Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-06-01

w ~ I'M - .-H-rt 49, ttseFsr - -
The once OF HAD debt Collector should
BE Abolished Public once Made .
Private Snap.
Again we call the attention of the
members Of the common council to the
fact that there is drain upon the pub
lie treasury which should be stopped,
and at once. A new Office has been
created and a salary of $3.50 month is
being drawn by politician who has no
honorable right to place on the pay
roll and an investigation is called for.
The appointment of Henry w. French
dates from the early part of last year.
At the meeting in January 1890, upon
motion of the late Alderman Dillon, q
committee consisting of the mayor, one
alderman and one councilman was APP
pointed to investigate the city's claims,
many of which had been carried on the
books for a number of years and We're
old debts in the full sense of the word.
Henry w. French was appointed to
represent the alderman and at subse-
quent meeting of the committee was
made bad debt collector, at monthly
stipend of $50.
/ Under the belief that Mr. French
would complete his work in a short
time no one objected to the largeness Of
i his salary, but when month after month
rolled by and he waxed indolent, muir
murs of dissatisfaction were heard, but
up to the present time the council has
not seen fit to discharge the investi-
eating committee.
So far this year Mr. French has col
lected no old debts to speak of-perhaps
i 81, 900 will fully cover the amount. He
arrogates the right, however, to collect
any and all claims of the city, except
taxes, and has received considerable
paving, street and sewer assessments
recently laid. He experienced no diff.
Guilty in collecting these assessments
but they help to swell the total of his
collections, and make favorable show.
ing, on paper, to members OF the coun'
Gil who may ask Tor proof of his work.
i We claim that this office should be
abolished unless Mr. French's title be
changed to that of city pensioners. He
does not earn his salary and should re-
sign. In the first place the work is not
of professional character. Any man
of ordinary ability can collect bills, and
S12 week is considered fair price for
performing such service.
Secondly, Mr. French was appointed to
investigate the city's claims. collect
port as to the others. Having done this
he should have been discharged. We
know just Row the city stands in regard
to the few old debts and the regularly
elected city officers are capable and will
ing to attend to the collections. ~.
Thirdly, it was not the intention OF
the mover of the motion raising this
special committee, or of the gentlemen
of the court of common council of 1896
to create a permanent office not pro-
vided for by the charter. Fourthly, the
committee and the collector exceeded
their powers by purchasing safe and
sundry supplies to considerable
amount, without being authorized to dc
SO.
Let there he fair and square investi'
cation, if there is the least doubt that
what the DEMOCRAT states is not cor.
rect. Let the city clerk and auditor be
instructed to make a statement showing
the exact condition of the city's
finances and giving in detail the status
of each of the so-callsd bad debts and
the collections made by Mr. French. =.
Mr. French is entirely free to act as he
pleases. He is under no bonds, and
whether he spends his time in Florida OF
Il Waterbury his p:iacely salary goes on.
II is even said that among the city's old
debts is one of $40 or $50 against the
collector himself, for the assessment
levied upon Taylor street property
owners years ago.