Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-05

Special to the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 | The second days hearing on the bill pro- | viding for the consolidation of the town and | city governments of New Haven took place l this afternoon before the Committee on
 Cities and Boroughs. The Taxpayers asso-
 citation was reinforced by the assistance of
 T. Sloan, Edwin F. Mersick, Charles L.
 Baldwin an Ruel P. Cowles.
 E. F. Mersick was first called. He said: On general principles I am in favor of the
 consolidation of the town and city govern
 ments. think such a consolidation ought to be productive of lower rate of taxa
 ton.
 Chairman Tatem-In your opinion would the tax be any less under the proposed bills
 l It ought to be less under such a plan. l Continuing, Mir. Mersick said. I was one
 of number who signed a petition for re- l duction of taxes in the town and city gov l ernment. We found the city willing to do all in their power to reduce taxation, whereas
 the town did nothing in the matter. On the
 contrary the town taxes were increased. l l think & representative government like we have in the city is more easy of access and 1 they are more easily influenced as regards keeping the taxes within proper limits. In reply to the chairman Mir. Mersick said ] that the rights cf those in the outskirts or l the town proper should be properly guard ed in any bill looking to bringing them under | a city government.
 | Mr. Arvine inquired of MT. Mersick if he ] had attended the town meetings within two l or three years, and if so what the usual num- l Der was who attended these meetings. He replied that there were usually two or three hundred who came together and they voted away the peoples money about as they pleased.
 On the cross-examination by MT. Hotch- kiss, witness said he had never attended any of the Selectmen's meetings to ascertain how l they managed their business. He had not examined the town agents report to see if any items in expenses could be cut down. He had no fault to find with the manage nent of the town affairs but he did not be- lieve in dual government.
 John T. Sloan was next called and ex-
 plaine2 how the floating debt of the town was incurred. He said thst the tax was placed so low that it did not cover the ex-
 pense and they therefore increased the float ing debt every year. He said the question
 of managing the poor in New Haven was a
 difficult one to solve. So far as the Select
 men Were concerned, he believed them hon
 est and thought they did the best they could
 The books of the town agents office were
 always open to inspection. In regard to the
 outlayiug districts of theAnnex, they brought
 into the town in taxes about the same amount that was paid out interest on the debt assumed by New Haven when they
 were annexed.
 In reply to MT. Townsend MT. Sloan said he thought that the town agent could control the entire Board of Seleetmen if he chose.
 To the chairman-I find but very few peo- pie in New Haven who do not believe in a consolidation of the town and city govern ment. He said that tw of the papers in New Haven were outspoken in favor of consolida- ton and others were in favor of 1t with one or two notifications of the present bill. He said he had no disposition to crowd this bill down the throats of these gentlemen living outside of the city limits provided they could give them something better. We be- Jieve that in this movement we are backed by public sentiment.
 Charles l.. Baldwin was next called. He Sa1Q ne hau not mdQS LQo matter or COnSOl1- dation a study but the method of double headed government did not seem to him to work well. He said that ex-Mayor Lewis proposed consolidation in 1874, but the scheme did not meet with favor. It seems to me that the method of the Selectmen of conducting business is not sound one, as they nave no balances. They can spend the money as they please without restriction, whereas in the city only 8 certain amount can be expended and floating debt is i'm possible The Board of Finance make up the estimates and these estimates cannot be exceeded in any particular. On the other hand, the Selectmen make their own esti- mates and have to borrow money every year. I don't blame the Se'e 'ectmen for system that is inherent and that has always been follow ed. I think practically they are an irrespon- sible body from the fact that they the money about as they please. He thought much of the labor employed by the town on roads could be utilized in the city on the streets if there was only one government.
 Ruel P. Cowles was called and said that on general principles it was better to have but 1 one government in New Haven, and this had 1 been the sentiment of all with whom he had l talked this subject. The Taxpayers as- l sociation, said he, have been stirring up this l matter and with good effect. So far the | Selectmen are concerned don't blame them | for objecting to a change. |
 Joel A. Sperry next called. He said he was in favor of consolidation. He did | not believe it was practical or business-like to have two governments. This bill has been very carefully drawn and I believe it is l as equitable as possible toward the people in | the outlying districts. l don't want them to pay any portion of my taxes or to oblige | them to pay for anything they do not have. There is not business man in New Haven but what knows that this double form of gov ernment is wrong. While l have high | opinion of the gentlemen composing the Board l of Selectmen, yet l believe they are given too much power in spending the pub l lie money. I believe, however, that the Se- | lectmen are honest and are trying to the l town affairs economically possible. Yet 1 believe the system is wrong. Again, I be- lieve the plan of employing idle labor is l wrong and that it creates paupers. If these l men can get one or two days work from the | town they won't work for anybody else. l l know this to be so. We don't want to hurt | these men who have fine residences in the | outlying districts by any means, and don't | believe that if this bill was passed it would I hurt them. 1 believe the sentiment in the city is strongly in favor of this bill, although 1 sometimes find one who is afraid that we will do some injustice to the people in the l Annex.
 In reply to w. K Townsend, Mir. Sperry said there were prominent men in the outly ing districts who were in favor of the bill | and that 1t perfectly fair in all it's parts. ! The name of Charles A. Futile, of FairHaven, was mentioned as one of these. l
 Captain Townsend said that Mir. Futile l told him yesterday that he was utterly op- posed to ths bill. MT. Sperry also men l tioned the name of Daniel Hemingway, of | the Annex, as being in favor of the bill.
 w. J. Atwater was next called. He said that he was in favor of consolidation because he thought the government could 6 man. 1 aged more economically. He said that he l owned some unproductive land in the town, but was willing to pay city taxes if the con- l solidation bill was passed. He thought it l would be economy to have but one govern 1 ment. am in favor of those in the outly- ing districts paying for what they have and l no more. That is, if they have fire and po- | lice protection let them pay for it, if not, l not.
 When MT. Atwater concluded, Attorney | White said they had no moro witnesses pres ent, and if they should summon more l they would testify to about the same thing | as those who have appeared before the com l