Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-18
SALT ON TRACKS
Mayor Thoms Gives Permission
 10 Use It This Winter

Very little interest was taken in the hearing on the application or the trolley company to use salt on us frogs and switches, which was held last night. in the mayors office. Tne statutes prohibit the sprinkling oi salt on the streets except by perm's- sion of the selectmen, burgess UT mayor of communities. The hearing was held in the mayors ottice, ms honor, Mayor Thoms, presiding. sup. erintendent Wales of the Connectlcut company, was the first speaker. lie said it. was not the intention to spread salt broadcast over the streets as was the custom in the old morse car days, but to use it sparingly on switches and frogs in hard freezlhS weather. He said that it was out or the question to render good service in any other way during the winter months. At times it would also DC necessary to put little salt on tiie grooved rails, but no more or It would be applied than was absolule- ly necessary, because they had tounu by experience that in some respects it is harmful to themselves.
 Patrick McNamara opposed the application on the ground that 1t was injurious to horses hoofs, damages carriages. and besides ; he thought this company should be held down to the law just the same as private m dividuals are who have to wrestle with ice and snow the whole wlnI'r long and cannot tighten the laoor Dy the application of salt. MT McNa- mara called attention to the condl- tion that obtains in Exchange place where farmers and others who use sleighs experience conslderahle trouble in getting over the smooth movement. He wondered why some agent of the humane society has not taken some action to prevent the whipping of horses to force tnem through Exchange place in thls weather.
 Levy Grilley of Long Hill, 8 farmer, opposed the use of salt on me street, If there is law against II and all are obliged to abide by It, MT Grilley thought it wrong that any body should have the power to give the company permission to eVade It: The mayor, said he, was satisfied that he enjoys such power, but the ques- tion was whether or not it was wise to exercise it on behalf of the petl- tioner.
 E. G. Kilduff, superintendent Of streets said he didn't see any spec ial objection to the use of salt on the company's frogs and switches pro vided 1t would agree to pay the addl- tional expense which the city would be put to on account of the tracking of the mealy stuff onto the crossings. When salt is used on snow, MT kll- duff said, it never packs down tlght, and as consequence crossings near the center and other thickly set tied portions need sweeping every hour.
 In reply to this MT Wales said that he thought the constant stirring up of snow keeps it in mealy condition whether there is salt in it or not and cited the conditions that exist at the freight station on Meadow street where wagons are constantly turn" ing it up and it never packs down..
 The mayor said he was inclined to grant the petition, because it an-- peared to him that good service could not be rendered without the appllca- tion of salt, but if the superintendent of streets thought such action would put the city to an additional cost m caring for the streets, he would grant the application on condition that the company make good provid- ed any way of getting even an ap. proximate estimate of the cost could be suggested. MT Wales said it was not the snow that made the most trouble. but the frost. and that al- ready the schedule had been upset on account of frozen boxes.
 The mayor finally decided to grant the application.