The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-20
UP TO TaE ALDERMEN.
New Charter Passed the
Common Council.
With Very Pew Changes From the
Committees Report.
Final Vote Was IL Yeas
And 8 Nays.
Commission for poor Denart.
Commission for Poor Depart
ment Not Favored.

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to continue the discussion Of the proposed
new city charter begun a week ago. The
at ssntees were Messrs. Mclaughlin,
Dow, Dyer, Hunt, Pickett, johnson,
Phinney and Farnahm
In committee OF the whole Mr. Wilson
presented a plan for the section covering
the poor department.. The section pro-
posed by him empowered the mayor to
appoint, subject to the approval Of the
board OF aldermen, three competent and
trustworthy persons as overseers OF the
poor not more than two Of whom shall
be members OF the same political party.
| These overseers shall serve for term oil
three years, one to be appointed each
year. These overseers shall be paid what
ever compensation the city council may
determine, and they shall choose their
own secretary and chairman.
Mr. Bowers said that the only objection
be could see to this plan was that he be-
lieved 1t would be impossible by such
plan to retain the same secretary yeaa az
ter year and to retain the same secretary
he thought was good thing.
Mr.. Roberts said that II 1t was meant
by this that 1t would be impossible to Sc
cure O secretary from the minority party
II that party should get possession Of the
department he could assure the gentle
man from six that it was possible to find
a Democrat, who could I'LL this position
as well as it Is now filed.
Messrs, Murphy and Woodside wanted
it explained what the advantages OF a
commission for the poor department
were.
were that It would reduce the number of
managers and would save the city much
money.
Mr.. Fox said that he didn't bslieve In
commission because 1t would Increase
the salary list OF the city. and he could
see no advantages for the commission
scheme
MIR Griffin said he believed in COM
mission OF three to handle this DEPART
ment, and he would rather see one man
handle this department II the right man
could be found. He had been on the COM
mitttee Of accounts for year and he
knew that board Of careful men could
save three times the amount of their sal
AIRY in the economy In the purchase Of
supplies and the administration OF The de-
partment.
Mr.. Murphy said he believed In having
one man handle the department but he
wanted eight more men to watch him.
MIR. l.. A. Cloudy was present and was
called on by MIR. True to give his views
on this matter. Mr.. Cloudy said that he
believed in the three commission plan.
such a commission could save the city
three times the amount of their salary in
the administration of the department
and in the purchasing Of supplies. He
spoke at some length in favor OF this
plan and said he also believed in having
women visiting members on the board.
He called attention to the fact that the
affairs of the poor department in Boston
are administered by q woman. Wherever
this plan Of women on the board Of over
seers has been tried 1t has been found to
work we'll.
Mr.. Murphy asked who bought the
goods for the poor department and
whether they We're paid too much for.
Mr.. Cloudy said that In the department
of the farm alone he could call attention
to one case where the city paid too much
for the goods 1t bought. The city was
paying 81 q ton and two cents bushel
more for feed and grain than the market
price. This was due to personal favorit-
ism, and for all he knew ii might be po-
ntical favoritism.
MIR. freeman Gowen, an oyerseer of the
poor was called on. He told Of the present
manner In which goods are bought by the
board CT oyerseers. He thought the city
bought Its goods for the poor department
as cheaply as possible, but he didn't be-
lieye this had always been the casa.
Mr. Henry p. Ross OF the board OF over
seers, said that the city bought its goods
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