The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-08
ORDERS WERE NOT LEGAL
ALDERMEN List NIGHT RECINDEU
ACTION PREVIOUSLY TAKEN


Common Council Must Approve Ger
tain Bilis-Winchester Avenue Road to
Extend Its Tracks-Other Matters.
The board of aldermen last night
passed a resolution offered by Alder
man Dewell resembling all action taken
by the board since January 1 in refer
ence to matters referred to committees
and instructing the city clerk to get all
papers sent at any time this year prior
to March to any supposed commit
tees' and to return these papers to tha
board of aldermen at its next meeting.
this resolution being offered and passed
in view Of the fact that the corporation
counsel has given an opinion that the
committees were not legally appointed
until they had been announced by the
president of the board, in session. The
matter was called up by Alderman
Brennan Of the Third ward. President
Lambert had just finished announcing
the list of aldermanic members Of the
JOAAAt oSes1IAllA6 COl11lltlttGCS WIlSll lHlIe
Brennan asked If all business which
had been done by committees and re-
ported on before they were announced
and all business now before the COM
mittees would have to be acted upon
again. President Lambert stated that
they would not and that he considered
that the committees had been already
legally appointed. He was asked If he
had seen the opinion of the corpora
tion counsel on the matter and replied
that he had not. On motion Of Alder
man Pickett, City Sheriff Bunce was
sent to the mayors office to get The
opinion, but he returned and announced
that the mayor was out of the city.
Other matters were taken up and after
short time Alderman Dewell offered
the resolution referred to above It
was then announced that the mayor
had returned and the resolution was
tabled temporarily until the city sheriff
returned from the mayors office witl1t
the opinion OF the corporation counsel.
in which Mr.. Ely stated that the COM
mittees were not legally appointed un-
til they had been announced tn tha
board by its president. Unanimous
consent was given for the consideration
of Alderman Dewell's resolution and it
was unanimously passed. Mr.. Dewell
Later offered resolution, which was
also passed unanimously, directing the
city clerk to send notices to all depart
ments to execute no orders sent BY any
Of the .so-called'' Joint standing com
mittees of the court of common cotin-
cil Since January several committee
reports have. been received from c61fi-
n1ittees not legally appointed and oF
ders passed on their recommendation
and sent to the proper departments.
These orders include orders for the
building of several sewers and for the
erection Of gas and electric lights, all
of which must now be recalled. 1t Isl
said that work has been commenced on
some of the orders.
A resolution offered by Alderman
Pickett, authorizing the board OF
finance to fix and pay compensation td
the members of the committee appoint
ed under the provisions of resolution
passed by the court of common coun-
Gil and approved by. Mayor Hendrick
in December, 1896, to compile the char
ter and revise the city ordinances,
work which has now been completed,
was passed unanimously.
A bill for 5000 was received from
Thomas Benedict for pay for his SER
vices in making up the military enroll
ment. Several members expressed some
doubt as to the necessity Of the court
of common council acting on such bills.
thinking that the board Of finance had
powersto approve such bills and pay
them, without being especially author-
lied to do so. Counci1men E.. s. DOVE,
a member of the board Of finance, was
present and in the absence of Alder
man Forsyth, the aldermanic member
of the board, he was asked to explain
why the board of finance had referred
the bill to the court Of common council
Captain Dove stated that the bill was
referred under the construction which
the board Of finance places upon sec
tion rs Of the charter which provides
that each claim or account against the
city shall be certified to be correct and
justly due by the officer or board by
whom or under whose authority it was
contracted, after which 1t may be ap-
proved by the controller and the board
of finance Captain Dove said that II
bills for work ordered by the daR2rt-s
ment of public works were received the
director of that department is required
to certify the bills before they are ap-
proved by the board of finance, and
since the appointment Of Mr.. Benedict
to make the military enrolment came
from the court Of common council the
board Of finance thought that the
council should approve the bill. After
this explanation the aldermen voted to
instruct the board of finance to pay Mr..
Benedict $780,
A resolution offered by Alderman
Rourke, directing the return to plumb
ers of fees paid since the adoption Of
the new ordinances for permits for
| opening streets, in excess of the sum
provided in the new ordinances, was
| passed unanimously.
A petition, signed by number Of
hackmen and liverymen in the city,
asking for amendment of the ordi-
nance de public conveyances, was re-
ferred to the ordinance committee. A
petition from the Winchester Avenue
Railroad company for authorization OF
| q location for it's tracks and the erec-
ton of poles, wires and fixtures on
| Winthrop avenue, from the present
terminus of the road on Sylvan avenue
to Oak street, was referred to the COM
mittee on railroads and bridges.
! On motion of Alderman Chillingworth