The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-17
APPROPRIATION IS TOO Small
Mysterious Woman Seeks
Contributions Without
Success,

proprlateQ and make the town safe
from the antiquated fire alarm system
now in use in Spencer.
The Spy man called upon George H.
Kramer, clerk Of the board of selectmen,
today, who said: II fail to see how we
can put in fire alarm system with
the sum of money that has been appro-
priated. At the town meeting last
April the citizens appropriated $4,000 to
be at the disposal of the selectmen for
the purpose of putting in an electric
fire alarm system. Now, just to show
you that it would be next to impos-
sfble to put in the fire alarm system, 1
VIII quote you what it will cost to put
In good fire alarm system in this town.
In the first place the fire alarm system
itself will cost at the lowest figure
$4,000. Then it would be necessary to
erect so new poles for the proposed
way Of having the system. The cost or
buying and setting the poles would be
$500. The Spencer Gas Company is
willing to stand one-half the expense of
the setting OF the poles, but even then
the cost of the system, including poles
and fire alarms, would be between
$4,000 and $25oO, $500 or $500 in excess of
the sum appropriated by the towns
people. Accordingly I don't see how
the town is to have any fire alarm sys-
tenn for this year at least"
The cost of the fire alarm system
may come as a surprise to the towns
people, but to those who have followed
the affair it will be seen that the Sc
lectmen are unable to put in a system
at present.
The Spy man interviewed several
prominent citizens of the town, and all
| hxr ha or1 af l.,
decision. The opinion of every one was
that if the townspeople wanted a fire
alarm system it would necessary to APP
propriate more money or to let it lay
on the table until next year, which in
all probability will be done. One cit
izen in particular was strong in up-
holding the board Of selectmen in not
ordering the fire alarm system and run
ming the town into debt for a system
that the town can get along without
for the next year. He said: 81 honor
the board of selectmen for it's stand on
the matter, and / am pleased to see
that we have board Of seIectmeS that
knows it's business and does not plunge
into the affair without considering the
cost and what a debt it would put the
town into. As far as am concerned, l
am willing, if the appropriation isn't
large enough, to let the matter go over
for another year, and then let the cit
liens vote a large enough appropriation
for the system"
The views of this citizen are accepted
by every citizen that The Spy reporter
talked with. At the meeting of the Sc
lectmen tomorrow night, the matter
will be settled, and every one is anx-
iously awaiting the outcome of the
| meeting.
woman, about so years of age, and
dressed in a light summer dress. was in
town today trying to collect funds for
an orphans home She called upon
Druggist c. A. Spencer and told a
piaintive story, claiming she was en-
gagged in charitable work and was coll
Ilecting funds for the poor orphans. Mr..
Spencer asked her from what instdtu-
ton she came and what orphans she
was collecting for, but she made no
answer to his questions and was unable
to tell straight story. She could not
tell what institution she was collecting
for or for what body OF orphans. He
refused to give her anything, but still
she fingered, and finally asked the
druggist to give her bottle Of cure
Tor dyspepsia, and was again refused.
Then she asked for face powder. Mr..
Spencer ordered her from his store.
The woman went into the tailor shop
OF Ulrfc Dufault, on the opposite side
of Mechanic street. Here she again
told her story, but upon being asked
for her testimonials, did not show any.
SO accordingly she got nothing from
Mr.. Dufault. But still she was not
discouraged, and went into the shoe
store OF Dufault & Lawse and again
she told her story, but Peter Dufault.
one Of the propraetors, was ON to the
little game, and refused to assist her
in any way. She fingered in the store
and kept asking the proprietor to give
her different articles in the store until
again she was asked to leave. The
strange woman went into nearly every
store on Mechanic street. but did not
get anything, as her stories were too
thin and did not hold together. The
last seen of the strange woman. was
when she boarded an electric car for
Worcester.
The Main street clerks and the
Mechanic and Chestnut street clerks
are going to play another game of ball,
and it promises to be even hotter than
the Thinning game Of years ago. The
game will be for a turkey supper
James M. Silk, manager of the Main
street clerks, deserves the credit of
bringing the two factions together In
company with Manager Wilfred Cen
dreau of the Mechanic and Chestnut
streets, he has arranged for the game
to be played at Railroad Park, on Tues
day. The only thing that the Mechanic
and Chestnut streets asked for was that
each team play every player that
played before. and that no new ones
be added to either team.
{. Today Arthur Girouard, captain of
the bakers, informed the BARRIERS that
his team cannot play before Sept. II.
although the game had been scheduled
for Aug. 28. This action of the bakers
is not looked on In a very good light
by the BARRIERS. They claim one Of the
bakers is to be away on the scheduled
day, and that because of this, the bak-
ers will not play. The man that Is to
be away is John Snow, the best and
only twirler that the bakers have. The
BARRIERS say that the bakers should
have thought Of this before they made
arrangements to play on the 28th. The
BARRIERS are to have another meeting
soon, and then they will decide whether
they will play on the date proposed by
the bakers.
John O'Connor Of 4 Bell street. who
was taken to st. Vincent hospital yes
terday, is reported doing well.
In conversation with The Spy
reporter, 4. j. O'Connor, father Of
the sick man, said: John Is doing fine-
ly at the hospital, and is better than
he has been since he was taken sick.
The report that his eyes were turned in
their sockets, is false, and / do not
see how such report could get about:
the idea of his eyes turning In their
sockets, so that only the white showed
is absurd
"A musical service was held at the
home OF L. LeComte on Maple street.
this evening,