The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-13
WOULD TAKE TOWN MONEY
PLAN TO MEET THE CITY,S URGENT
 FINANCIAL NEEDS.

Proposed by George M. Grant, Ex- 1T ember
 of tho Board of Public Works-H He Favors
 Calling n Town Meeting to Appropriate
 Money for the City-Precedents Quoted
 An Injunction Would be Brought.
 The financial straits in which the city government is fioundering just now has called forth much comment from citi- zens as well as from city officials. One of New Haven's citizens, George M Grant of the George M. Grant compa- ny, mason builders, in speaking yester- day of the matter, said that he thought an easy way out of the difficulty might be found. He thought that the town government might be called upon to step into the breach. MT Grant is a well known citizen and was a member of the board of public works which was legislated out of office by the passage, through the general assembly, of the new city charter of New Haven.
 MT. Grant said yesterday afternoon in speaking of the need of money for current expenses which now confronts
 the city fathers: This matter seems simple enough. Why doesn't the town step in just now and meet this difficult
 ty? New Haven, the city, is a body incorporated from the town. It is an outgrowth of the town, and if the may or and the court of common council cannot raise the money needed now for
 current expenses why don't the city fall back upon the town and ask the town to furnish money to tide over the
 crisis? Let the necessary number of
 people sign a petition to call town
 meeting to provide money with which to clean the streets.
 When a family of boys leave home and find that they cannot make ends meet what do they do? They go back home. Well. New Haven city is an
 outgrowth of the town;. then why don't
 we, since we find we can't get along
 alone, go back to the town?
 "A few years ago a water main burst
 on Congress avenue. One of the prop
 erty owners who suffered loss thereby
 gave notice that he would hold the town responsible. The bill was settled
 before the case was brought into court
 and the town paid the damages, not al lowing the case to go further.
 During the war, when the city had | no means with which to pay bounties
 the town again stepped in and helped out in the difficulty. The town appro.
 priated money for the purpose and the bounties were paid. So now, when the city finds itself in a difficulty o1 finances, why should not the towr l again step in? Let sufficient number
 of citizens sign call for a town meet
 ing; then when this meeting is assem- | bled let an amount sufficient to meet | the city's needs be appropriated
 "As have said, the city is an out growth of the town, and if the city
 cannot take care of itself let the towr be called upon and an amount sufficient | to pay for street cleaning be taker from town funds, since New Haven, tht city, is part of the town''
 | MT. Grants idea has been endorsed | by a number of prominent citizens, ant
 it is possible that the plan may assume a more tangible form and that a towr meeting may be called, this being re l garded by many citizens who are con versant with city affairs as the mos reasonable way out of the difficulty. | A gentleman well known locally ant | cognizant with local affairs stated las evening that if the resolution for tn, borrowing of s16,00O from the sinking fund amount of s29,00O was carried l through the court of common counci he would get out an injunction re straining the city government from
 using the money, as he did not thinl that any money could be. with justice
 or consistency, borrowed from tha | fund.
 A meeting of the board of council | men will be held this evening, and the action of that board i'll regard to tho borrowing recommendation is awaited | with interest