The Newtown bee., 1901-04-12
TOWN TOPICS.
SATURDAYS TOWN MEETING.
LARGELY ATTENDED IN SPITE OF THE
RAIN.

was attended by about 100 voters and
proved to be a lengthy one, as the tax
payers and others came "loaded" with
resolutions. d. G. Beers was chosen
chairman of the meeting. The first
resolution was one authorizing the
selectmen to borrow $4,000 to meet
the running expenses of the town for
the current year. Attorney G. H.
Northrop offered an amendment max
ing the amount $4,000, stating it is
his opinion that this amount would
tide the town over until the next taxes
Fwere due. Selectman Morris said that
he thought the Selectmen ought to
have the $4,000 asked. In answer to
a question Collector R. A. Clarke said
the amount due on the three last tax
books was less than 81, 900. DR. Gordon
said that if it proved that the $4,000
was not needed it would still remain
in the treasury and would not be
wasted. On vote the amendment of
Mr. Northrop was lost and vote to
authorize the selectmen to borrow
| DlU,UUU was Carried.
| Attorney Northrop then offered a
resolution to accept the resolution of
Mr. Hubbell and stated that this was
matter to which he had given con-
siderable time and thought and stated
that the road to be improved was, in
it's present state, almost impossible
| for vehicles of any kind and disgrace
to the town. The amount was so small
the town was asked to expend that
it should not be considered minute.
Only few days since Bridgeport
banker had said to him that he con-
sidered Newtown far ahead of other
resorts in natural advantages but our
roads were so bad that people did not
care to come here, that if we had good
roads he and a number of friends would
like to come if things were different.
Mr. Northrop said that Redding, Beth
el, Brookfeld and other towns around
us were taking advantage of the states
good road appropria tion and thought
we ought to. 1t would be a help to
the taxpayers by causing demand for
real estate. D. G. Peck wanted to
know how far the appropriation would
60. This brought out the fact that
the state roads cost from $4,000 to
SO, 600 mile if Of stone; if of gravel
it would be considerably less, but no
one seemed to know how much. On
viva voce vote the ayes seemed to have
it, but the decision of the chair being
doubted D. G. Peck and E. W. Fair
child were appointed tellers and a
division revealed 81 for the resolution
and "a against. A vote was then soon
passed making the necessary appropri-
alton of 81, 500 to carry the first resolu-
tiOn into effect.
DR. Gordon then brought forward his
resolutions which were offered at
previous town meeting and published
in The BEE relative to Offering a bo-
nus to any manufacturing industry
that may locate here. DR. Gordon said
in offering these resolutions that he
did not do 50 from a selfish motive, for
he might not be here two weeks or two
months from now, but he did think it
would be for the interest of the town.
All towns are offering inducements to
manufacturers and if we did not do
something of this kind we would sink
into a purely agricultural town. In
the nature of things the tax rate was
bound to go higher as the grand list
fell off. The courts have never passed
on the legality of this proposition and
c1,o 70 1o4
out if any one wished. G. H. Peck
said in answer to the argument of DR.
Gordon that as he understood it we
were to pay back Is per cent of taxes
to any manufacturer coming here,
under certain conditions. Mr. Peck
then was about to read the decision of
the Supreme Court on the famous
Torrington tax case when Principal
T. J. Corbett arose to a point of order
He said that Mr. Peck had beclouded
the issue in that this was case where
the taxes would have to be paid first
and then paid back as a bonus. Sheriff
Rodgers said he thought we ought to
wait until some one wants to come in
first so we might find out who they
we're before we made any offers. The
chair having ruled Mr. Peck out of Or
der a vote was called for and diyi-
sion and count showed a vote of A
against and Al for the resolution. The
meeting then adjourned.
1t was one of the longest special
meetings in a long time, being in ses-
sion about two hours. At times some
of the arguments were rather warm,
but on the whole the debaters kept
their tempers very we'll.
A horse belonging to Stephen San
ford of Redding cut up lively caper,
and came near doing a considerable
damage to property on Saturday after
noon in the yard of Mrs A. S. Northrop.
Mr. Sanford and F. B. Banks, the latter
the father of Mrs Sanford, had just
hitched the horse onto the wagon,
when without warning, the animal
stood up on it's hind legs, thrashed
around and turned over the carriage.
The men succeeded in holding the
horse, but after the excitement was
over Mr. Banks discovered he could
hardly walk, and had to be helped into
the house. In some way he wrenched
one knee badly and had to summon DR.
Smith. 1t appears the horse had not
been used all winter and was feeling
good.