Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-04-10
BARGE TERMINAL
BILL IS VETOED
Project Is too Expensive and
Conditions Are not Ripe for
Water Transportation, Says
Governor Clement

~
ing. His chief reasons givens for the
veto are the condition OF state finances
on account of heavy expenditures at
this time, and the fact that there are
no barges In sight for carrying prod
ucts. in case the terminal were built.
He also states that he does not think
this is the proper time to advance upon
project OF this nature. and that it
would be better to wait until the mar
rows of Lake Champlain are really
widened.
| II. 1879, the second measure vetoed,
authorized the city of Burlington to
issue bonds for the purpose of aiding
the State in the construction of the
barge terminal and would be without
purpose. If the terminal bill, itself was
defeated.
THE VETO MESSAGE
The veto message relative to Ii. 2O7
follows:
April 4. 1919,
To the House of Representatives:
have the honor to return herewith
without my approval. House bill. entitled
II. a7, An. act to appropriate a sum of
money to build, maintain and operate a
public barge terminal at the port of
Burlington. on Lake Champlan, and
Il ~,
for the following reasons:
In view of the existing condition of the
State finances and faced as we are with
a largely increased State tax to provide
for the necessary expenses of govern
ment and the special appropriations
already made by this General Assembly,
1t does not seem to me that 1t is the
proper time for the State to embark in
an enterprise Of this character which
requires the expenditure of so large a
sum of money whether raised by bond
issue or tax and the outcome Of which
| Is not only highly problematical but
largely speculation. / am advised that
as yet there are no barges available
for the transportation of any freight to
| this port and that at the present time
1t would be impossible for barges of the
size and character required for the
profitable operation of such barge
| terminal to pass through the so -caled
| "narrows'' of Lake Champlain, and
there is no definite assurance that the
conditions there existing will be
remedied in the near future so as to per-
nit such operation nor is there any i'm
mediate prospect of freight available
which can be economically transported
by this means in an amount sufficient
to warrant the State in adopting this
kind of policy.
However advantageous water trans
portation may be when the surrounding
conditions and circumstances are such
as to make it profitable investment
believe that 1t is time enough for the
State to take up the question of the
State barge terminal when such circum
stances and conditions exist and 1t is
od tod IN
| (Signed) PERCIVAL w. CLEMENT
Governor.
A THIRD VETO
The governor also returned to the Sem
| ate, without his signature. S. 95, provid-
! ing that the Public Service Commission
may initiate proceedings for the altera-
| lions Of railroad grade crossings. The
! reason given for this veto is that the Pub
lie Service Commission exercises quasi
| judicial functions and for all practical
| purposes In the elimination Of grade
crossings 1t sits as judicial trrDunai 10
| hear and determine facts. The power to
initiate proceedings, says the governor
ought not to be extended to nody be-
| fore whom such proceedings must Of nee
essity be determined.
ADJOURNMENT RESOLUTION.
Considerable delay was occasioned In
getting things started In the House this
morning. and It was nearly eleven o'clock
| before the House finally convened. 1t was
then deluged with resolutions looking to-
ward final adjournment. Mr.. Durham
Of Brattleboro moved that the Senate be
| requested to return to the House the reso-
! luton looking toward finai adjournment.
and this was voted.
The motion of Mr.. Buxton of Middle
town Springs. that a motion to adjourn
shall not prevail during the remainder of
| the session, unless by vote Of three
quarters of the members present." was
| lost by a vote of 116 to 70. A resolution Of
fered by Mr.. Miner of sherbhurne that.
for the remainder of the session, a men,
Der shall not speak more than Ave minutes
on any one question, was adopted by a
vote Of Ia to 86.
Mr.. Durham Of Brattleboro offered a
Joint resolution. which was adopted by
the House, to the effect that the chaplains
of the House and Senate receive "a per
day and mileage for their attendance at
the session.
PASSED IN CONCURRENCE
| The House passed in concurrence S.
l1O7, relating to prostitution. as amend
L
Whereby it yesterday adopted the
amendment of Mr.. Alexander that a fine
of not more than 500 might be sub
mitted as punishment, instead of i'm
lprisonment. Mr.. Buxton of Middle
town Springs. proposed to amend the
lbill SO that the amendment would read
mot less than $780," but he was voted
down, the vote being 10S to 80.
| NEW SENATE BILL
| A new bill appeared in the Senate
this morning. S. 1875. from committee on
judiciary. provides that common law
or statutory rules shall not apply to
hearings before the commissioner of in
dustries.
| A resolution was introduced by Sem
ator Kinksley and adopted which pro-
vides that hereafter no bill shall be
introduced in the Senate without unan-
imous consent.
The Senate put over H. $50, relating
to registration Of traction engines, I'M
til the end of the calendar Tomorrow,
and Joint resolution ~, raising the
salary Of the State highway commits
stoner, was amended on motion of Sem
ator Daniels. so an to make it a bill.
Third reading was then ordered, II to
III.
The same action was taken on j. II. II.
81. authorizing the adjutant- general to ex-
pend portion Of the money available for
the use OF his department In defraying ex-
penses OF former members Of the 18th d.
vision to and from Boston that they may
| take part in the parade OF that division