Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-09
BREEZY TOWN MEETING
A SUPERINTENDENT OF HIGHWAYS AP-
 POINTED WlTA FULL POWER.

the Matter.
 Was there town meeting last night.
 There was.
 Was John Fitzpatrick in attendance
 There can be no doubt of it; he made his presence felt.
 The meeting was called to order by John O'Neil, but the attendance was so large that m adjournment was taken to the City hall proper. The first business before the meeting was the question of free text books and supplies for the public schools. John O'Neil introduced a motion that,the school visitors be ordered to pur- chase books and supplies for the schools at the expense of the town and loan the same free of charge, under such rules as the school visitors may prescribe. John A. Moran and Kevin Drury wanted to know what would be the expense of such . move. John Fitzpatrick did not think it would increase his taxes ten cents. The motion was carried with but few dissent ing votes.
 The next business of the meeting was in regard to the poor orphan children of Waterbury, Chairman O'Neil explained that for several years the expense of main taining number of children-at present 13-in the St Francis orphan asylum, New Haven, has been born by the church of the Immaculate Conception. The select men furnished $200 a year. about one fifth of the actual cost. He explained that New Haven appropriates $2,000 year for the support of children in the asylum. MT O'Neil then offered the following ''Voted, That the selectmen of the town of Waterbury be and are hereby ordered to pay over to the St Francis orphan asylum of New Haven the sum of 5 per week for the support of each child belonging to this town maintained in said asylum, ,'
 The motion was carried by unanimous vote.
 The next business before the meeting was the subject of highways John O'Neil in behalf of the committee consist ing of Messrs E. L. Frisbie, F. B. Rice and himself reported as follows: "Yoted, That the town highways are to be kept in repair and safe for public travel during 1889 by the seleGtmen or the town of Waterbury: that if the repairs are made by contract all contracts are to contain clauses that the road be left safe to travel Payments to be made in two installments, one in the fall and one in the spring, and no payment to be made unless all former work be approved by the selectmen. Voted, That S12,OOO and no more be ap propriated for this purpose John Fitzpat- rick offered the following as a substitute to the report of the committee; OlSC, Ihdl IllS lo"h Ol " PlcA OuL elect S superintendent of highways for the term of one year from and after tn first day of January 1889, with the following duties and powers; To have exclusive control over the making of the necessary l repairs ou all highways in said town, to provide the material and employ ail the laborers in making such repairs. Prefer ence in the employment of laborers shall be given to residents of the town. The selectmen shall draw orders on the town l treasurer at the instance of said superin- 1 tendent to pay for such materials and labor to an amount not exceeding $1000O. In case said office of superintendent of high ways shall become vacant, it shall be filled by the town at a meeting duly warned" | Edward l.. Frisbie was on his feet at once. He thought it would pay to give the responsibility for one year to the selectmen There would be trouble from conflicting authority.
 Stephen J. Kellogg favored the report l Of the committee.
 l John Fitzpatrick in support of his bill said it relieved the selectmen of some of their work, but did not take away their salaries. A voice interrupted the speaker saying that another salary would be added to the roll if the measure passed MT Fitz- patrick claimed that the appropriation of l S12, 900 was too much.
 John O'Neil quoted the statute that l towns had the right to provide for repair ing their highways in any manner they please for period of five years.
 Mir Doherty claimed that it wonld be a foolish piece of business to invest such power in one man. The superintendent of highways at present draws salary of $500 year for the services of himself and team, and $50 year is paid to an inspec- tor of highways from Watertown. MT Doherty claimed point of order, but wa not sustained by the chair. The motion to accept the report of the committee was then put, and the chairman being unable to decide which side won, the | house was divided and the motion was declared lost
 The motion to accept MT Fitzpatrick s report was put and carried. All was con- fusion and half the people in the hall did not know what they had voted for.
 MT Fitzpatrick then moved that James highways for one year from and. after the 1 first Monday in October at an annual salary of $1 ,O00.
 The name of Michael Donahoe was sub- stituted for Nil Sutton, but MT Donahoe declined. A motion to adjourn for one week and elect 6 superintendent by ballot was lost and the original motion was carried.
 1 Another motion was then offered ap- pointing Nelson Morris superintendent of the outside poor at salary of $500 year. MT Morris promptly declined to act in any such capacity.
 A motion to increase the salary of the town treasurer to $500 per annum was de- clared out of order by Chairman O'Neii.
 The meeting then adjourned.
 The following is the law relating to highways; Section 2665. Towns at their annual meeting may provide for the re- pairs of their highways, for periods not exceeding five years, and if any town neglect to so provide at such meeting the selectmen may provide for such repairs for period not exceeding one year.
 OPINIONS OF THE MEETING.
 Nelson Morris-My oath of office would rot allow me to favor any such measures, 1 am working for the interests of the town. The selectmen will certainly not obey the order of last nights meeting