The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-04-19
GIVEN
AUTHORITY To ACT
IN TROLLEY DEAL
To Extend Payment of Paving
Assessment
COMPANY TO RELAY TRACK
Resolution Adopted at Village
Meeting after Much Opposi-
ton and Long Debate

The special village meeting called
Monday evening to see what actor
the voters would take on a proposa
to authorize the trustees to enter in
to a specified agreement with The
electric railroad company was in ses
son nearly two hours and concluded
with the adoption Of the following
resolution.
BE it resolved that the village o.
Bennington hereby gives to its board
Of trustees full authority to enter in
to an agreement with the Vermont
company to the effect that the village
OF Bennington will defer the collec
on of the street paving assessment
including the assessment already
made in connection with East Mair
street above the Cooper bridge, pro
vided the said Vermont company will
agree to provide and bring in season
ably new rails, ties and other track
equipage for use on Main street be
tween Cooper's bridge and the rail
road crossing at Depot street, and
VI II also take up and relay the track
and do other labor in connection
Herewith, and If the corporation at
torney deems it advisable the village
employ other legal services.
There were not more than iiity
voters in the hall at any time durng
the meeting and only few of those
in attendance took part in the lone
debate Village President John j
Morrissey called the meeting to order
and Clerk William =. Hogan read the
call. The clerk also read a prepared
draft OF the understanding reached
by the trustees and officials OF the
Berkshire Street Railway company al
a reeent conference held at village
headquarters. This draft was in ef
feet that the trolley company would
provide rails and ties for the relayine
Of the track on Main street and
whatever assistance could be AFFORD
ed By the track gang without ser
iouslv interfering with its dut es on
other sections of the system, provld
ed the village would postpone the
collection of the paving assessment
until such time as the company was
financially able to make payment
One condition of the understand ne
was that the company waive the
statute of limitations as applied tc
the collection of the paving assess
mer.
Geo NJ Hawks at once proposed
that the proposed authorization on
the part of the trustees be postponed
10 a meeting to be held at some IN
ture date Ernest D, Barber. Rober'
f. Healy and O. r. Clayton the three
ATTORNEYS present, entered into dis
cussion concerning the statute OF
limitations which was carried tC
some length and during when Mr.
Hawks again secured the moor ana
withdrew his motion. The long de
bate that followed and IN Whlch
Messrs. Hawks, Fred c. Martin MT
Rarber. NJ Clayton DIR. c. 5. Bu
chanan. William II Nichols, Nj. B
Morgan and others took part was az
times rather ted Robert r
Healv. counsel for the Vermont com
many was repeatedly questioned. MT
Martin suggested that the company
nav the paving assessment on the III
etallment plan. He criticised the at
titnde Of the company toward the VII
I,aee and sa id that the appearance OF
the track gang ready to work "ouiu
he better evidence of good falth thai
reuuests for agreements
Mr.. Hawks stated that he was
taxpaver to considerable eX'eh,
and that he would prefer to sneno
the necessary money to purchase
rails and ties and let them become
the property of the village
DR. Buchanan spoke for the board
NJ trustees. He contended, as dlo
Mr. Healy, that by entering INTO tht
agreement the village was waiVln,l,
none OF its rights, that it would resui,
N securing at least the rails aho
tiee In case the village took the
onnoeite course il would have not on
liy the bill for the paving assessment
hut also that for the material 10 COZ
lect from the railroad company II
was his experience that 1T was imal m
easier to collect from a lrehull
debtor than from one with WhoHl IL
was not on good terms. a.,
Wrnam H. Nichols proposed TN,
resolution which was finally adop,
ed Mr. Martin proposed an amend
mont that a committee OF i've De az y,
pointed to assist the trustees n II
drafting the agreement DIR BuGh
anan nronosed an amendment to I'M
amendment that the matter be taSel l
ont of the hands of the trustees al, au'
turned over to the committee IN,
chair questioned the LEGALITY OF sucI
action hut the doctor insisted Una
the second amendment be nut petor'
the house It was voted down as wa
also the amendment to appoint ,n IN,
advisory committee The resolution
was then adopted and the meeting
adjourned. .u, ho,a
special meeting this evening at TN
regular hour. Sealed proposals 10 70
the removal Of aarbage ana l0r vi vi
constrnction of sidewalks VIII be re
Ia ta