Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-25
WILD SCENES IN CITY HALL

4
gathered in the City hall last night in large
numbers to take some action with regard
to relieving the poor and unemployed of
the town. The intention of doing some
good work was in evidence in every part of
the big hall, but just what that good work
should be and how it should be done was
the rock on which the audience split and
the longer the meeting lasted the more it
became divided. Town Clerk Madden
read the call promptly at 8 o'clock and
when he had concluded the first mistake of
the evening was made by the selection of
the gentle Rev Mr. Hoadley as moderator.
Mr. Hoadley said on coming to the plat
| form that he presumed he had been chosen
as chairman because he was not identified
with the town politics in any manner,
never having attended a town meeting un-
til the last one, and he hoped that all parti-
| san subjects would be avoided. He asked
that all reports of committees. all sugges-
tons and SO forth be read and considered
before any definite action be taken. ~
The report of the committee to ascertain
| where money could be best expended was
first read, as follows:
| ITO the town meeting called for Friday
evening. Nov "A, 1898.
Gentlemen-Your committee appointed
to report on places where money can be
| advantageously expended on the town
Eo1uS WOulu respectively report JnaI LQey
have examined several localities and find
that s., 900 can be spent to great advan-
tage upon the 'Naugatuck turnpike from
the new bridge on the South Leonard
| street entension to point at the John
Osborne place. about 500 feet northerly
from the Plat Mills road.
| 4 like sum could be spent upon the
Thomaston road near Hinchcliff bridge, so
called. in cutting down hills and filling in
hollows."
Earl Smith, for the committee of five
nominated by the Citizens Relief assoeia-
ton to report to the town meeting COM
mittee to aid the selectmen in caring for
the poor, said that the matter had been
carefully considered, that all sections and
classes had been recognized as far as posi-
BILE and the committee offered the follow
ing votes:
''Whereas, on account of the depressed
condition of business a large number of
people are out of employment, have ex-
hausted their available resources and are
in urgent need of immediate assistance,
therefore,
Voted, that the following persons be
appointed Il committee to assist the select
men in performing the additional work de-
| volved upon them in reaching cases of
need and in properly apportioning relief:
J. E. Bourret, W. H. Camp, H. S. Chase,
Nicholas Comeback, ]. H. Duggan, James
Frenzy, E. L. Frisbie, c. w. S. Frost, W.
E. Fulton, John Henderson. Jr, H. G.
Hoadley, Patrick Holohan. Andrew Kear-
ney. Thomas Kelly, Daniel Kiefer. f. r.
Lampson, j. A. Mulcahy. Farrell Martin,
j. H. McCracken, o. S. Northrop, B. A.
O'Hara, W. H. Pierce, L. 4. Plat, F. B.
Rice, E B. Kelley, Archer J. Smith, John
Thompson, Cornelius Tracy, Hugh Trea-
nor, II. L. Wade.
Voted, that the selectmen be, and are
hereby authorized and instructed to enter
| Immediately upon some work of public
utility, upon the roads of the town, in
order to furnish employment to such men
as may be in need of assistance from being
out of work, and that that the sum Of
dollars be appropriated for that purpose"
| - Rev DR. Martin.was recognized and said
that if the $40, 900 be appropriated to give
men work, he hoped the work would be
started immediately, and the money..not
allowed to remain in the hands of the
| selectmen like the 81, 900 that has already
| been appropriated. I'VE should all Co
operate to relieve the'present distress, he
said, either make an appropriation or ask
the business men, professional men and
manufacturers to 60 down Ia their rockets
and help the poor who y ave made them
the rich men they are" The speaker con-
tended that $50. 600 had already been ap-
propriated for the outside poor. and scored
the selectmen for the way in which they
are doing it out. 1T has been said" he
continued: that the proper way to assist
the poor is by an appropriation and tax
the town. But why should we tax men
who cannot put food in their families
| mouths, who cannot now pay the mort
cages on their little homes" DIR Martin
then asked that a popular subscription be
| taken up and bureau established to re-
ceive and distribute to all who would ap-
ply for the necessaries of life.
Chairman Hoadley endeavored ut this
point to arrange the votes. suggestions and
advice offered to the meeting. A blank
had been left in the vote recommended by
the committee of five, to be filled by the
meeting, naming what sum it thought
best. John H. Moran moved that SO. 900
be named for the work on the town roads, |
as recommended by the committee.
c. c. Commerford asked if the COM
mittee had not formulated any plan after |
so many days deliberation. The confu- |
sion started at this point, and after
dozen or more had been coaxed by Mr. |
Hoadley to sit down, Mr. Moran's motion |
was put and carried.
James Coughlan: I don't want this |
money expended by the selectmen hiring |
foremen at 81 or So day."
DIR Martin presented an amendment that I
the selectmen should present an itemized !
report at town meeting of the expendi- |
ture of the $4,000.
Mr. Coughlan thought that might be |
little too late when the money was ex-
pended.
Mr. Smith thought it would be enough to |
present it in the annual report.
Mr. SAKE desired that the meeting should !
consider that the place named to be work |
ed on the road was four miles from Water
bury, and too far for men to walk night |
and morning, he hoped they would strike |
the location from the vote.
Confusion became worse COMPOUNDED as
Mr. Smith. DR. Anderson and others tried
to explain. The chairman recognized |
Mayor-elect kilduff: II desire to offer the
following amendment" he said:
Voted that the sum of So, 900 be, and
the same is hereby appropriated, for the
purpose of widening and grading and i'm
proving the highway known as the Nauca-
tuck turnpike"
Mr. Kilduff spoke for his motion, saving
that in view of the lateness of the season
he thought that sum enough, and If ex-
pended wisely another SIS, 600 might be ar,-
propriated in the spring
DIR Martin wanted $40, 600 appropriated,
and in the hub-bub that was raised the
chairman stated that he had not heard Mr.
kilduffs motion seconded, although the
reporters heard it seconded several times.
DIR Anderson asked that all amendments
be withdrawn and that the resolution Of
fered by Mr. Smith, appropriating a blank
sum, which had been filed by Mr. Moran's
motion to make that sum SIC, 900, be voted
on first.
DR. Martin Was asked to withdraw his
amendment that the seleetmen be re-
quested to give an itemized account He
refused, and the amendment was put and
carried.