Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-06-07
AS YOU LIKE IT.
Stray Leaves From Reporters
Note Book.

Stray Leaves From u Reporters
Note Book.
Public Office is private snap, they
say, and if they have in mind Alderman
French and the sinecure he enjoys, they
are not far from right. Finding himself
out of work few months ago Dir French
succeeded in getting appointed bad debt
Collector for the city, at a salary of $3.50
per month. 1 have hunted high anC low
through the charter and ordinances of
the city and have been unable to discov-
er by what authority layman can col
lect taxes or assessments from property
owners. The work rightly belongs to
either the tax collector or city attorney.
In justification of the action in appoint
ing Alderman French bad debt annlhlla-
tor the latter's friends claim that he has
collected $4,000 for the city. Perhaps
he has. But why does not the city at
torney collect this money and save tax
payers Sc day? At the last council
meeting Clerk Riordan asked for a:report
of the committee under whose instruct
ions Alderman French is acting, and
was completely ignored. These are
things that tax payers should study.
~
"While great many anglers use
worm bait for trout" said a we'll known
angler to me the other day, "the in
crease in the number of fishermen who
will take fish with fly, or not at all,
has established the fact that even fair
anglers can do about as well with fly
as with worm bait. The sport derived
from the use of the fly is SO much greater
that those who once become adopts in
its use can scarcely be induced to use
the fly bait again. In fishing with three
flies it is customary to use two bright
flies and one dark one on lowery day
and two dark ones and a bright one on
fair day. AS an old sport expressed
it, One should copy the weather
Speaking of fish reminds me of a
story, vouched for by well known
painter. which is the hardest to digest
of the many yarns l have been forced to
short time ago captured a three pound
pickerel. In itself, this is a feat of
which any fisherman might he proud
but, as will be seen, the sequel to the
story is its liveliest part. After being
carried in basket for over three hours
the fish was placed in the operating sink
and opened, when 10 and behold out
and in perfect health. At this stage of
the tragedy the reporter begged to be ex-
cused and sailed out to see man.
"Say," said gentleman who had
tor, to me the other day. "Some of
those census enumerators are not asking
all the scheduled questions" 1t is easy
for one to believe that such is the fact.
The enumeratOrs were vitality interested
in the crusade which the newspapers
made against the silly and impertinent
queries, and as result they have
adopted the easiest method conceivable
in such cases. After a little practice the
census man knows just about what an
swer he will receive to the majority of
the questions, and, so am told, to save
time he fills out many of the answers
himself. Accuracy in any census is an
exceedingly difficult thing, but this one
will be notable for errors and ''informa-
ton" that will only deceive. 1t is folly
to expect a man to tell a census taker
that he has had to mortgage his house to
pay his gambling debts and is victim
of chronic whiskey bronchitis. And it is
perfectly absurd to expect woman to
tell male man that she is knock-kneed
and wears false teeth.
Charles B. Vail begs leave to be ex-
cused from succeeding himself as fire
commissioner and has notified the re-
publican council caucus to that effect.
l am informed that Mr. Vail feels keenly
| the shadow cast upon the board by the
sharp letter of Ex-Commissioner Kelly,
and is as anxious as the latter for an in
vestigation. For obvious reasons the
inquisition will never be made and Com
missioner Vail has withdrawn from the
contest.
The name Waterbury is misnomer.
At least the boys of swimable age think
so. 1t is grievous offense, punishable
by incarceration in the station house, to
bathe in the cooling waters of the Maui
gatuck within the city limits and Judge
Bradstreet threatens to make an example
of the next boy caught with his clothes
off. Now why would it not be wise
plan for the city fathers to appropriate a
few hundred dollars for the establish
ment of public boths in this city. Such
an institution is greatly needed and
would be much appreciated by the
thousands who are confined ten hours a
day between brick walls and who know
not what it is to have a vacation. 1t is
almost beyond dispute that were swim
ming baths established and small
charge made, they would be self-support-
ing, but even if they were not the con-
sideration of health alone would Justify
the necessary outlay.
A gentleman who has been absent
from the city for some months was
agreeably surprised on his return to find
that front fence has been removed
from Church street property. AS such
a healthy fever may be spread by such
an example he asks the DEMOCRAT read
ers to imagine the improved appearance,
if every fence facing the green were re.
moved. On the newer streets there is
no temptation to build fence, and the
long time owners of old property are
slow to catch this spirit of improvement.
But such beginning on Church street
must have its effect. The gentleman
above referred to influenced a Hartford
gentleman residing on Pennington ave-
nue. to remove an iron fence which had
cost him 81 800.
There were 175 failures in the United
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