Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-05
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Discussed the City's Affairs Until
 Nearly Midnight.

~SAAAo AuoG hA6hI, Shdii AttAh6 presiding. It was quite an interest ing session and lasted almost until midnight. At times discussion be- came so warm one would think that the disputants would come to blows and that the sheriff would have to interfere. During the excitement the business administration got few bad whacks, but finally MT Elton came to the rescue and explained that while the former administration left some of its work unfinished this was due to circumstances which it was out of the question to control.
 The, row started over a recommen- dation of the department of charities that the salary of the superintendent be increased from $1,200 a year to $1,50O year and that the salary of the clerk be advanced from $1,000 to $1,200, which had lain on the table since the last meeting, and was called up by MT Spain, who moved that the recommendation be adopted, adding that he had heard it said that these salaries were not made as high as it was intended they should be when the offices were first created simply because little politics or per- sonalities, he didn't know which, en- tered into the matter.
 This appeared to displease Chair man Filling, and, calling MT Buck to the chair, MT Filling took the floor and denied that politics had any thing to do in making the salaries less than it was intended. MT Spain said such things had been said, but he didn't know whether it was so or not, and in any case it had nothing to do with the question before the house.
 Alderman Larkin was very much opposed to the recommendation on the ground that the men engaged in the office are not worth any more. He said that the clerk left the shop because $1,00O a year was more than he could get in the factory, that the job is something that any grocer's clerk can do and that in his judgment no man who accepts a public position knowing what the salary is should be permitted to push it to figure to suit himself after he gets there un- less it can be shown that the position is worth it. He also stated that two men did the work during the former board, but now there are three there.
 MT Bowe: Unless I have been misinformed there were three men there during the greater part of the former administration"
 MT Larkin: "It used to take three men to run that office, but when business administration took hold of it two did the work"
 MT Spain: II think good deal is being said about this office by people who are not familiar with its require ments. It is not true that when there were but two men in the office good share of the work was left un- done. The board of charities has recommended increases for the super intendent and clerk of that depart ment and I think it nothing more than fair to take their view of the case rather than our own. They are familiar with the duties of that | office; we are not. Now. then, they must be satisfied that the men are worth more else they would not have asked us to give it to them."
 MT Bowe: When the present off, cials came into power they had to commence and clean up about six months clerical work left unfinished by the former administration. Noth- ing had been done on the annual re- port and I have been told that for several months after going there the present clerk was employed on work that belonged to his predecessor. If you call that business way of doing things then I don't know anything about business"
 Alderman Fitzsimons, who is member of the board of charities, was asked about this and admitted that it was true, whereupon Mir Elton admitted the corn, but explained that it was due to the fact that the super intendent left towards the close of the term and a new clerk was called in who was not familiar with the work and didn't keep it up. In reply to question from Alderman Nell. Mir Fitzsimons refused to say that he believed that the increases should be made, but he did say that the work of the office is being done well. He also sa:l that the office of superin- tendent of poor is an important posi- tion and that s1,500 is none too much for the right kind of man. This prompted Mir Spain to ask the com missioner if the present incumbent is not a competent man. but MT Fitz- simons refused to answer the ques- tion.
 Alderman Lawlor explained the trouble over the fixing of the salaries of these offices when they were first created and made it plain that there was something in 1t besides the good of the people. He called attention to the fact that the superintendent of poor Is on duty at all times and reminded the board that the build ing inspector gets s1.sO0 year. and he has regular hours and is not likely to be called out in the middle of the night It was finally moved to lay the matter on the table. but the mo- ton was lost, after which the orig inal motion was put and carried by a substantial majority. Then MT Law Tor moved that the increases date back to the first of the year. but the chair refused to entertain the mo- ton. Tn this connection Mir Larkin said that the salaries approved would not be paid until the first of next year After some further discussion