Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-11
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Held Lengthy Meeting and Discussed 1 Petition of Hampson-Sellew Go.


 night. Chairman Goss presiding, and all the members being present except MT Ford. The debate over the peti- tion of the Hampson-SellewF Furniture Go and the few tilts about the salary of the superintendent of poor were the principal features of the session, with the exception of the interesting and in- structive talk upon building ordinances and fire protection given by F. c. Moore of Hartford, supplemented by a few pertinent remarks by John K. Rice of New York. Both were intro duced by Alderman Chesson and proved to be gentlemen of more than ordinary ability MT Moore's famil- iarity with the size of the water mains in the different streets would lead one to believe. that he was member of the bureau of water.
 The following petition from the Hampson- -Sellew Go was received and after a long discussion was laid on the table for a. week:
 ssWe, the undersigned, the Hampson- Sellew Furniture Co, corporation or ganized under the statutes of Connec- ticut. do hereby petition your honora- ble body to grant us permission to erect a one-story structure about 3S by 100 feet, on the land of Greene Ken drick on Kendrick avenue, to be a frame building with steel protection against fire on the outside, and asbes- fos fire-proof paper. A brick chimney will be erected; no plumbing will be used. Cornelius Tracy promises us that this will be proof against any or dinary fire. Mir Root of Root & Boyd expresses his opinion (attached here with that it is a safe fire risk also.
 eve ask this privilege owing to the fact that it will take several months to erect a building on Bank street where we shall be permanently To- cated. and that to be deterred from doing business during this long period of time means. an immense loss of trade. debars our employees from the opportunity to earn their living sets at one side our business standing in the community which we have labored years to establish.
 We trust gentlemen, that under these extraordinary circumstances that you will take such action as will grant your petitioners the relief that they now ask
 1.-THE. HAMPSON-SELLE FURNI-
 TURF CO.,
 City Attorney Kellogg looked over the fire ordinance and stated that the aldermen had not the power to grant the petition. section Al of the ordinance stating that no building shall be con- structed within the fire limits the outer walls of which are not of brick or stone. Alderman Blakeslea thought this too bad and contended that some provision should be made whereby the petitioners and others can get permis- sion to erect temporary structures to do business in until such time as they can be accommodated elsewhere.
 MT Sellew made a few remarks. in the course of which he said that after the fire in Boston temporary buildings were put up for the merchants within twenty-four hours after they had been driven out. The same thing. he said was true of Portland, and the ashes of the great fire at Chicago were not cold when the merchants were comfortably located in permanent quarters. He said his company was anxious to do business and expressed the hope that the board would find some way where by they could get permission to take advantage of the offer given them. MT hendrick offers them the use of tha lot free of cost until the block they in- tend to occupy is ready. Mir SelIew sald that his company would agree to remove every yestige of the structure at the expiration of ten months.
 MT Filling wanted to know how the company could remove the temporarv structure so long as it did not own the ianu- Supposing," he asked, "that the owner of the land objects to the tear Ing down of the building, what are you going to do with it?'
 Alderman Goss: Be compelled fo endure the sight of another rink"
 MT Sellew explained that if there was any doubt about the company's rIght 10 tear down the structure Mir Nendrlck would gladly give writings 70 that erect and Mir Hampson re- marked that the company would fur 1t. e'ey 'estise or
 Alderman Murray: "Can we com peI Inerchants to tear down these tem- porary structures provided they get permission to put them up?,
 Chairman Goss said he sho,1d liLo to have the city attorney answey +bat question. Mir Kellogg gave an . ffirn,a live reply, and then it was decided hv l.aninlous consent to amend the or dinance so that the board could grant permission to the Hampson- SeIlew Clo and others to put up temporary etruc. lures for a time. The city attorney prepared the following draft of an amendment:
 "An ordinance amending and in ad- niIlon to an ordinance concerning fire:
 Be 1t ordained by the board of al- uermen of the city of Waterbury:
 That section Al of the ordinance concerning fire, adopted in the year 1855, be amended to read as follows:
 section 41. No person shall here after erect, enlarge or alter any build- ing within said district, if the outer walls of such building are not made of brick or stone. or covered with some fireproof material, and shall be to the approval Of the board of aldermen"
 The motion to pass the amendment was declared carried, although MT Beach voted against it. Then it was passed for engrossment by the clerk. who. after holding the document up by the corner and cycling 1t suspiciously. walked across the chamber and in- dulged in quiet chat with the city attorney. MT Ryan then returned to I the desk and remarked that he felt constrained to refuse to engross the amendment unless by specific vote of the board. ''The city attorney would m efo nd S7