Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-24

Whole number Of votes east. .............25
Necessary for a choice. ...................A
james Draper had. ...................5
Vernon 4. Ladd had. ...............
Geo. W. Wheeler had. ..........-....
{. L. Hartshorn mad. .....,.......,...
No choice.
On the second ballot two were voted for at the
same time, as follows
Whole number of votes cas-. ............A
Necessary for a choice. .................l3
G. l.. HartshOr had ................20
Vernon 4. Lgdd haG. ...........-...I
Geo. w. Wheeler had. ...............l
james Draper had. ...................
C. L. Hartshorn was accordingly declared elected
as follows
Whole number of votes east..............25
Necessary for choice .................ls
Vernon A. Laid had. ................lO
Geo. w Wheeler had ...............
James Draper had ....,...,..........
No choice
The fourth, fifth and sixth ballots failed TO effect
choice and on the seventh the name of George w
Wheeler was dropped, and the following was the
result:
Whole number ofvotes east. ........ d
Necessary for choice. ....,.................l4
James Draper Observation-Disclosures, IA
Vernon a. Laid had ...,....... - 10
James Draper was accordingly elected
THE SYSTEM CRITICISED.
Councilman Walker while the balloting was in
progress, called the attention of the members of the
city council to the fact that they had elected chief
engineer of the fire department and four assistant
engineers, and claimed that the engineer should
have the power of appointing and removing his
own assistants. Also that city marshal was soon
to be appointed who would be held responsible for
the actions OF thirty forty men, but was not
allowed to employ or discharge one of Them and
referred to the mayor rs not having much power
as member of the common council,
The Bou5ecdTd.-At the conclusion of the election
OF officers, Mayor Very stated that he wished to
make a few remarks in relation to the proposed
avenue near Lake Quinsigamond, but did not wish
to influence any action of the next city government
by what he should say. In referring TO the first
action upon the matter, he said that petition mn
| merOusy signed, was presented early IN the year
nsl hn lion &c 5,Iav
QuInsgamond The petition was referred TO the com
mlttee on highways who reported an order directing
the board OF aldermen to locate the proposed avenue
under certain restrictions These restrictions were
| imposed probably because the contemplated road
was not TO be a highway exclusively for travel but
park or pleasure ground, and the action OF both
branches OF the government was required before
any measures were taken. Among the restrictions
contained in the order adopted was one providing
that the avenue should be laid upon condition thai
the aDutttrs should give the land, ana that the
land between the avenue and lake should not
be occupied. BY an order from the board of alder
dermen, Robert NJ. Copeland of Boston was em-
plOyed to make surveys for the purpose OF LAYING
out pleasure ground, and not a highway, for the
convenience of the public. This survey was made
at considerable cost and il was found necessary
in making it, to locate the avenue quite distance
from the lake, in order to preserve the beauties of
| the scenery. The committee thought it would be
asking too much OF the AUDITORS to expect them to
give all the land between the road and the lake
The opinion OF the engineer was that 1t would not
| be desirable for the city TO control all the land
| board Of aldermen thought that it would not
be desirable to be governed entirely Dy the
| order. but to accept such land as the abut-
| tors would give. The aldermen were also OF
the opinion thatitwas desirable to locate the avenue
| as proposed, and the order was sent to the com.
mon council, but has never returned to the hoard
| of aldermen. Referring to the cost of tle plans
| which was S25OO, with the exception of bill OF
| 500, he said that an examination would show the
/ amount of work that had been put into them In
relation to the S56, it was proposed to buiid the
| avenue through the hospital lands and bill was
before the legislature. The matter was afterwards
put in the hands of the governor and council and
trustees of the hospital, and this amount was eX-
pended for their entertainment while viewing the
| proposed location. When the survey was contem-
plated the exact cost was not known, and it proved
to be much more than was at first expected Since
| the survey has been made, parties living upon the
line OF the avenue haze offered 10 give tracts of
land for parks that IL not included in the plans
Among these parties ID MIR. Coburn, who has offered
| to the city eight or ten acres
| The School House Lot.-Mayor Very also made a
statement in relation to the school house lot pur-
chased from the trustees of the state lunac asylum
| lie said that the matter was referred to the com
mlttee on eaacallon who reported that the trustees
OF the Institution would put tne lot up at auction
provided the city would start the bid at 81 per foot
| No recommendations accompanied the report
| The report was accepted and the committee li-
rected to purchase the lot, but no appropriation
| was made for its payment Since that time there
has been considerable trouble about getting a salts
factory deed Oh the land, and was until recent
| ly that one satisfactory was made An appronrIa.
| ton was then asked fer by yea and nav vote To
| pay for the land. Since the time of tine purchase
additional accommodations nave been secured and
at present the city is not in want of school house
| wanted.
| The convention then dissolved.
IN COMMON COUNCIL
| CteTtcdt Hue-Ihe report of the auditor giving
| the amounts expended for clerical hire, persons
| employed and time of employment, was received
| and accepted.
| Councilman Walker, in referring to the report.
| said That he was under the impression that the
| amount of money pEDpOdal W n
year tor several years past There has ALWAYS been
an effort made in the different departments to cover
up the amounts paid for clerical assistance and this
IS the first time that it has been made public The
| finance committee have worked at Disadvantage
| IN this matter all the year. Every department at
| the city hall has thrown all the obstacles in
| their power in the way of the committee.
l During the past year the accounts have
| been Systematically arranged, and to-day the ac-
counts OF the various departments as perfect as
those Of any business firm in the city At the be-
ginning of the present year he said that the cond
ton OF aiialIs IN the various city departments was
| disgrace, tact That can now be SHOWN by an ex-
animation of the books kept last year He said thar
at present there is not city in the United States
that ha: its ACCOUNTS in as good condition as those
| OF the city OF oreester.
Councilman Melavin wanted to know why reports
of past years were not made if the city affairs were
\ in such good condition,
Councilman Walker said that it would cost from
$1,000 to $1,000 to go over the books of the past live
| years and have the accounts re-arranged.
| The BOuteUdrd,-lhe report of the snecial COM
mittee appointed to investigate the expenditures of
! money and the amount Of WORK done upon the
boulevard, was accepted. The report was substan.
| TALLY the same a. the mayors statement
The Vdde Ctdtm.-Whep the report of the conn
mittee on claims on the petition Of james Wade
asking for compensation for damages received by
not being allowed to proceed with the erection of
building en- Waldo street, reached, President
| Reed called Counellmap Walker TO the chair and
moved that the matter be referred 10 the next civ
| government. BE said that he was on the commit
tee to investigate the NATTER but had received
| any ..cGfcatlon of any action.
councilman iovne, frem the committee on
claims, said that two petitions nad beeG presented
On the first the petitioner given leave to with.
draw; and upon the hearing given on the second
facts were givei. that Indicated that notices had
been served upon the pstii!sGpr which he under
stood were legal orders to stop wofk aud tLat bo
had ACTED in accordance with them T
President Reed Tgs of the opinion that the peti.
tion was referred to spec ia committee CONSISTING
of Alderman Spur and himself and said that lhes
had taken no action in relation to the matter
Councilman LEVINE was certain that the action
was upon the second petition that the president
was not on the committee, and that the committee
consisted of Alderman Spur and Councilman
TOwne.
After considerable discussion during which the
AUDITOR, who Is clerk OF the committee was called
upon sGd confirmed Councilman Towne's statement
the motion was negatlyed the report accepted, and
the order adopted.
Adjourned until Friday evening, Jan. 3.