The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-02
DERBY.

This city of nine thousand souls is not lacking at present in topics for tea-table discussion and street conference. There is a midwinter excitement in ad- dition to the sleighing and coasting-an agitation of matters of public veal If 1t is not the subject of a district nurse, 1t is the big jump in the tax-rate, or the coming bridge over the railroad cross ing. The newsman is not stirred to his Wits end just now, as in the barren month of August, to find some material to fill his papers columns. He merely has to keep his ears open and the items and the talk come to him. It is no ex- aggeration of the situation to say that seldom have Derby people been so thor oughly aroused, and very properly so, as within the past ten days, and it's the old cause of historic riots again at work "a tax Derby folks are not averse to public Improvements; they have much in their city equipments of which to be justly proud, but, like others who ex- pect to pay their debts, they are very unwilling to pay unnecessarily for the good things. It's not a first-elass fire department nor a high school of the best finish, nor libraries of pretentious worth that they denlur to supporting, but the wanton use of public funds they can't approve. If the present fever of fool ishly spending money in public ways continues, the encouragement to inves- tors in manufacturing or mercantile methods in this community will surely find its finis, and there will be a general auction of real estate. There is not in the judgment of those who are qualified to weigh the needs of the hour, and warrant for this sudden plunging of the city into expenditures which the new or eleven mill tax contenplates. Certain- ly at least in one department the con duet of the schools there seems no call for the sudden increase of three thou sand dollars inHthe appropriation, nor can the people be convinced that the city really needs a fourth fire company. Evidently to many the city horse is be- ing driven at too fast gait, else there'll be a runaway soon to chronicle.
 The status of the bridge question is one of amusing interest. Condensed. the facts are just these: There ought to be new bridge spanning the Naug- atuck river and purotection at the rail- road crossing, The people wish a bridge and they so voted in a city meet ing But the kind they voted for is not the one the city fathers are determined to construct The funny side to the is- sue is that the city is really doing what the Consolidated railroad ought to do. It is the company that should bridge the crossing. It is true the company offers fifteen thousand dollars to help the city, but they are then escaping their duty at little expenditure. But even if the city were to receive no financial aid in the measure before them, the location of the structure is what vexes the public, and is giving occasion to so much com ment that the objections may crystal lize in some steps to block the enter- prise Already one snag has been en- countered by the committee, and this is the withdrawal by the trolley road of the six thousand dollars they offered to contribute to bridge. The Connecti- cut Railway & Lighting company, like a majority of the citizens, does not want the new bridge on the site cer- tain portion of the community is deter mined to fix.
 But if the bridge and the tax are matters that stir to some feeling not to be desired, the district-nurse project is one on which all can and do agree It is a pleasure to note the enthusiasm which possesses the women of big hearts and earnest philanthropy in their trial of this scheme to help the worthy sick. A nurse has been engaged by the civic committee of the Woman's club, and is to commence her work on the 1st of February. The plan or ex- pertinent is simple The nurse is to be st the desposal of any physician who makes the acquaintance of some unfor- tunate who can't afford the luxury of trained nurse. The association nurse will respond and for a few hours attend to the case, the patient paying a very moderate fee if possible; if not, the club settling the account. In addition to the services of the nurse, articles of need in the sick room will be supplied or loaned by the committee It remains to be seen of course how this sort of a charity will operate. The motive is most commendable and there is cer- tainly field here for the exercise of the sweet virtue.
 One of the largest shipments of let ters by mail from a business concern was made from the Derby post-ofilce the past week. Three hundred and fif- ty-six letters, with two cents postage each, were sent out by the Anti-Nico-. tine company, these letters being re- plies to inquiries after a tobacco anti dote and liquor treatment
 On Tuesday evening, February ?, at the Library, the Daughters of the Rev olution will give Japanese tea and re- ception. The decorations and enter tainment promises to be as unique as it will be attractive.
 Probably no more deliberately planned social function will be on the list of terpsichorean events this season than