Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-15
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Met Last Night and Finished Up work
 of the Year.

OI the 1eaf.
 The board of aldermen met last night and finished up the work of the year Besides Chairman Goss there were present Aldermen Filling. Stanley, Blakeslee, Beach, Walker. Pagan. Keefe, Foley, O'Brien, Murray and Brophy. It was the first time,in many years, if ever, that the democrats were "let in'' on what was going oil and as a result the session was very harmoni olls and alvast amount of business was transacted without any trouble. Here tofore the republican side Of the house has been in the habit of fixing things up to suit themselves without caring whether the other fellows were pleased or displcased, but owing to the alb sence of three of their number they had to transact business on different plan this time, and-it worked all right, too. The rate of taxation aoreed upon Is 151a mills, equal to 461a mills at one. third valuation, and had it not been for the onnosition of few republicans and the democrats it is doubtful if it would not have been pushed up to at least 20 mills.
 The only charges made in the esti. mates as published were makine the amount for City hall plans $1.000 in- stead of $2 GOO: increasing the snn1 for the library from $1.000 to $2.0O0: rais- ing the item. water trepairs and main tenance. from 9O00 to S1a af0: order. ing m appropriation of S55 nn0 for a new school building on Elm street and Ss.0n0 for new heating apparatus in the Rank street school.
 Alderman B1akes1ee wanted the ap- nEcr,'ia+ion for naving increased from S5 GOO to S20.0n0. and City Enoineer Cairns gave some excellent reasons why s'1ch action ought to be taken. The motion was lost. only Aldermen BlakesIea. Stanley and Beach favoring it. Mir BlakesIee said he vented to nlace tho responsibility for +fe condi- ton of the stroets where it belongs. on the aldermen. instead of the board of puhlic works. and then went on to see what he could do towards having other items increased but he received such scant eDcouraoement he gave it up.
 Alderman S+ar1ey asked that the item of S5NnO for patrol wagon be reduced to $LOOO. The motion was lost.
 Alderman Murray inouired if "a new engine house were needed in the north western section of the city. MT Goss said it was and that he hoped the board would take favorable action on-i it. MT Reach also said a good word for it. He believed it would take the department fifteen minutes to reach there.
 The item of S1 .OOO for fire protection in the firSt taxation district was strick- en out. on motion of MT Beach. The sum of $2.000 was appropriated for the library instead of S1.000, oil motion of Mr O'Brien. 2
 You didn't think that long a couple of weeks ago" remarked Alderman Brophy, when we all agreed that 1t would take fifteen minutes to reach some of the streets I live near. Over $15,OOO worth of property was de- stroyed in one of our streets within the past year and we cannot get box at an outlay of $125 or so to protect what is left. I don't see how can vote to appropriate this $17,O00 and then return to the districtI am supposed to represent and say that I have not been able to do anything for them"
 Mir Murray said he hoped 1fr Beach would manifest the same enthusiasm in favor of new house on Washing ton. hill next year that he does for one in the northwestern part of the town. The alderman said he should be pleased to see it there, adding that it needed 1t and some boxes. too.
 Commissioner Chapman of the board Of education was heard on the Elm street school and Bank street heating questions. They were passed, bu owing to the efforts of Alderman Walker $5,OOO was Topped off the amount asked for the new school.
 The estimates were then adopted as amended and taxsof 151a mills on the dollar ordered
 Routine matters were then taken up. On motion of MT Blakeslee coasting was permitted on the same Streets ', were used for this purpose last year.
 Alderman Keefe moved that the de- partnnent of safety be. directed to irl- stall fire alarm telegraph box at the corner of Luke street and Sylvan ave- nue. Alderman Beech protested, but MT O,Bfien and others informed him that property in that district was en- titled to fire protection the same as in other parts of the town and that they saw no reason why it should not have it. The motion was passed, only one voice. that of MT Beach, being raised against it. Several other matters. in- cluding the installation of an electric arc light at Scovilrs bridge and the re- port of the bureau of assessment rola- tive to the discontinnance of Vine street and recommendations from the committee on afbatements were acted upon.
 When City Clerk Ryan announced. That's a11.v Alderman Murray stepped forward and in a clever ads dress presented to Chairman Goss a he~11tifr,l gold-headad cane. suitably inscrihad. as a token of apnrer'a+ion from the members for his impartal and eminentlv fair treatment Of every hndv while acting as presiding officer. Nr coss accanted the token with thanl5s and stated that he would like to evnrass his feelings in some more srbstantinl way than could ha done fin words. He invited tho members to have social session with him at some date to ba named later Sheriff Me