Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-04-14
FREE TROLLEY TICKETS
The Heads Of Departments Made
Known Their Wants Last Night

The heads of the different depart
ments met last night In the alder
manic chamber and gave their views
on the car ticket and appropriation
question. Commissioner Edward b.
McElligott of the board of finance
presided, and Martin Scully of the
same board kept the minutes. The
meeting was held in accordance with
a vote passed by the board OF
finance.
In opening the session Mr. McEl-
ligott explained the purpose OF the
call, dwelling particularly on the
fact that the different boards will be
obliged to live within their appro-
priations this year, and that the de-
partment Of finance, was anxious to
get such information as possible re-
garding the expense of transporta-
ton with view to informing itself
as to whether the present system
cannot be improved upon. The in
vestigation was not being conducted
with view to convicting anybody
of misusing tickets, but to see what
can be done, if anything, to save
something along these lines without
hampering any department.
City Engineer Cairns was the
first speaker. He said it would be
cally the questions propounded by
the chair. He Is the official plumb
ing inspector of the city as well as
city engineer and as the plumbing
inspector makes trips to all sections
of the city he finds it advantageous
to give him car tickets when MAX
Ing long trips. In like manner the
employees of his department who
change from one place to another
different times in the same day are
given tickets. If not Mr. Cairns con-
sidered that the cost to the city
would be considerably greater in
loss of time getting around afoot.
Nobody gets ticket going to his
meals or in any other way except
when sent out to do work for the
city. For the past Is months the
average expense for car tickets In
the engineering department was
81. S. In addition to this 1t costs
about $50 per month for 10 months
In each year for horse hire. The
total for the year Mr. Cairns thought
would be about $500. The tickets
are kept in his safe and nobody can
get one without coming to him. He
uses none himself.
In reply to the matter of exceed
ing the appropriation Mr. Cairns said
this was a matter for the depart
ment Of public works. In discuss
ing this matter it was brought out
that the engineering department has
no special appropriation and as
consequence there is no way of MAX
ing retrenchment there while there
Is anything left against which work
can properly be charged, except by
an order from the board of public
works to shut down tight. 1t was
stated that the engineering depart
ment ought to have an appropriation
of its own.
, Building Inspector Chatfield is re-
,ceiving no tickets now. He would
need in his business 500 worth of
car tickets in the rounds of the year
and a team whenever he needs il.
In some places the building inspector
had an assistant, team and driver.
He thought there is as much build
ing going on here as In some of the
towns where the inspector has all
this help. Mr. Scully wanted to
know why Mr. Chatfield never COM
planned of being overworked. add
Ing that the city has deputy build.
ing inspector, but he was not aware
that Mr. Chatfield thought there was
anything for him to do. Mr. Chat
field replied that according to the
charter he couldn't call In the dep
uty unless he was unable to do the
work himself. Mr. Scully admitted
that this was true, but remarked
that until Mr. Chatfield was forced
to make this admission he was not
in a position to claim that he has
more work than he can handle.
Mr. Chatfield has charge of no
appropriation so the warning re-
garding spending too much had no
meaning for him.
Superintendent Tinker of the
school department would like to be
able to steer clear of trolley cars and
teams. He has been thrown out of
carriages and dragged through the
streets of this town and slid down
North Willow street in trolley cars
so often that he never feels at home
in them. He would prefer an auto
mobile to the trolley or other mode
of conveyance. He has go school
rooms to visit and he never could
think of doing this often enough to
keep up even an acquaintance with
the principals on foot. He visits the
schools on the outside as we'll as
those on the inside and knows that
Waterbury spends less for transport
tation than any other town of its
size whose expense for that item he
had time to look up. About $40
or $500 for horse hire and $40 worth
of tickets would be ample for him.
The truant officer could get along
with $50 worth of tickets for the
whole year. although he legs Il all
over town, and the school inspector
might not have to do much walking
If he should be given s36 worth Of
tickets for himself and $50 worth
for his help. In addition to this
he would need about s125 for horse
hire.
Mr. Tinker was not prepared to
promise that the appropriations for
teachers salaries will hold out to the
end of the term. He also hinte.
that with the funds available the
Brooklyn night school cannot be
conducted. He meant this and
Chairman McElligott was equally
free in assuring him that there IS
not a cent against which a special
appropriation can be charged. In