The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-18

of the law, and / should like to have the
opinion of the city solicitor upon the
question of the legality of our action.
II we desire to build an expensive
bridge at the lake, / hope we shall be
brave and manly enough to borrow the
money on an order so clear and explicit
that he who runs may read the purpose
for which the money is to be used. We
are doing the public business, and what
we do should be done in the open air
and in a straightforward manner.
There is no occasion for US to get
money appropriated by stealth or by
superhuman cunning. There should
be no subterfuges in this matter, and
no Jugglery with our finances.
Thou shalt not steal" is applicable
TO us in dealing with public measures
as in dealing with public funds
Whereas, it is provided by sections 20
and 40 of the city charter that 10 ex-
penditure shall be made or liability in
CURED by or on behalf of the city UNI
til the city council has duly voted an
appropriation sufficient to meet such
expenditure or liability, together with
all prior unpaid liabilities which are
payable therefrom; and whereas, by
sec. 81, chap. 49 of the public statutes,
ii is provided that no town way shall
be laid out or altered until seven days
iiObitc VI the INTENDED ALTERATIONS mas
been given in writing TO the owners
of land to be affected by such altera-
tons; and whereas the order for the
proposed steel bridge contemplates the
erection of a structure and the APP
proaches thereto. which cannot be
completed within the limits of the high
way or wholly within the territory Of
the city of Worcester:
Now therefore, ] move the reference
of the order to the city solicitor with
! the request that he answer the follow
ing questions:
First-Has the city council the right
to pass an order calling For the ex-
| penditure of larger sum Of money
| by contract with a provision therein
! that the expense thereof be charged
to an appropriation insufficient to cover
such expenditure?
| Second-Would it be legal Tor the
! city council to pass an order for the
! construction of a bridge and it's APP
! proaches which could not be erected
within the limits of the highway or
| wholly within the territory of Worces-
| ter, without a hearing and NOTICE 20
| interested parties?
Third-In view of existing facts,
would a contract based upon this or
| der be valid and binding upon the par
| ties thereto?
Alderman Barrett replied to BIr.
| Potter by saying that he (Potter) had
I been and still was welded 30 the idea
of stone bridge. Notwithstanding
this fact, however, the people were
! strongly in favor of a steel structure
and he was of opinion that the menu
bers of the board We're today in favor
Of steel bridge.
| Aldermen Mellen said that if his
friend Barrett was willing to wait un-
| til all legal obstacles were removed
| he would have to wait until London
/ bridge tumbled down. Alderman Pot
| ter, he affirmed, would interpose every
conceivable device to thwart a steel
| bridge. He explained that his reason
for opposing a stone bridge last year
| was because the bridge proposed was
not adequate to the need of the lake
! He still was of the opinion that stone
! bridge was the proper thing where it
was adequate to span a body of water.
but that such structure was not adap-
ted for use at the lake. A stone bridge
large enough to meet the demands at
the lake was ollt of the question. 1t
would need to be as large as the new
| London bridge which cost about $1e,-
000, 900.
He said that he was convinced that
Mr.. Webb could not construct tae
bridge according to his contract for
the contract price. He said that he
was in favor of the very best bridge
he could get for the people, and that
he stood ready to vote for the $50 foot
bridge He did not agree with his
friend Potter that Worcester was pow
erty stricken. This bridge is a neces-
sity at the lake and its construction
means eventually money in Worces-
tiers pocket. 1t would soon pay for it.
self.
Mr. Mellen thought that the board
] should take into consideration the fact
that as soon as the grade crossing
| question is settled the matter of the
widening of Shrewsbury street would
be brought up and will have a material
| bearing upon the question. With much
heat he asserted that the city was not
| going to the "damnation bow vows. -
1t is nonsense for the president of the
board of aldermen to plead poverty
| continually. Lake Quinsigamond is the
most magnificent natural curiosity
God has given us. and we should not
disfgure it by an inadequate bridge.
Alderman Russell said that while he
| was now, as always, in favor of a
! steel bridge, he was not in favor of any
bridge at all at the present time He
4 thought that when a bridge was finally
decided upon a loan should be asked
and it should be called by its right
name.
The motion of Alderman Potter to re-
fer to the city solicitor was agreed to
unanimously.
Two communications were received
! from the clerk of the board of engin-
GERS of the fire department giving no
| tice of the following changes in the de-
partment: Appointed permanent hose
men on three months probation, hose
/ company No. l. Call Lieut. G. S. Rob
| n n =
J. Donaher hose company No. 3, Call
Lieut.. r. W. Baker and Call Hoseman
| 7. Harper, Jr.; hose company No. 6,
Call Lieut.. j. f. Curran hose company
| No. T., Call Hoseman w. w. Burbank !;
hose company No 8. Call Lieut.. H. H.
| Hamm and Call Hoseman e. K. Bar
rett
! Under a suspension of the rules the
designations of Lieut.. G. L. Robbins,
hose G. who has been in the service %
| years, and Call Lieut.. r. w. Baker,
| hose company No. 3, who has been in
the service Is years, were accepted.
Both men are over the age limit and
one is under weight
A communication from the parks
| commission was received, consenting to
the laying of a water main in Park
way. Alderman Thompson offered an
order providing for the laying of the
water main as above, at an estimated
expense of 5000
Alderman Mellen offered an order,
which was adopted, providing that the
mayor be instructed to confer with the
officials of the railroads and railways
crossing Grafton street relative to
changing the tracks so that the jolting
of cars will be remedied. In explana-
ton of the order, he said that he had
understood that the officials of the
roads had said that the change would
cost in the vicinity of $4,000, This he
branded as a lie, and hoped something
would be done in the matter.
Reports were received from the com