From the Vermont Phoenix, May 1, 1885, an article discussing matters that should be discussed at the upcoming annual village meeting.
Things For The Village Meeting To Take In Hand, 1885
A matter of the first importance, which should receive attention at the annual village meeting next Tuesday evening, is the sanitary condition of the village. With a cholera invasion threatened, and all the great cities of the country fearing an attack of the scourge, more importance will attach to sanitary matters in every community the coming season than ever before.
While Brattleboro as a rule is in clean, wholesome condition, and enjoys a remarkable degree of freedom from epidemic disease, there are plague spots in the village which are too obvious to need pointing out.
One of the worst of these has always been the bank in the rear of the east-side stores and above the railroad track. The building of the Hooker block and the renovation of the Ranger & Thompson building have done away with some of the worst features of that nuisance, but much remains which imperatively needs to be done. Any citizen who will take the trouble to walk up the track in the day time will find the condition of the bank simply revolting.
Every open privy should be abolished, all drainage turned into the sewers and every source of contamination of the air done away with. The whole bank should be cleared of rubbish, its dumping there forbidden, and the bank smoothed up and grassed over. We understand the railroad company has it in contemplation to put in a retaining wall a portion of the way at least, which would be an important move in the right direction.
Another constant menace to the health of the community in the hot season is the bed of Whetstone brook at and below the Main street bridge with the Brattleboro house sewer emptying there and other foul matter which inevitably accumulates to alternately soak in the water and steam in the sun.
The unsanitary places we have mentioned are public places and are patent to everybody. Besides these there are numerous private places in various parts of the village which need looking after at the beginning of a season in regard to which universal apprehension is felt. Even if a cholera visitation was not in prospect, the deadly typhoid visitation elsewhere mentioned as prevailing in a small Pennsylvania town would furnish all the warning needed for every town to put its borders in good sanitary condition.
The village charter gives the bailiffs full authority to act as a board of health. What should be done at the village meeting is to bring this matter up and pass a resolution instructing them to act promptly and efficiently in this matter, so that they may understand, and the property-holders may understand, what is expected of them and that these officers have the village behind them in whatever action they may take. In this respect the new time for holding the annual village meeting is a most favorable one.
Another matter to which our attention has been called is the fact that the village should vote at this meeting to make a beginning toward putting in fire hydrants in connection with Crowell’s water works.
(unsigned)
