Waterbury Democrat., 1901-11-21
BOARD OF FINANCE
Talk of Reducing the Expense of Heat
 ing the AImshouse.

ing the AlmShOuSe.
 The board of finance had a meeting last night for the purpose of hearing what the board of selectmen had to say regarding estimates for the iun- ming expenses of the town for the last three months of this year and for 19U2. SeIectmen Doran and Disley and Clerk Thomas F. AIcMahon appeared at the meeting. and the subject was dis cussed for an hour or so, during which MT DOran gave the financiers q vast amount of information regarding town affairs He called attention to the cost of heating the almshouse and stated that it could be reduced consid- erabIy by locating the boiler room near the main structure. At present it is 1GO feet away from 1t. It takes 4OO tons of coal to supply the demand fer steam and fuel at the institution. With the boiler house close to the building the price of 150 or 200 tons of coal per year would be saved. MT Disley said it would take about S6,J0O to make the change. The almshouse account increased $500 last year. The demands made on the town Tor nos pital cases are going upward. ana ili- sane patients thrown upon the town are increasing in numbers. At pres ent there are eighty-five or ninety such patients at the retreat. for which the town pays g week each
 Mir Doran thought it would pay 10 have a permanent military enrolling officer. The salary need not be any more than the town pays several agents for doing the work in the months of January and February, S3jO. The town pays q state per cap- ita tax of S1.0O0. but the collector does not take ill over S3.O00. You see. said Mir Disley. i've pay S350 for the privilege of losing S4.O00.'
 The state owes the town S3.0OO on the good roads fund and there is q ball of $4.5OO due the railroad company Tor the bridge near Oakville. Mir Dofan said this bill should not be paid if there is any way out of it. They put up the bridge without any regard to tle convenience of the public. and il stands there at the foot of the hill. q menace to life and limb, q dreaded spot by all who have occasion to drive through that district.
 Commissioner Lord wanted to know what disposition is made of the money paid for interest on bank stock. The bank stock in Waterbury. he said amounts to over S2.000.000. City At tOrney Kellogg stated that it is paid over to the treasurer of the towns where the owners reside.
 Mir DOran reported all bridges in good condition. with one or two eXcep- tiOns. The Dublin street bridge needs q new floor. and the iron bridge on West Main street wants planking.
 -Is that bridge safe, Mir Doran?'' askedi Commissioner Kent. "I walked over it the other day and was sur prised at the acute vibration. small wagon was passing over it at the same time.''
 Yes, I think it is. commissioner. '' replied Mir Doran. I've have had ii inspected q few times and the builders could see nothing wrong with it. The city's road roller and the roller belong ing to MT Hart have been over it. and so long as it is able to bear them up there can't be much danger. I know it shakes badly when q horse trots over it, so badly. in fact. that you would think it was going to snap; bus the inspectors say it is safe, and I sup. pose they know''
 It was finally decided to adjourn i.Il- til tonight. when Clerk McAIahon will be OH hand with figures showing esti- mates of the needs of the town for the months of October. November and De- cember, 1901, and for the year 1902.