trade, and the
number Of tourists who visit our city
| and who do not register at hotel. Is in
creasing year by year. think the city
should have a room centrally located and
suitably fitted up for the convenience of
the male portion Of such people. We have
ly proper, and a room for similar pur-
poses, properly designated. might be set
apart for the sole use of men and boys
who thus visit our city. / shall make q
specific suggestion on this subject to
the board of aldermen at a later date.
MAIN STREET SHOULD BE I'M.
PROVED.
1t seems to me that Main street, which
Is the chief thoroughfare from the union
station to the center of our city, should
this year be put into proper condition.
The curb lines should be Strengthened and
set back on their original lines and the
road bed permanently repaired. The
street should also be furnished with
sufficient lights. The entrance to our
city from the station should be inviting
rather than remain a subject Of Just
criticism.
notice with pleasure that the school
commissioners are considering the in
PRODUCTION into our schools of some fea
lures of what Is called physical culture.
am heartily in favor of this action
The physical examination of the young
men recently drafted into the army shows
the absolute need of the school depart
ment giving attention to this matter.
While we provide for mental and moral
training we should not forget to provide
for the training Of the body, IL we are
to have strong young men equal in ply
steal form and endurance to our fathers
Every year the poll taxes of n large
number Of persons have been abated. OF
this number there were: Persons under
81 years OF age whOsf lists vero taLo,,