The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-29

The debt Of the borough or -OL tue tOeA is not a considerable one now. but it bids fair before the end of the year to have another $2O.0O0 added to its floating indebtedness. The per capita indebtedness of the town of Orange in cluding the school, borough and tOwn' is about S3S.50. In the city of New Ha- ven it is about BPS. If the twenty thou sand dollars is added to the indebted ness of the town this current year it will make the per capita indebtedness of the inhabitants of the town of Or ange about $40."
 In concluding his letter, MT. Clark wrote: The borough wants police without politics; appropriations limited to money in hand; intelligent work III the repair of streets; and wedding out of graft in town expenditures" He also touched on the Kimberly avenue bridge question, saying: Tt would be interesting to know how much the fixed-bridge majority in the board Of aldermen pay in taxes"
 In his letter MT. Clark ascribed 'the secret of the indebtedness" of the town to reckless appropriations and the un- willingness of the town to lay a tax sufficient for its expenses" He said that assessments are laid upon only part of property "in defiance of law" He also charged borough and town of- ficers with holding the opinion that they are above the people and that they may spend as they choose so long as they can borrow. He said that on annexation the assessed values would, be overhauled and the result would show the true relation of the indebted ness to the grand list.
 t Charles H. Miller, owner of Miller's pavilion at Savin Rock, spoke in favor of annexation. He described himself as one of the largest property holders in West Haven and said that he found po- lice protection and fire protection insuf- ficient.
 A. Felton Wood, the West Haven druggist, was another speaker in favor of the enumeration. He expressed his doubts, however, as to the size of the tax rate after annexation. He added that he believes 75 per cent. of the population of the borough are at pres- ent in favor of annexation whereas probably only 25 per cent. were in fa- vor of the change ten years ago. s.. 1 A. McC. Matthewson of the shell fish commission in speaking fayorably of annexation said that the Chamber of Commerce was far from being a dis tinctively New Haven body and that it's membership included many West Haven people. He touched strongly on the sewerage question and said that New Haven and West Haven should cooperate in plan. to keep the sewer age from polluting the harbor. ..s..
 Representative Minotte E. Chatffeld was strongly in favor of annexation and said that he had observed the same sen- tinrent among West Haven people "out- side of borough officers" This explan- ation of the division of opinion in the borough caused laugh among the lis teners. Professor George D. Watrous of the Yale Law school suggested that before talking of consolidating with West Ha- ven it would be mighty fine thing to consolidate ourselves" He suggested that at some future meeting the Cham Der of commerce should discuss the ad- visibility of taking the three outlying wards of New Haven into full partici- patton in the city government. This met with applause and President Lee promised the suggestion would be con- sidered., A
 The Chamber voted that it believed in the desirability of consolidating West Haven and New Haven. Colonel Sim con E. Fox then moved that a com mtttee of seven be appointed to agitate the matter among citizens of West Haven and bring about meetings and public discussions of it in the borough. This motion was also carried unani- mously. President Lee will appoint the committee in a few days.
 The discussion on the advisability of constructing a lake at the foot of East Rock park was long and resulted in no action. Minotte F. Chatfield said that before voting on the matter he wished to know whether the change would i'm prove sanitary conditions in that part of the city or would impair the health of the residents. He said that if no improvement in sanitation would be made he suggested the construction of lake at the end of the city by some means of flooding the West Haven meadows and the dead arms of the river which are menace to the health of the entire city. He suggested that the city might, by the right of eminent domain, take these meadows and after draining them lease them.
 President Blake of the park commits sion spoke at length. He said the esti- mated cost of a lake from Whitney ave- nue to Willow street would be $60,000 and if only as far as the Orange street bridge the cost wolud be about $25, ,O00 He said that the investigation some years ago resulted in estimates by the aldermanic committee and the drawing of construction plans by the city en- gineer.
 "All that is needed now is money said President Blake.
 Colonel Osborn here remarked that the late F. Hayes Trowbridge had talk. ed of constructing such a lake and building memorial bridge at Orange street but that his death came before the plans could be realized. fr.
 Talcott H. Russell spoke briefly, say. ing that he wished something more definite might be known regarding the sanitary effect of constructing lake. The meeting adjourned on motion oi President Blake of the park commis. sion.
 Before the discussions began Franl , T. Trowbridge, cashier of the New Ha,