Waterbury Democrat., 1902-04-02
BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
Contractor Chatfeld Put in a Bill fol
 Breaking His Ropes.

Breaking His Ropes.
 Before the board of safety began business last evening, Commissioner Taylor and Contractor William Chat field had q stiff argument over the lat ter's bill for pulling down walls after the fire The contractor explained, or tried to explain, that he broke a num- Der of ropes which cost him between II and It cents pound, that a num- Der of blocks and other traps such as contractors use were ruined and broken and that was why his bill was what 1t was. Commissioner Taylor looked upon the matter as joke at first. He could not understand why the bill should be so large. He thought were 1t cut in two 1t would be about fair, and he would have the contractor un- derstand that he as committee on the fire bills would never endorse that bill. So the contractor left the room with out amending the bill in the slightest. It amounts to about $66. The board then assembled for business, and in the absence of the mayor Commissioner Lahey was chosen chairman. An ap- plication from William Flynn for posi- tion on the supernumerary police force was received and filed.
 As usual, there was a report from Captain Moore of the Burton street en. zine house complaining against Call men David Dillane and William F. Thibideau for being absent from quar- ters after hours. They were ordered to appear before the board at the next regular meeting.
 Callman Frederick N. Scwartz, sta toned at the above named house. sent in his resignation, to take immediate effect. It was accepted. A communi. cation was received from q number of the residents of Town Plot asking that the new fire house in that district be stationed lin their midst" and they were certain that lot for the building could De had there for q song. not to speak of song and dance. The docu- ment was referred to the committee on sites.
 A bone of contention was taken up next. It was the monthly bill of the connecticut Lighting and Power Go Tor light in the engine houses. S30. Chairman Lahey thought it exorbitant ana Chief Snagg was called upon for an explanation. He said that for all or the houses excepting one the bill was about the average, and he could not understand why 1t should be few dollars more there. The bill seemed to give the board great offense and if was feIerred to the committee on bills.
 The quarterly portion of the yearly appropriation for the volunteer engine houses was approved.
 Commissioner Taylor then introduced q resolution recommending that the board of aldermen proceed immediate " Wlth the preliminary steps to erect ing q modern engine house in the brooklyn district. The resolution was passed unanimously. The payrolls were then approved. The payroll for lhe regular police was S1 ,604 .34. ana Tor the extra police during quarantine duty S2,346.25. Both were approved. They are for the latter half of the month past. Chief Egan stated condi- tions generally looked favorable for n Dig reduction in the expense of his de- partment and he expected that before the board shall met again the bill for extra police will be one-half the amount at present. At present there are thirty-eight extra policemen doing duty. This includes the regular super numeraries and there have been as hign as seventy-eight extra men, including also the specials.
 The following bills contracted the time of the recent big fire were then approved: Tracy Bros' Go. tearing down walls, S19.25; the J. W. Gaffney Co, tearing down walls, $17.95; R. N. Biakeslee, for use of sixteen horses and service i'll transferring apparatus. $50; James E. Harrington, sandwiches and coffee, S26.50; Lilley, Swift x Co, boiled ham, $10.S0; Henry Leach, rub Der boots, S69.25; M E. Brahen. Wa. tertown, transferring apparatus to and from this city, $S. Other bills were held for further investigation.
 The new engine will be called No g and will have nickel jacket. as it is called in the parlance of the depart ment. This does not mean that its jacket will cost only a nickel, or that it will merely be 5-cent piece. It will be nickel plated.
 There being two vacancies at the Burton street house, William J. O'Don. nell and Patrick Reilly were elected to them without any bother in voting. They were the unanimous choice of the board.