Waterbury Democrat., 1901-11-19
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Unfinished Work Will Have to Stand
 AS If Is for the Winter

The board of aldermen held an ad- 3ourned meeting last night. and wreS- tied with the question of transfers Tor an hour or so, and finally fixed matters so that work partly finished and other jobs which it was intended to take 1lp and push to completion. such as paving gutters in streets. where new side walks have been laid will have to stand over winter. This is serious blow to citizens who went to the CN- pense of putting down walks; for i'll many instances they twill be gutted ny surface water before next summer aIln will have to be done over again. These transfers should have been made when they were asked for three weeks ago, but it looks now. judging by the tactics pursued at that time and since. that it was the intention of the aldermen not to make the transfers. so tDat whatever blame goes with this tninS belongs to the aldermen and not to the board of finance or the board of pup lie works. It is nothing unusual for money to De transferred from one ac- count to another at this season. III fact it occurs every day. so that those not in the game cannot see why such course should have been blocked on this occasion when. owing to the heavy storms of the past summer. the trans fers were needed worse than ever be- fore. The board of finance asked for transfers amounting to SS.4O0. to streets. new work. and streets. repairs and maintenance. The aldermen voted SJ.900 for that purpose. S3.5O0 last night and S2 400 at g previous meet ing. One of the republican aldermen. and q menher of the board of public works at that. insisted that this was giving the street department within 1900 of what had been recommended. but no one else could sea if that way. Judging by remarks made by MT GOss it would appear that the board of nnb- lie works was rouohing it onto Citv Engineer Cairns. There is absolutely no truth in this. The relations he tween the present board of public works and the engineer has been pleas ant from the beginning and it is not likely that they will quarrel between now and January 1.
 Chairman Hall presided and all inc members were present except Messrs Walker. Cross and Morris. Alderman GOss manned the session and cajoled the democrats into voting for some transfers that had not been recoIn- meDded bv the board of finance hy leading them to believe that such transfers as were needed to reDair the streets and cOmDlete unfinished work would be made later. Alderman G3ss
 
 the new item. S4 .033.42. paid to satisfy the judgment rendered against the city for the Bank street crossing, be trans ferred to the law account. Alderman White wanted to know if the report of the board of finance. just read! didn't show that this could be cared for and also make the transfer. This nettled the alderman from the second and he replied sharply. asking if the aldermen 1.., l,-sL .s,-l.I .l e of finance. This put q quietus on the asking of questions on that side of the house. but Alderman Mahanev ven- fured to ask if it was the intention to tie up the street department for the rest of the year. Mir Goss replied that he didn't care how long that depart ment was tied up. Other things, be said. needed attention first. The mo- tion was carried and then it was voted to tranSfer S2.J00 from s'streets. .paving." to law so that there may be sIlf- ficient to the credit of that account to pay any claims for damage that might come up between now and the end of the year. Mir GOss wanted some in- formation regarding storm water. drainage work. and not receiving it. he furnished it himself by stating that the engineering department ought to have sufficient funds to make such maps and surveys as are needed for the proposed counduit across North Main at Cooke street. which. he sai.f should be built at least year before the street is paved. This is matter that the board of public works pro- Hided for several months ago, but in order to make sure that there could he no mistake about it. Mir Chesso11 moved that the sum of S1.000 be trans ferred to storm water drainage. which has been overdrawn about S650. This motion was carried.
 The sum of 1,J00 was transferred from reservoir maintenance'' to streets. new york; and S2.OO0 from sewage diSposal' to streets, repairs and maintenance" the former on mo- ton of Mir Mahaney and the latter cn motion of Mr White.
 At this juncture Mir Goss put his foot down upon further transfers There might be other things, he said, later that would involve some expense The city is building a new school on q lot it has not yet acquired possession of This he considered bad policy. and if the first of the new year finds us with S5OOO0 school building on lot which We have not secured a title to. our position will be undignified. to say The least. He said there was as much To the credit of the street department
 
 months of 1900 and he saw no reason why it needed any more. But" add cd the alderman from the second. If the members of the board of public works insist upon making it more I shall vote with them." No one said anything further on the question and the matter ended there. The report of the board of finance showed that S12-200 could be transferred without criDpling any department.
 The petition of Mrs NJ. A. DOugherty fer a reassessment Of benefits an1 damages arising from the grade and layout of Washington street was re- ferred to committee consisting of AL dermen Rlakeslee. Kane and Cross, for investigation and report
 The recommendation of the board of finance that the property on Benedict street used bv the town be purchased was referred to the board of finance. 1ir Goss objected to the adoption Of the report on the ground that a de- mand note was equal to an order, and if the purchase should be made in this way We might be called upon to pay the $20000 sale price any time. An Over-assessment on the property of Mary. Emma and Harriet TOmlinsOn, for inc 1avO11f 0f North Main Sfinpf lAa-