The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-12-14
Town Should Own
It's Electric Lights
Contitned from Page One

lIOtI dBG OlR
new charter and bylaws. Auto
mobiles, airplanes, wireless appar-
atus, yes even moving pictures, all
have come into existence since our
J. bylaws have been broadened and
made applicable to our needs. The
! legislature of course has passed
general laws governing the use
and abuse of these newer inven-
tons, and the village of st. Johns
bury is compelled to resort to the
general laws for the control of
these present day necessities, or
Injuries as you may term them.
But before drafting such new laws
we should know what form of
government we wish to live under,
the present form, city form OF a
town OF village manager plan. SO
it must be apparent to you, the
need of a city or village planning
committee, whatever form Of gov
eminent it is decided on to adopt.
Each of the ABOVE has its own
advantages and disadvantages, so
many that you would tire should
| attempt to enumerate them. The
town or village manager plan is
much to my liking though unfor-
| tunately it has not been adopted
here in the state in any case that |
know about, eXcef; as a restora
| tive Of the last resort. In other
words, when some village or town
gets in debt so deep that there APP
pears no escape, they have count
ed on the magic of town mana
ger eXericate it from its bad fl
nancial position, which has not in
every case been effective. | would
like to see it tried on good
healthy village or town, near
enough to US that we might OBJ
serve its working.
In any new draft, | would like
to see incorporated a building code
at least in the thicllly settled parts
of our village, with fire resisting
materials demanded. This would
add to the cost OF building, but
would decrease the cost of fire in
Suranceand protection. | would IN
sist on as near permanent street
and sidewalk work as could be
! laid, having learned that our
greatest waste occurs from the
use of unsubstantial and short
lived materials in construction. An
example, In 1896 small piece OF
granite paving was laid at the
foot OF Eastern avenue where the
wear IS the greatest in our village
and although this has been LAID
some 27 years no repairing has
been done and it is now good and
will stand many years yet.
,"The public is a greater person
age that any one individual,
think of this when the drip of the
caves of a house too near the
street, runs down the back of my
neck | think of this when | 90
down flight of steps in our size
walk, when | am entitled to make.
the decent on a grade. In each of
these cases the Individual has con-
sidered his interest greater than
the interest of the public. This
should not be tolerated, and would
not if our chartered existence was
property drafted.
eve have some 5000, 900.
exempted non tax paying property
near the village, | would like to
see incorporated into any new
draft of bylaws, the provision of
assessing abutting property own
ers for portion of the sidewalk
and sewer work done adjacent to
such property. This would in some
part make such property assumes
a portion Of the upkeep of our
village, and thro-3- a part of the
expense of Improvement on the
property where it belongs.
Practically all .Iodern cities and
villages now do this. | would like
to see public service such as light
ing or the furnishing of water at
tempted by our village. Our wa
ter works are liability, as they are,
rather than an asset, except for
fire protection. And if the village
accounting charged in the proper
column all that 1t cost us for fire
protection that sum would exceed
$4,000 which is out of align
ment with standard fire protection
costs. We should own our own
water supply. We are sadly in
need of a central fire station.
"Our streets should be lenum
bered, and severa; years ago
furnished motive power to go as
far as to have a new draft made,
but the unfinished work lies dust
laden in our vault, for the reason
that | could not get any one inter
ested, and not caring to force an
added expense onto the village it
died an easy death.
"The stately elms which furnish
grateful shade in summer and
whose graceful bows make lace
tracery against the winter skies
above us, like all temporal things,
passing. ! would have every one
that is removed replaced with a
sturdy sapling, that future gener-
ations will bless US, as we have
blessed the thoughtful action of
our forebears, a small expense, for
so lasting benefit. In short gen.
tlemen, we need an awakemm OF
this municipal conscience of which
| have spoken, before we can go
much further along constructive
and efficient lines. It needs the
backing and the influence of every
one of you good men. We want
men of vision, men of initiative to