The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-22
IT WAS A SPICY MEETING
or THE LEGISL1T0RS FROM NEW
 H1VEN C0UNTY.

Action on the Death of MT. Pickering
 Building and Loan Associations, Etc.
 Hartford, Feb. 2t.-There was a spicy
 meeting of the members of the general
 assembly from New Haven county this afternoon. One week ago Representa-
 tive Cowel of Waterbury offered a resolution providing that the commit
 tee that has been Investigating con- cerning enarging the New Haven county jail and consisted of Represen- tatives Elliott, Gum and Chaffee, CO., operate with the county commissioners in making the improvements at an outlay not exceeding $15OO00. The resolution was tabled When it was called up this afternoon Representative Eaton of North Haven offered the fol- lowing as substitute:
 Resolved, That the commissioners of New Haven county be and they are hereby authorized and instructed to make such additions to and such altera- tions in the New Haven county jail as may be necessary to meet the exist ing and prospective requirements of that institution at an expense not to exceed $15O,OO0,
 Resolved That Senators Johnson and Dayton and Representatives Elliott, Gum and Chaffee be appointed an advisory committee to cooperate with the said county commissioners in de- ciding what additions to and altera tions in said conuty jail may be neces- sary in procuring the necessary plans and specifications therefor and in su perintending the making of said addi- tions and alterations when the con- tract for the same shall have been awarded.
 Resolved, That when said plans and specifications shall have been decided upon the said county commissioners are hereby authorized and instructed to advertize for bids for making such additions and alterations in accord ance with said plans and specifications, the bids to be opened and the contract for the same to be awarded on or before July 15, 1895.
 Resolved, That the said commission CTS are authorized to borrow for the county a sum not exceeding $15O,000 to- meet such expenses.
 This aroused Representative Gum, who said in part: "There is no reason for the proposed increase in this com mittee from three to five and if it is insisted upon l shall resign for one. I don't know the object of this resolution unless it is to place this work in the hands of the republican party. I would not serve on a com mittee aimed at this specific purpose. I see no reason why there should be a postponement of this enterprise until the new board of commissioners as- sume office. If the republicans wanted a larger representation they could add the county treasurer to the committee. Under the circumstances I desire my name removed from both resolutions"
 MT. Eaton said he had no desire to be partisan in the matter but as the new board of commissioners were to be organized so soon, it would be no hard ship to wait.
 MT. Gunn-If you are to take poli tics into this thing then make the com mittee entirely republican and take all the power from the county commits sioners and then there would be no contaminating influences at all. I would not be a member of a com mittee so tainted with partisanship from the outset. What power would have?
 MT. Chaffee-As a member of the committee I very much fear that MT Gum is wrong in his belief I should be very sorry for him to resign.
 Judge Cowell-I sincerely hope that so valuable a member as MT. Gum l will remain. He has inquired into the 1 matter and we want the benefit of his | Knowledge and advice. sIn order to | give the democrats one more member, | I move that MT. Wood be added to the | committee.
 MT. Wood-I shall decline to serve. This should be conducted as a purely | business matter and small committee | would do the work quicker and better | The original plan was very much bet ter.
 MT. Morrow of Meriden-There is a nececssity for immediate action on the jail addition. The details should be worked out between now and July 15 The committee as proposed will consist of five republicans and three demo- crats, and certainly that is not very rabid partisanship,
 MT. Newton of Wallingford said he was not in favor of any partisanship. It was not the way business was done in his town, and it was not the way to do in county matters.
 MT. Cowell-I am sure there is no par tisanship in this proposition. It would be very unfortunate to get into any po- litical wrangle. I hope MT. Wood will accept.
 MT. Gunn-This contract would be let by two republican and one democratic commissioners and the members of the committee have no more power or than John Smith. They would have the responsibility, but no power.
 After some further discussion as there was some doubt about the right to ad- iourn the meeting over from time to time, it was voted to table both resolu- lions until next Tuesday al 80 D. m. Meantime they will look into the legal tight to adjourn county meeting from ! lime to time. After adjournment Senators Johnson z md Dayton said to the Courier repre- z sentative that they had no great desire f 70 serve on the committee and it was f 7ot at their request their were selected.