Selectmen’s Report 1892

Selectmen’s Report.

To the Taxpayers of the Town of Rutland

As the office of Selectmen, so far as it applies to the hitherto Town of Rutland is concerned, is this day abolished with the advent of a city government and deeming it important that a full account of our stewardship should be rendered to the time of the expiration of our term of office, we have made this report for the term ending March 7, 1893, instead of for the year ending February 6, 1893, as would have been the case under the old order of things, This we thought the proper thing to do, both for the information of the citizens and taxpayers as well as for the benefit of the incoming city officials.

Orders have been drawn by this Board during their term of office on the General Fund from No 620 to 961 inclusive. The list of those orders in their regular order, to whom and for what purpose drawn, may be found elsewhere in this report and should be examined. The amount so drawn is $54767.62, apportioned as follows:

Wales Street hill $2,409.42

Bridges $2,152.22

Free Library $4,017.30

Taking Grand List $1,226.57

Interest on funded indebtedness $5,347.95

State School Tax $4,432.57

County Tax $228.14

State Tax $7,977.72

Liquors $4,644.76

New roads $11,278.47

Poor Farm $1,253.65

Town Hall $1,345.72

Memorial Hall $2,422.68

Miscellaneous $5,010.96

————$54,767.62

Orders on account of Overseer of the Poor, also drawn on the General Fund, are shown in detail elsewhere in this report.

WALES STREET HILL.

Acting under instructions of the last annual meeting we caused Wales street hill to be cut down very nearly to grade. Land damages were awarded to John Engrem and Louis Martel. To the former $475 and to the latter $400. All other property owners in the neighborhood waived damages. The expense of doing this work is more apparent than real for the reason that about $600 of this amount of orders drawn should be charged to the account of Clover street.

Clover Street

The above named street runs from South Broadway east to South

Main street, and was worked on in connection with that of Wales street. No land damage was claimed by the property owners for the laying out of this street or lane (it being but 45 feet wide) and since the same was opened for travel two residences have been erected there and several lots sold, on which the owners intend to build the present season.

Bridges

The amount expended for the repairs of the several bridges in town was $2,152.22. The enlarging and rebuilding of the iron bridge on State street was the chief item, being more than three-fourths of the whole.

Free Library

The item of $4,017.30 for the Rutland Free Library was simply the transferring of the sum voted and raised by the Town from the Town treasury to the Library Association.

Interest on funded debt

Of the $6,347.95 paid for interest on the funded debt, the sum of $2,741.711 was for interest on the U. S. Surplus Fund, which was transferred to the School Fund.

State School tax

There was no article in the warning for the Town meeting of 1892 to provide for the special State school tax of five cents, which was required to be paid by Act No.6 of the Session Laws of 1890, and the amount due from Rutland, $4,432.06 had to be paid by order of the Town Treasurer.

Town Liquor Agency

The amount of orders drawn for this department, as shown above and given in detail elsewhere in this report, is $4,644.76. The amount of sales is shown in the agent’s report, and as usual the result of said sales has been a profit to the Town. In December last James Russell’s term of office expired, and the County Commissioner appointed Henry C. Tower, the present incumbent.

New Roads

Of the amount of orders drawn for new roads and alterations $1,174.93 was on account of highways laid out by former boards and consist of land damage awarded for the widening of Mussey street, the extension of and labor and material for the Boulevard, State street extension and Spruce street extension. The amount which was ordered drawn by the present board was $9,983.22. Of this amount the largest item was for the extension of Center street through to East street and which necessitated the purchase of the Vail property at a cost of $6.500. All other property owners waived land damage. The buildings on this property were disposed of at auction by the Board. The house was purchased by John W. Cramton for $259 and the barn was sold to Geo.T. Chaffee for $160. The amount for which the house was sold is still due from Mr. Cramton.

Poor Farm

The amount expended for repairs, and supplies at Poor farm, other than for support of the poor, has been drawn on the General Fund by Selectmen’s orders, though said orders should properly be drawn on account of Overseer of the Poor. The amount of these orders, $1,253.65, should, therefore, be considered in the sum total expended for support of the poor.

Town Hall,

The expenditures on account of the care and maintenance of the Town Hall includes fuel, lighting, expense of janitor and the fitting up of the office for the use of the Overseer of the Poor. The receipts for the use of the hall are much less than the expenditures, as will be seen by reference to the Treasurer’s report. The receipts should and would have been greater, but for the fact that the several fire companies, who were voted the use of the hall, insist that its use was to be absolutely free without the usual expense of janitor, lighting and warming, as has been the case heretofore.

Memorial Hall

The heating apparatus at the Memorial Hall was wholly insufficient. We had it taken out, as instructed by the last annual meeting, and a new system of hot water heating put in at a cost of $1000. The sum of $500 has also been expended in fitting up the Memorial Hall room. The building is now for the first time ready to be used for the purposes for which it was erected. It, has cost a good deal of money. It is the most expensive soldier’s memorial in Vermont, but we believe it is worth all it has cost and that it is, and probably always will be, the most valued public building of the town. It is to be dedicated with appropriate ceremonies next Memorial Day.

Pine Street Tunnel

In 1891 the board of railroad commissioners ordered the construction of a tunnel under the tracks at the foot of’ Pine street for the extension of said street to Forest street. The cost of this tunnel and bridge was estimated at $16,298. The Central Vermont Railroad was to do the work and the town to bear one-half of the expense; the work to be completed on or before the first day of July, 1898. The Board of selectmen of that year made the following awards for land damages, which have not been paid .

J. W. Cramton.,…………………………. $3,000 00

Rutland Railroad Company ……………………… 01

Central Vermont Railroad Company…………. 01

F. R. Patch& CO ……………………………….. 50 00

Mrs. Ellen Wynn ………………. ………………. 3,41g.68

Total. ………………. ……………. $6,4636.68

 

It was the intention of the present Board of selectmen to have this work commenced at once, but were prevented from doing so by the Rutland Railroad appealing from the award made the company for land damages. In August last a committee from the board met the presidents of the above mentioned roads and the matter was adjusted to the satisfaction of all parties. President Clement of the Rutland Railroad agreed to accept $800 for land damages and withdraw his suit. President Smith of the Central Vermont promised to commence the work at an early day, and here the matter rests.

Foot Bridge

The town voted over a year ago to build a foot bridge from the foot of Washington street over the railroad tracks to Franklin street and also voted a 10 cent tax to pay for the same. The amount raised by that tax, $8,258.96, is in the Town treasury. We have been unable to secure from the Central Vermont Railroad company such concessions and agreements as we thought the town ought to have before building an expensive bridge in that place.

Miscellaneous

Under this caption may be found the amount of orders not otherwise designated, said amount being $5,010.96

The Dr. Webb stallion “Incroyable” is being kept at Mr. Smith F. Kelley’s place at a cost to the town of $4.50 per week. The net cost to the town for keeping this horse up to date has been $146.50.

Notice has been received from the State Treasurer of a State, State School and State Highway tax, which must be provided for the present.

The State tax is 15 cents on a dollar of the grand list for the year 1893, two-thirds of which is payable into the treasury of the state, on or before the l0th day of November next, and the remaining third on or before the 10th day of the following June.

 

The State School tax is five cents on the dollar, assessed on the grand list of 1892, and is payable on or before the 1st day of June next.

The State Highway tax of five cents on a dollar is assessed in accordance with section five, No. 56, of the laws of 1892, and payable at the. same time as the School tax.

 

Notice of a County tax of one-quarter cent on the dollar on the list of polls of the inhabitants of the County has been received, and the same is payable to the County treasurer on or before the 1st day of June next,

H.O. Carpenter

L.G.Kingsley

J.J. Barrett

M.L. Thomas

J.W. Stearns

 

Selectmen

Rutland,VT. March 7 1893