Smyrna times., 1904-12-14
COUNCIL WARNED AGAINST
CONDITION OF STANDPIPE
EXPERT MACHINIST VISITING SMYRNA
SAYS 1T WILL GIVE TOWN TROUBLE.
Joseph Wright and John p. Hudson, Lumber
Contractors, Asked To Report Cost to
Erect ScaffOIdIng- Meeting of Council

"Whlle an expert machin4st was
gazing at the stand pipe the other
day from the front of my factory"
said Councilman Thornley, at the
meeting of the council Friday evening
che volunteered a remark that if the
standpipe was not soon painted the
town was going to have lots of trouble
on its hands" The machinist had been
experimenting the erection of new
piece of machinery at Tucker & Thorn
ley's Overall factory and his attention
was called to it by the coating of rust
that &C vered the rivets and the whole
standpipe. The remark while timely
one was not a new question before the
Council, although it did impress the
members with seriousness of their
duty in the matter. Secretary Grieves
said he had been trying to get up with
the "Steeple Jack" who was here in the
summer and offered to do the work at
a reasonable figure without the aid of
scaffolding. In the effort to get up
with this painter the work has been
delayed from time to time until now
the question confronts the Coun-
Gil as to the advisability of having the
painting done speedily and not wait
until spring weather sets in. While no
definite action was taken, Councilman
Hudson and Councilman Wright, both
lumber contractors, were asked to fig
ure on the cost of erecting a scaffolding
from the base to the apex of the 100
foot standpipe and report at the next
meeting When the scaffolding is
built the painting could be easily done
by any of our local painters. One thing
is manifest and that is something
must be done or the town will have lots
of trouble on its hands. Once the riv-
cts become decayed with rust and the
standpipe weakened there is no telling
what catastrophe might take place.
All the members were present Fri
day evening except President Rey-
nolds and in his absence Councilman
Stockly was made the presiding officer.
When the report of committees was
called and progress was reported in all
the departments of the town, Mr..
Robinson was called to the chair while
Mr. Stockly made statement concern
ing the work of the Finance committee
in getting matters in shape to have
those light, water and sewer bonds
which will expire during the coming
year. renewed at the session of the
Legislature which will meet in Janu-
ary. Mr.. Stockly read the act which
he drafted and stated he was in favor
of obtaining the right to borrow S34,-
900, the present amount of the town
bonded indebtedness, and to reissue
one thousand dollar bonds redeemabe
at per cent. Heretofore the bonds
have been redeemable at 5 per cent.
and Councilman Stockly thought the
town might as we'll save the one per
cent as not. In this matter however,
he only reported progress for the f.
nance Committee, and it is fair to pre-
sumo that the work will be in good le-
gal shape to present to the Legislature
early in its session tn January.
For the first time in a long while
Alderman Crow reported that he had
received no fines. The following bills
were read and allowed: Joseph II.
Wright, lumber, $49. So; Harvey Jones,
work on Opera House, $3.50; Edward
G. Walls, supplies for Board of Health
$l.9O; Harry B. Grieves, money ad-
vanced and postage, S6.7O; Gilbert SyI-
vester, work, $13. rs; Rumsey Electric
Mfg. Co., $9.76; P. B. & W. Railroad,
freight. $94.53; Frees Hallman, work,
$1.5O; total, $175.72.