The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-28
Townsend had any legal claim against

Townsend had any legal claim against
the city.
Councilman Hunt said that he might
not have a legal claim, but that he GER
tainly did have a moral claim which
the city was in duty bound to respect.
Councilman Kendall explained that
there were a number of similar claims,
and that If this one was allowed, the
city would be put to great expense.
The city solicitor had been present at
the hearing and had given a decision
that the city was not liable for such
| claims.
1t will be remembered that some
| time ago, one Jsnsson suddenly left the
| city and that Townsend held a mort
gage on the property in question. The
/ water tax had not been paid by Jams
son for some time, and when Townsend
| took possession he found that the water
| had been shut off. Upon inquiry at
| the registrars office, he found out that
the only way in which to obtain water
would be to pay the unpaid balance.
| This he did, but had since learned that
he was not obliged to do this. There
| fore he asked the city to refund the
amount paid. Councilman Kendall ex-
planned that 1t was a rule of the de-
partment that no water should be
/ turned on where the tenant was in ar
rears for water assessment. The petit
ton was referred to the city solicitor
for an opinion, under suspension Of the
rules in non-concurrence.
Councilman Meagher introduced an
order, which was adopted, requesting
the superintendent Of public buildings
to report to the council at the next
meeting the cost of the work now being
done on the fire headquarters, the
manner in which 1t was being done,
who had the work in charge and the
personnel of the workmen.
Councilman O'Beary offered an order
instructing the committee on sewers to
confer with the superintendent Of sew
ers in regard to the hours Of employees
in the sewer department. This order
has been previously before the board
and refers to the employment of three
shifts of eight hours each in this de-
paTtment, as it is considered that the
work being done is detrimental to the
health of the men. The order was
adopted. He also introduced an order
which was referred to the committee
on streets, providing for the widening
of Hammond street under the New
York and New England railroad tracks
He said that he understood that the
railroad had just unloade0 q new
bridge near the spot and thought that
If anything was to be done in the mat
ter, it would have to be done at once.
The anticipated police visual signal
service also came in for a share Of at.
tention, Councilman O'Leary intro.
duced an order providing for a confer
ence between the committee on streets
and the representatives of the New
England Telephone & Telegraph Com.
pany in regard to the best means Of
equlppiDg new system He said thai
he had understood from representative:
of the company that they We're pre-.
pared to install a ne . system with {
metallic wire service at a cost not Il
exceed that Of the pArs nit system
Councilman Meagher said that it would
be utterly impossible to put the presen
system in repair, and thought tina
something should be done about tn,
matter. On motion of Councilman
Johnson, the council adjourned for on,
week