Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-17
GETTING TOGETHER
Mayor and Aldermen Reach a
Temporary Understanding.
Fay of Chief of Police Browncll and
Chief of Police Russell Held lin,
While the Other Officers VIII
Draw Their Money.

At the special meeting of the board
of aldermen, Thursday night the qucs-
ton of paying the police again came up
ana before discussion closed there were
several undignihed scenes and several
members of the board seemed apparent
~ at loss as to what course to pursue.
AT The last meeting of the board the
police pay roll submitted by chief Brow
nell was ordered paid while the one pre-
scented by Chief Russell was laid on the
table. The bill passed was returned to
the board Thursday by Mayor Burke
unsigned and with the following Commu-
nication:
Gentlemen:--In relation to the pay roll
of the police department for the month
OF August and approved by your honor
able body / hereby return the same To
you for further consideration as included
IN same was pay for h. f. BrowaelL
whose commission as chief had been re
Voked by me and has not performed any
services as such since commission was
revoked. As the question of who holds
the legal title to chief of the police de-
partment is to be decided by the SUI
preme court | would recommend that the
salaries of the rest of the officers of the
police department be approved by your
honorable body.
This Immediately brought on "A discus
sion, during which Alderman Shea moved
that the suggestion made by the mayor
an amendment that the pay of both Chief
Brownell and Chief Russell be held up
and that motion was passed 10y Il yea and
nay vote as follows:
Voting Aldermen Cofey. Courtney,
Reeves, Parker. Trick and Shea.
Voting no--Aldermcn Morgan, Richard
son, Stiles and Taft.
Before the motion was passed Alderman
Shea irdulged in a long haranguc during
which he accused members of the board
OF stealing bills from the table and hiding
them in drawers. He was stopped by
Chairman Taft before he had concluded.
The question of installing the fire alarm
system of the American District Tclc
graph Co. was brought to The attention
OF the board and it was stated that if
adopted the insurance rates in the city
would be decreased ten per cent. The
matter was referred to the board and
Mayor Burke as a committee of the whole
and they will meet this morning at nine
o'clock to investigate the system.
A resolution was passed authorizing the
city treasurer to borrow 10000 to pay
the @ocrued and accrung Liabilities of the
city.
An opinion was received fror, city At
tcrney Brown relative to tie proposition
to settle~the question of the payment of
the assessments against r. S. Tafts cs-
tate. Tie report was AS follows:
This case involves the validity of GER
tain assessments for curbng ana gutter
ing and sidewalks on South Union street.
The cases upon this subject are conflict
ing but the weight OF authority is in
favor of the validity of such assessments.
In this case the sum of SlJi.9l has been
paid upon stipulation tina it hc returned
in case tn" decision be adverse to the
city and the balance unpaid is $40. less
probably, than the cost of trying the
case. The case has slept quietly for ten
n
to let it quietly pass away by accepting
the proposition.
The report was placed on file and the
board adjourned.