The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-02
COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETINGS OF BOTH
 BRANCHES LAST NIGHT.

Necessity of Advertising for Bids fol l Contracts for Preparing the IIIumina.
 ton and Decoration During the Bi.
 centennial Dispenred With-V oted to
 Extend the Freedom of the City to
 President Roosevelt.
 The boards of aldermen and council.
 men in special sessions last night, call-
 ed by th.. mayor, voted in pursuance
 of power given ty the charter to dis l pe4lae with inc requirement. of section
 156 of the city charter in letting the
 contract for the preparation of the il- lumination and decoration of the cen-
 tral Green and city hall during the Yale
 bicentennial. The section of the char-
 ter referred to requires that for all
 contracts involving an expenditure of
 more than s250 bids must be advertised 1 for at least ten days before the con- | tract is let The committee in charge | is therefore now at liberty to go ahead at once and let the contract so that there will be ample time to do the work. It was feared that if the char ter provision for ten days previous ad- vertisement prevailed, the time for per- forming the work would be so short
 that local firms could not do it. It was late before a quorum of either board was secured last night and the councilmen were the first to secure a sufficient number of members to do
 business. As soon as the board was called to order and roll call disclosed
 quorum present. Councilman Elliott presented the following:
 The court of common council of the city of New Haven having learned of the acceptance by the president of the United States of the invitation to at- tend the bicentennial celebration of Yale university, takes this occasion to ex- tend to him the freedom of the city and the enjoyment of it's hospitality during his stay.
 The mayor is requested to forward this vote to President Roosevelt in such manner as seems to him most fitting and best calculated to express the grat- ification of this body at the approach men of distinction.
 Resolved, that we approve of the action of the board of finance, in the matter of the celebration at the time of the Yale bicentennial, and we do hereby appoint the members of the spe- cial committee, created by the court of common to arrange for tho illumination and decorations as per appropriation provided for said purpose.
 This resolution was also adopted unanimously
 A communication signed by the mayor, the director of public works and Alderman Wright, Alderman Hubbard, president of that board; Councilman Harkin, president of that board; Coun- ci1man Barnes, Councilman Wohi- maker, Councilman Elliott, Alderman Conway and Councilman Browning of the common council committee was re- ceived. After it had been explained that the names of the mayor and the director of public works had been sign ed by mistake the communication was acted upon.
 In the communication it was stated that the committee was of the opinion that the work for the illumination and decoration should be done and the supplies obtain ed in such manner as may appear best to the committee after due considera- nd Iat and bills presented to the city therefor should have the approval of the mayor, the president of the board of aldermen and the president of the board of coun- and recommended the passage of the following order:
 Ordered, The requirement. of section 156 of the city charter be dispensed with in obtaining supplies, in doing the work and in making contracts therefor, under an order heretofore passed con- corning the decoration and illumina ton at the time of the Yale bi-centennial, and the officers or committees authoriz- ed to expend the appropriation made | for such work and supplies be and are | hereby authorized and directed to ob- tain such work and supplies and to make contracts therefore in their dis | cretion without calling for bids and without advertising the same, and that | bills incurred by said officers for such work and supplies shall have the writ ten approval of the mayor, the presi- ient of the board of aldermen and the | president of the board of councilmen.
 This order was unanimously adopted md the meeting adjourned
 It was 9:45 before the aldermen se- cured a quorum. The session lasted ,nly about ten minutes, and the board with the councilmen in adopting the three resolutions mention d above.