The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-03-26
Are Allowed by Aldermen to
H ! Canvassers for
Taxpayers List
COUNCIL RAISES
SOME SALARIES
Engineer and Water Super
intendent Gets $4,000, and
Chief Of Police 81, 400

ldsJ nigAL Dy Che actl0n OF the board OF
aldermen in conceding to the assessors
the privilege of engaging six canvassers
working ten days to get census of tax
payers. 1t looked like very stormy
time at the outset; and after that the
aldermen settled down to one of those
oldfashioned meetings which wait for
the cock crow, continuing with a special
meeting of the city council at which
there was more or less general raise in
salaries and eliminating in an executive
session. Altogether the city fathers
spent in the vicinity of four hours in
talking.
Assessor Martin Riley started the con
yersation on the matter of assessors as
sistants by asking Mayor Glysson,
spectator at the aldermens meeting, if
the city council had decided that the as
SCISSORS do all the work without assist
ants. Mayor Glysson replied that the
ell had so voted, which, in turn, caused
Assessor Riley TO state that Assessor
A. J.. Noyes had told him that the coun-
ell had so voted, which in turn, caused
Assessor Noyes to rise to his feet and
say that Assessor Riley was mistaken,
that he (Noyes) did not say that the
council had voted but the mayor had
told him that was the purpose. Asses
sor Riley thought Assessor Moves was
all wrong; but that was neither here
nor there, it seemed.
Mayor Glysson then came back at As
SCISSOR Riley with the query whether the
law didn't state that the assessors should
do the work of assessing taxes. Assessor
Riley agreed that the law did state as
much but that Barre has the largest
number of lists in the county and that
ii would not be possible to secure large
percentage of the poll taxpayers names
other than by the canvassing system.
He was ready to assert his belief that
a great many of the polls would be
missed were it not for eanvassing sys-
tenn. 1T doesn't matter to me any more
than to any man here, but | want TO get
good list" and What are you going
to do unless you canvass the town ?"
Don't you believe that this boy prop
osition leads to errors - questioned May
or Glysson.
There are some errors" admitted As
SCISSOR Riley, "but / feel sure that you
would miss 1000 out of the 5000 poll
lists if you didn't have this canvass"
Assessor Noyes was inclined to think
that the eanvassing by house TO house
did not work we'll and he told of five
men coming up from River street last
year to pay their taxes to the city clerk
and found that they had not been listed
because the canvassers hadn't brought in
the names of the five. Assessor Noyes
thought that by placing lists with the
granite manufacturers the city would
get as many lists as by the "boy' can
vassing system.
When the opinions of the members Of
the board were asked for, they expressed
themselves in one way or another, with
a majority being against the boy" can
vasser idea. City Clerk Mackay said
there ought to be some sort of canvass
and he thought that bright young men
would be competent to make the canvass.
He believed that an essential thing was
to get the taxpayers before the assessors
and he thought it a weak fea-
ture of the law not to require such at
tendance
After considerable more conversation,
Alderman Scott moved that the assessors
be allowed to engage six canvassers OF
ability to spend not more than ten days
in canvassing the city and that the as
SCISSORS, Furthermore, be granted the right
to purchase supplies, etc With that
motion the aldermen Immediately fell in,
and the assessors went out to give
George E. Bond chance to be heard
Mr. Bond asked what damages the city
is going to pay him for the raised grade
on Warren street, where he had house,
and which necessitated raising the house
q feet in order to get on speaking terms
with the highway and then it was two
feet short of being where it should be.
He said he understood that the Capital
Savings bank of Montpelier had just
been given right to claim damages for
depreciation of another house on the
same street; and the clerk verified the
opinion, although the amount of the
damages hadn't been fixed. Mr.. Bond
thought that the city could settle cheap
er without giving the lawyers a chance
to figure in the dicker,
The matter was referred to the street
committee and city attorney to investi-
gate and report.
The representative of the Standard
Oil Co then was given chance to make
a date with the street committee TO talk
about oil on the streets.
Building Inspector Slayton recon-
mended that Cook & Watkins company
be given permission to build side wing
to its granite plant off Depot square, the
extension to measure II by 96 feet, pro-
viding the building does not extend with
in two feet of the right of way. The re-
port was accepted and the recommends
tions ordered carried out.
r. Cantu was given the right to move
a garage from Is Grant avenue to the
opposite side of the street, and L. Berto
Iini was given the right to move a hem
house from Division street to Circle
street
The legislative committee gave evi-
ience of having been putting in consid
cradle work, four reports being submit
ted in rapid succession. The first related
10 the extension of the aldermanic term
from two to three years, stating that
the wishes of the city council had been
to the city's representative.
The second report told of opposing the
street railroad bills in the legislature,
along with Montpelier, Burlington and
Rutland Alderman Scott reported verb
ally for the committee that there We're
good prospects Of killing both the meas
Continued on second paneO