The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-02-03
The BOARD OF ALDERMEN
ALDERMAN TRUEMAN SPEAKS
PLAINLY,

4LIA4NALS
illegal Vote Taken on Mayors Veto
Through Ignorance of City Charter
In Reference to Paying tho Aldermen
Mayor FavOrs New Trolley Road TO
West Rock-The Question of Licens-
Ing Engineers Postponed.
The board of aldermen held its regu-
lar monthly meeting last evening. AL
dermen Frederick, Conway, Bronson.
McGill, Alling, Jacobs, Hilton and Morse
were absent. The contract for printing
the. boards journal was awarded to
George D. Bone, whom Alderman
Wheeler considered a competent man.
A report from a committee of the
democratic party demonstrating against
the so-called gerrymander was received
and on recommendation it was accepted
and referred to the committee on legis-
lation. The committee suggested that
one extra polling place be located in
each Of the following wards: Second,
Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth,
also two extra ones in the Third and
Fourth. The 'Hof Brau Haus' petition
ed the board that they might be per-
mitteed to erect a sign past on the cor
ner Of Church and Crown streets. 1t
was referred to the committee on
streets.
The mayors veto in reference to the
paying of the aldermen was then read
and caused much discussion. In it his
honor stated that at the present line it
was a question whether the people
would be satisfied to have only one
board serve them. or would desire the
reinstatement of the board of council
men, and that the matter had better at
least wait until the question had been
thoroughly tested. He said that the Sc
lectmen received pay, but they were
sometimes compelled to work both day
and night. Before the new city charter
went into effect they were remunerated
to the extent of $3.50 day. but they
will now receive but fifty cents an hour
He also referred to the fact that the
board of finance received no pay. AL
dernan Strong made a motion that the
mayors veto should be sustained, which
was seconded. Alderman O'Keefe then
made an amendment to the effect that
the veto should be rejected. An aye
and nay vote was called for on this
question, and those who voted to an
null the mayors veto were as follows:
Aldermen Sprightly, Trueman, Minor,
Corcoran, O'Keefe. Galligan, Maley, Nc
Guinness, Baldwin. Moran, Dawson,
and Walsh Tbaca y0tipor i11 of
its acceptance We're: Aldermen Strong,
Strong, Wheeler, Hosley, Logan, Hine,
and Foote. President Wallace then de-
clared the veto lost by a vote of y to g.
In arguing this question Alderman
O'Keefe stated that two members of the
board of finance were getting enough
pay from the city. He, said that the
chairman received a salary of So, 800 and
that the controller got one of $4,000
Continuing, he said: 1.-THE mayor says
the time is not now ripe to consider the
question of paying the aldermen.
guess the time never will be ripe. We
: are about 100 years behind the times
now. Alderman Dawson also spoke
aaginst the mayors veto.
Alderman Trueman then took the
floor and gave one Of his spirited out
spoken speeches. He said: This mat
ter should have no interest to me as I
have been sentenced to political oblivion
but l think that We should treat this
communication of the mayors with I'M
mitigated contempt" By a series of
figuring he then showed that if he had
received pay at the rate of $500 for his
last years services he would have re-
= cetved less than 81 a meeting 81 am
not going to be too particular in the
figures" said the alderman, "as some
OF my college educated friends might
take me up" He then figured where
his car fares would amount to over
$3.50 in the course of TIE year. He then
said: ut takes lot of money to be an
alderman, and 1t Is getting more ex-
pensive all the while. so that in little
time none but the rich can afford to
come here" 1t is funny thing that
some people should howl about expense
when 1915 was voted like creased light
ming for an adding macline!' If the
members of this board had been paid
during the last year so many votes
could not have been gotten favoring the
''eternaI water contract" nor would an
alderman, whose sister is supporting
herself by teaching in public school, be
Informed that unless he voted for that
contract she (his sister) would be dis
charged. Such things are damnable
and they have got to be stopped!" He
then showed where he considered a
great deal of money was spent foolishly
by the corporation counsel and other
city officials, but said he. 81 suppose
that all the wisdom in this city, is to be
found in the First National bank build
ing" Alderman Minor also stated that
he was convinced that it was a wise
plan to pay the aldermen. He then
said that the mayors salary, which was
originally $500, had been raised to $500
and with his additional clerk hire, il
would approximate at least S., 900, and
no one was complaining.
A repeating act in reference to the
establishing of an isolated hospital
with slight exception, was received
from the mayor. This was accepted by
those present. Another communication
was also received from Mayor Studley
recommending that the Fair Haver
and Westville Railroad company be al
lowed to extend it's road to West Rock
via the so-called Wintergreen road. He
thought that the city could be saved
considerable money by having the troll.
ley company convey the crushed stone
from the, quarries, by which the -propos.