Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-06-05
@iS - No
MUNICIPAL MATTERS.o
n Petition From the Novelty Manu-
featuring Co For Abatement OF Taxes.

mayor hlluuu presided at the meetlnR
of the board of aldermen last night. All
the members were present. The following
petitions were referred to the road board:
William Geddes for layout and extension
of Clark street; David d. Altman for cross
walk on Ridge street at Pleasant; Jacob
Lauper for sidewalk on James street;
James Coughlan for crosswnlk on Liberty
street at River; J. Pollak for grading and
curbing Round Hill street from Farm to
Ward; j. Coleman for paving with block
pavement the hack stand at the east end
of the green; G.. 81. Cowell for straighten-
ing the east curb line of North Main street
from East Main to Abbott avenue. A
petition of Charles Stage for sewer in
Charles street was referred to the sewer
board.
The board approved the recommended
ton of the committee on abatements in
reference to the abatement of taxes on per-
sons who are too poor to pay.
Alderman Kiefer was kept busy for
about an hour defending the action of the
board of assessors in reference to the rails
ing of the tax of the Novelty Manufac-
turing Co from 5000 to $40 per year
The alderman did his work well, answer
ing all questions with the greatest facility
and admitting that the board was not in
fallible and may have made some mistakes.
These. he thought. should be corrected
wherever they might be found. Thomas
Fitzsimons appeared for the concern. He
made an earnest and pitiful appeal to be
relieved from the payment of the extra
$40. He said the company had always
paid on q valuation of $4,000. This year
the assessors raised it to SIT, 900. 1--WE
appealed to the board of relief" he said
''but they did not feel like doing anything
fNr a font OF
loss. Some people may wonder why we
should do this. We do it to keep our
hands together and hold our customers"
He thought other concerns were doing the
same thing. Mr. Fitzsimons said that at
the time their valuation was raised the
valuation on the Pin companys property
was lowered and also the Lane Manufac-
turing company's taxes were reduced. He
explained that while it is true that they
own property on West Main street that
was purchased from the Brass company
he wondered why that company had not
been lowered in proportion to the raise on
the concern that had purchased the prop
erty.
The mayor said the board could not do
anything in such cases, except where the
people are too poor to pay the tax.
H re the speaker returned to the bject
holders of the Novelty Manufacturing con-
Germ are in a sorry plight.
Mr. FitZsimons had been asked if it
was not true that the board of relief
ad abated some of the taxes for them
He admitted that they had. They were
first listed at SIC, 900 and the board of re-
lief in conjunction with the assessors re-
duced it to 1000.
Alderman Cross thought it was not right
to single out one corporation and raise its
taxes to twice the amount of its capital.
Alderman kiefer then took the floor and
explained that at the time of the revision
of the tax list the assessors learned that
the Novelty Manufacturing company was
doing n good business. Other concerns
had been raised. some doubled. The
Lane Manufacturing company, he knew,
was not doing the business of former years
at the time its taxes We're lowered.
The matter was referred to the city at
torney for an opinion as to whether the
aldermen have any right in the premises.
George E. Young of North Main street
was heard in reference to abatement of
taxes. Mr. Young is an eX-soldier and en-
titled to an abatement of 81 900 on his
taxes, but failed to appear before the
board of relief in 1888 to claim exemption,
and was taxed the same as others. Mr.
Young is an excitable man and walked up
to the mayor and handed him his tax bills
and asked him to examine them. He said
he had worn out two pairs of shoes run
ming ound town to find OUT something
about the matter. He was willing to
swear that he is too poor to pay his taxes.
The matter was referred to the committee
on abatementS.
The next was petition of E H. Gay
lord to sell gunpowder at 153 South Main
street. Mr. Cross suggested that the petit
ton be referred to the board of health.
The remark brought out good laugh. The
prayer of the petitioner was granted.
Petition of the Tucker Manufacturing
Co for a water main in sMain street, Wa
terville, was referred to the committee on
additional water supply.
The following recommendations of the
road board were approved: Crosswalk on
West Main street from North to South
Willow street, expense S125; grading of
Alder street. expense $500; sidewalks,
cutters, grading and catch basins on Wash
ington avenue from Alder to South Wilson
street, expense $500; law day for laying
sidewalks July l ; acceptance of so much
of Round Hill street as has been properly
graded, as public street; payment to
Thomas jackson of S25.
A recommendation of the board of
police commissioners that the board of
aldermen fix salary for police matron
brought out considerable discussion. AL
derman Halpin thought the board of police
commissioners ought to know more about
the duties of a matron than the aldermen
and should have recommended according
ly. The Recommendation was referred
back to the police board for more definite
information. The amount suggested in a
motion of Alderman Cross, which was
lost, was 5000.
On motion of Alderman Altman the
board commenced to ballot for an outside
member of the road board. Five ballots
were taken without n choice. On the first
ballot j. II. Condor received three votes,
c. c. Commerford three and 2. Holohan
one; second ballot, J. H. Condor three,
c. c Commerford three, J. II. Moran one;
third, j. III. Condor three, c. G. CONNER
ford two, P. Holohan two; fourth, j. H.
Condor three, P. Holohan two, A. A. Irion
two, The board then adjourned.
At the meeting of the councilmen the
petition from Central Labor union urging
the appointment of an inspector of plumb
ing was referred to the board of health.
Petition of Percy Hickox for extension of
the city water pipes through Buckingham
street to Pine street, and petition of
Charles Schmitz for the extension of the
water main on Jefferson street to Jeffrey
alley were referred to the board of water
commissioners. Petitions of Hanora
Cavanaugh for two catch basins and cross
walk on River street, and w. A. Hall for
removal of surface water on Meadow
street. near New England depot. were re-
ferred to the road board.