Morning journal and courier., 1884-12-05
school age:
Popula- Grand

S5OU, ,OOO Air Line railroad bonds; Ill 1SS1, by S1OO, 900 Quinnipiac bridge bonds; in 1882, by $60, ,000 East Haven bonds; which l accounts for the increased indebtedness in those years. Average rate of taxation fol fifteen years, 3-10 mills. The committee recommend that after the year 1884 the Board of SelectIpen consist of five. the Board of Assessors three and the Board of Relief three members. After the reading of the report ex-Gov- ernor English said that the committee took particular pains to investigate the expense for the care of the outside poor, and were satisfied that they could not be cared fol properly for any less amount. MT. English said that the committee were also of the opinion that the improvements already laid out on the new farm were rather premature and that it would have been better to have postponed such improvements until the buildings had been erected.
 The matter of building the ice house was also condemned. MT. English said that $6, 600 had been expended so as to sell ice it was an unfortunate investment, to say the least, as it certainly was no part of the town s business to go into enterprises for the purpose of making money. The almshouse expenses, Mr. English said, were credItable and com pared favorably with other cities, with Hart ford, and taxpayers did not seem to realize at times that New Haven was much larger than Hartford, and few realized that New Haven
 
 for. From figures the speaker showed that New Haven, with one-third more population had g, 900 less expense year in caring for it's insane poor than Hartford He advocated strongly reducing the Board of Selectmen to five and the Board of Assessors and Relief to three each: Personally he would only have three. He believed in one man rule and said three could do the work much better than siK. Mir. English in re- ferring to Selectman Reecher said that he had served admirably for his section of the town (Westville)- had got an ice house built out there Qaughter).
 "Unless you put on the brakes and come to halt l don't know where we are going to come out," said MT. English in conclusion, land have taken the responsibility to draw off some resolutions, and I have also taken the responsibility to insert the amounts to be expended" (Applause;l
 Before the report could be accepted MT. Beecher arose and said that as he had been personally referred to by Mr. English he had 5000 ice house he wished it understood that no man On the Board fought the building of said ice house more than he did.
 Selectman Treat informed the meeting that this year it was the intention of the Board of Selectmen to reduce the expenses, The reason they recommended six mill tax was in order to reduce the indebtedness.
 The report was accepted.
 Joel A. SperTy then introduced the fol lowing:
 Voted, That this town disapproves of the large payments which the S'electmen have made to themselves out of the town treasury during the past year for their time spent in official duty
 Voted, That it is the sense of the town that the Selectmen are entitled to no pay for their services, except the town agent and ex- cept the necessary time spent by the mem bers of the Board for the admission of elec- tors.
 Fred. Farnsworth moved to amend by striking out that portion of the resolution which concerned the Selectmen.
 A motion was next made to table the second resolution, but it was voted down by large majority.
 After little tilt between Joel A. Sperry and Selectman Beecher, MT. English intro dueed the following resolution.
 Voted, That the Selectmen be voted sala- ry of $1O0.
 MT. Sperry then withdrew his original motion and accepted the resolution presented by Mr, English. Lawyer Arvihe objected, saying that Gperry's resolution was now the property of the meeting.
 After the original resolution hsd been vot- aq down MT. English's motion to make the salary of the Selectmen (except the town agenFs, of course1 $i00 year was adopted by ap almost unanimous vote,
 MR. English's second resolution read:
 Voted, That the Board of Assessors be paid salary of S1 900 year
 "When Is this proposition to go into eff fecta" inquired Assessor Dunn.
 ssThe first of the current year," replied Governor English.
 Assessor Dunn questioned the legality of such proceeding and said that if the town had the power, and could make such a law, he would not serve eu the Board any longer. His time was worth more to hina than $1 900. Fhe encouragement that Captain Dunn would large party Led by Professor Baldwin. The