The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-22
Marriage 7 I'd the Low
est in <eSdunicipal His
S@J Of the Place
4ATHS RAN HIGH
BECAUSE OF EPIDEMIC.
Building Operations We're
Practically at Stand
still

The total number of births in Barre
during the year 1918 was 264, which was
nc more than during the preceding year,
according to the annual report submitted
to the city council last night by City
Clerk Mackay. The males numbered l4l,
or considerably more than one-half of
the total There were eight still births.
The parentage of the new born children
was about evenly divided between Amer
lean and foreign, there being 1877 Amer
lean mothers and la American fathers.
| The marriage total was at the lowest
point in the municipal history of Barre
and probably for a generation, there be-
ing only 46 marriages, as against 81 dur
| ing the year 1917 This situation is nm
Idoubtedly due to the war, which drew
many hundreds Of young men out of the
city In the 46 marriages there was an
equal division between American and
foreign bridegrooms, while the American
brides numbered 80 out of the 46
| The death statistics for the year have
not been reported by the health officer,
but it is certain that for the first time in
half century at any rate the deaths
have exceeded the births 1t is estimated
that the deaths will number around 800,
in contrast TO l45 during the preceding
/ year. The epidemic of influenza which
ragged during September and October was,
! of course, responsible for this condition
Following along the same lugubrious
details of the annual reports, it might be
we'll to state that the cemetery trust
fund commission, in submitting its an
nual report last night, reported a total
fund Of SlS,62j set aside for the care Of
lS4 lots in Elmwood cemetery and 1886
for 81 lots in Hope cemetery in the
Elmwood cemetery fund there is an un-
expended balance of income amounting
| to S6S7.S and in Hope cemetery Sl43.44
During the year the commission spent
S657.30 of the income from the Elmwood
funds and $l54s5 Of the Hope funds in
come. The total unexpended balance Of
the incomes Of the two cemeteries funds
is sSSl.26, Commissioner Cutler reported.
Building Operations at Standstill.
| A lower record in building operations
during the year 1918 is to be noted by
the annual report of the building inspec-
tor, Oscar Slayton. Not a single permit
for the erection of residence was grant.
ed during the whole ~ months. The
cause of this slackness can be traced TO
the war, activities of this sort being
frowned upon by the government. But
grist of minor permits were granted by
the inspector, the range OF building work
running from the construction of bee
house to remodeling of residences The
total cost of these minor operations was
estimated at S2l, ,765. Ward 5 easily led
in the number of these minor jobs. hav-
ing 1906 Of the $40. Wards and 6 were
poor seconds with go applications, the
third ward next with SO, ward ! and
ward coming in that order with 30 and
4s, respectively.
Wiring Inspector D. M. Gilbertson gave
a total Of 376 permits for the year, most
of which were for installing meters, al
though many were for motors and for
minor repairs. His report, like all the
other annual reports submitted last
night was ordered printed in the annual
report.
Little Litigation.
But if the city was not making much
progress along certain lines already emu
merated it was not getting into legal
trouble to any great extent. City Attor
ney William Wishart reported only one
case remaining in litigation, that of Col
Inns ct al VS. the city of Barre. The Park
Amusement Co, case was settled out Of
court, he reported. Attorney Wishart, in
closing his report, suggested the follow
ing: In the light of what has transpired
the citizens at their annual city meeting
while voting pay to their officers should
be more explicit as to their meaning Of
the same.
Although no specific mention was made
it was surmised by the city council that
the city attorney referred to the matter
of paying the assessors, that the citizens
should stipuate just what the assessors
were to be paid for.
And in this connection it may be well
to insert at this point that Assessor A. L.
Moves, whose pay was docked for a week
because of sickness, came to the city
with a request that the S24 for those six
DAYS be paid him. This request follows
the action of the council in paying the
other two assessors for the last eight
days of October. over which there was
much talk and some threat Of litigation.
The council voted to pay Assessor Noyes
the $24 asked for.
But to revert to City Attorney Wish
arts annual report, the following closing
words from the city's legal guide are
herewith submitted: "'fhe future for us
may be rosy or drab, but a disposition on
the part of each and all of us to be at
all times ready for a square deal on
matters large and small, viii greatly
pave the way for another year Of very
little litigation"
Improved Sanitary Conditions Planned
The influenza epidemic, which has al
ready been, referred to in this article
came in for recognition by the health
committee in its annual report, in the
following words; Referring to epidem
les. we believe that the loss Of life is
something that can be mitigated in flu
ture epidemics by improving the sanitary
conditions in the city, and the city coun-
ell has planned to take some action in
the near future that, we believe, will be
a benefit to all" One Of the things al
ready done, as one might Judge by other
parts of the committees report, is to
improve the conditions about the city
dump.
No change has been made in the per
sonnel Of the police force Of the city dur
ing the past year, the police committee
reported in its annual statements the
usual efficiency has been maintainedS
Continued on fifth page.)