Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-07-16
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

rhe City Kali Matter In Its Various
Phases-Win the City or Town Buy
the Halle-About Consolidation
What Mayor Sargent and City Aud
itor Lake Say Upon the Subject-Dtd
Mayor Sargent Act in the Interests
OF the Town9
Notwithstanding the intense heat of yes
it was hottie various occu
pants of the Offices of the city hall found /!
an exceedingly fruitful topic of converse
ton in the various phases of the redistri-
button of the city hall. On all sides were
rumors of what the dual governments
would do in the matter, but up to night
fall no new plans had been developed. As
an example of the utter Stiffness of the
majority os these rumors, one will be suf-
fcient to quote. The rumor in question
was to the effect that at the next meeting
of the board of selectmen Tuesday even
ing, in view of the decision of the COM
mittee, a resolution would be introduced
to the effect that the name of the hall
should be changed to Town hall. This ru-
NOR was quietly set at rest, however, by
Town Agent Clarity and several of the
Selectmen, VINO denied IN LOtO any kuOWl-
edge of any such plan.
Just what the outcome of the matter
will be is, of course, as yet merely a mat
ter of conjecture, but some of the officials
rise up and coolly affirm that as a result
of the committees decision the days of the
dual government-city and town-are
numbered and that within a few years but
one system of government will be in vogue
in this city.
Mayor Sargent, in speaking of the sub
ject yesterday, said that he strongly ia
vored the consolidation of the town and
city government. To disinterested list
ener his whole attitude seemed to be one
of intense satisfaction at the decision. It
is understood that the chief official of the
city favors the supremacy of the town
government and the adjustment of the
boards of aldermen and councilmen and
placing the power of the court of common
council in the hands of the board of select
men, the town agent assuming all the du-
ties of the mayor under the present system
of city government. This, however, sounds
facetious.
1t was intimated yesterday that the town
government will petition the legislature to
abolish the city government and it was
stated in support of this that the demo
Gratis would not oppose this movement for
the reason C1db IL LILO GOWu Was Iuo
governing power most, If not all, of the
patronage would be in the gift of the
democracy. There are no ward Emita-
tions in town government to assist the re-
publicans, who are undoubtedly greatly in
the minority.
With this idea as basis many inter-
esting speculations can be made. A one
man power would rule all the depart
| ments, as, instead of commissions in the
/ road, public works, police and fire de-
| partments, some member of the board of
selectmen would be delegated to have
| charge. The paying Offices would not be
decreased and instead there would be a
| less numerous body to ''work'' for snaps.
In an interview with COURIER re-
porter yesterday Mayor Sargent said: con
| the whole I am well satisfied with the ap-
portionment of the city hall rooms, as by
| It, if move into the room now occupied
as meeting room by the board of public
works, it will be much more convenient,
as will have the whole of the city bust
ness right in one compact circuit, with
City Auditor Lake and City Clerk Downes
| on one side of me and the board of public
works with the entire engineering depart
ment on the other. This will be much
the city business, in fact, the only
objection can possiblyraise to the decision
is the fact that it takes away at least five
per cent. from the dignity attached to the
| mayoralty to place his Office on the third
floor of the building. In reference to the
| question as to whether the city or town
should buy the building and rent Offices
in it to the other government I cannot see
that it would make any material difference
as it is practically one interest that owns
and controls the building, the city and
town money being identical, except in the
case of Westville and the annex, which are
controlled by the town but not by the
city. There is absolutely no use for build
ing new hall no matter whether the towr
or city buys it, as the hall is plenty large
for the needs of both governments and
will be for years to come"
1t would seem as though the mayo
might possibly be reckoning without hi.
host when he speaks of occupying tn
room at present occupied by the board OF
public works as meeting room, as it is
understood that the mayor cannot occup.
either that or any other room in the cit,
part of the city hall without an orde
from the court of common council and tn
board of public works are, it is said
strongly opposed to allowing him to hav
that room. At the same time his honor
cannot make his Office with City Auditor
Lake even should there be room enough
for the two there except by an order iron
the court of common council, and it doe
not at present seem as though he woult
be successful in this respect either. Thu
we have the spectacle presented to a cit,
of 100,0 900 inhabitants of its chief ex
ecutive without place to transac
business, except he, rs WAS several time
suggested yesterday, remove his Office t.
the corner of Church and Elm streets. Blu
the city will probably do the right thin
and give its mayor his choice in the mat
ter.
City Auditor Lake was still very indig
nant yesterday and said that the decision
was the most unjust one he had ever hear
of in all his experience. "Why," said he
"the city has no room at all for the trans
action of its business. Assuming that tn
mayor moves into the meeting room of tn
board of public works there will then b
| no place in which to hold committee meet
ings. In other words in this event al
meetings of committees, board of publ
works, ETC., will have to be held in the may
Office, and this will prove extremely awk
ward and inconvenient, especially on even
ings when several meetings are to be held.
When asked what he thought of the con
solidation plan and the amusing rumo
that the town was going to petition for tn
adjustment of the city government tn
genial city auditor laughed and said: ''It i
in my opinion only question of a shor
time until both governments will be con
solidated, but you can rest assured the cit
government will remain and the town gov
eminent be the one to be abolished. Why
take other cities for examples. Hartford
Meriden, Bridgeport, Waterbury and othe
cities have all in their time had Qua
form of government-towna and city-bu
in each of these cities to-day but one form
exists, viz: the city government, and this
believe will be the ultimate result in thi
CITY,"
There was another story around yester
day to the effect that Mayor Sargent hat
stood by the town all through the deal
Notwithstanding the fact that he was ap
pointed to look after the interests of tn
city, and had even gone so far as to tende
to the town the room occupied by him o.
the second floor as an Office so that b
could get upstairs with the city audito
and city clerk, inasmuch as he could no
force them to come down to him.
In the meanwhile the heat increases an,
the business of both governments is con
Quoted in the same old way at the oil,
stand.
Personal Notes.
Professor Hoppin, of Yale, and famil
opened their home on North street, Litch
field, Monday.
Mr.. Winthrop E. Dwight, Yale 1913, ha
arrived at President Dwight's, on Mort
/ ,k~aot ;kohSo1J