davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
WHAT CITY GIVES AWAY
 UNDER 20 YEAR CONTRACT

. year contract), is conditional one. conditioned on the appropriation an. nually by the Board of Apportionment and Taxation of moneys to meet the payments called for by the contract. and in my opinion, the refusal of said
 board to so appropriate, is means
 oy which said contract could he F.
 GALLY SET ASIDE E AND NO
 RIGHT OF ACTION WOULD LdH AGAINST THE CITY.
 Tt would appear that the city by
 the contract under consideration, has POSED UPON the HYDRAULIC co. and has RELINQUISHED some RIGHTS given to it by the Nathaniel
 Greene contract and charter afore-. Said.'
 "A comparison of the contract with the provisions of the cornpanys char ter and the Nathaniel Green proposi- ton discloses in the 20 year contract features which I could not commend:
 Ine charter of the company imposes upon 1t the duty of furnishing water at as cheap a rate as any other citw snail be supplied by individuals or pr;- Vate corporations. If, as is claimed other cities are receiving water ser vice at CHEAPER rate than Bridge port, or are receiving FREE WAITER then this contract would place our city at the disadvantage of paying HIGH- FIR RATES for it's water than it
 consider ONE of the most oBJEC- TIONABLE features of the contraok to be the stipulation contained in Sec- tion thereof. that the city shall pay in addition to certain fixed sums for water used, AN INDEFINITE AMOUNT by way of REBATE of TAXES. i;
 It is provided that ALL TAXES shaisr me REBATED upon. the company-S property when the assessment exceedsi an ARBITRARY amount, which am-3 ount it is claimed, MUCH LESS than the ACTUAL VALUE of the company PROPERTY. , The question of the power of the city to make a contract for more than one year came before Judge Wheeler, when he was city attorney in 1892. a
 He said: "In my judgment the Cftv of Bridgeport cannot enter into a con- tract for a period greater than one year. The best accomplishment of the Consolidation Act was the enactment of a provision whereby the city is de- prived of the power of spending any greater sum of money than. that ap- and obliged to keep it's ex- penses within the revenues of the city. If it is permitted the city to make con- tracts involving expenditures beyond the year and the revenues of the year there will be no curtailment upon ex- penditureS. The revenues of the city can be indefinitely and entirely mort gagged, expenditures may be largely ir- and the very object of the law
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
Deaths and Funerals.

The funeral of George Heisler, who dled in the Soldiers Home at Noroton, wednesday, was held this afternoon the body arriving here this morning on the 9:35 train, the Rev. B. F. Saxon conducting the services at the grave in Lakevlew cemetery. Delegations were present from Elias Howe, Jr.. Post. NO: g. G. A. R. and the Knights of Pythias.
 Maria, wife of Charles w. Allen, a we'll known barber of this citv died at St. Vincent's hospital late yesterday afternoon after a. long illness. She is survived by her husband and one brother in France. She resided with her husband at 941 Broad street. Mrs. Allen was a woman of retired disposi- tion but had large circle of acquaint- ances who will be pained to learn of her death.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
GAS LEGISLATION HELD
 UP FOR MORE LIGHT
Counsel for Local Company not Prepared With Information Desired by Committee
 on Interpretations.
Rush to Get Ahead of Public Utilities Act Opens in Hartford
 With Little Bill Which Leaves the Rights of Bridge port Gas Consumers Unprotected.

surprised when the committee inquired what the company was going to d' with the money raised, II the conces sion was granted.
 His explanation of the intentions O. the company was not as full as th' committee believed it should be. MT Stoddard was asked to consult with hi: principals and to get into a position where he can be little more specific
 In the meantime the bill is held up The views of the Bridgeport authorities will probably be obtained before any thing further is done.
 The rules to which corporations like the Bridgeport company will have tc submit, If the Public Utilities bill be- comes a law as drafted, are expressed in the section of the draft devoted tc issue of securities. mergers and mort gages.
 A company desiring to increase its capital stock is obliged to apply to the commission in writing, stating the character of the securities it intends to issue the amount of the proposed is- sue. and the purposes for which they are to be used.
 If the application is granted, in whole or in part, majority Of the commits sion shall sign certificate stating, the name of the company authorized, the character of the securities authorized, whether stocks, bonds, coupon notes, or other evidences of Indebtedness the amount of each authorized, the mini- mum value at which each may be sold. the property if any which may be re- ceived in place of money.
 The value of such property is to be set out in detail. a fact which tends greatly to prevent stock watering by the process of issuing large values in securities for worthless, or compara- lively worthless property.
 The act further provides, that any issues of stock without the sanction of the commission shall be void.
 No proceeds of any sale of securities shall be applied except as directed in the certificate.
 Stock dividends are prohibited.
 Property taken in exchange for stock must be found by the commission to be of a value equivalent to cash.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
WHERE EXPERTS DIFFER.

The comfortable opinion of Att torney Marr in the harbor line dis pute following so closely upon the depressing prophecies of MT. Gull linan will perhaps scarcely encour- age those who believe that there is wisdom in the multitude of legal counsel. It would be impossible to conceive of more radical differen- ces and the public sense of the un- certainties of the law will assured ly be greatly strengthened.
 To the ordinary layman there seems to be much common sense in the cheerful views taken by At torney Marr. They put an alto gether different face upon the con- troversy which has already offered so many clements of the uneXpect- ed. Attorney Marr's law has hith- erto proved to be good law and he possesses that legal instinct which is sheer gift of the gods in some what unusual measure.
 In any case, it would be well for the ClIy LO try COIlCluSiOIlS. LNSH at the worst, it's honor and inde- pendence are worth something and a reputation for being easily fright ened is not in any case a desirable asset. Most people have felt a lit tie doubt of the railroads case be- cause of the persistency of it's friends in endeavoring to prevent the city from bringing it to the test. Such a shining degree of al- truism seemed to be altogether un- thinkable.-From Bridgeport Tele- gram of this morning,
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
Clergymen Don't Appreciate and Newspapers Are AL
 ways Wrong.
MINISTER'S ARE BIRDS OF
 PASSAGE THESE LATER DAYS
Pungent Address Delivered by the Executive Before South Church League - Town Used to be Wide Open, With Keno Joints All Going, But Only Pas tors Go Now.

Power of Appreciation was the toast which Mayor Lee responded, al the annual banquet of the Mems League of the South Congregations. Church, at the Stratfeld. last night He said that ministers of the gospel did not have the power of appreciation in connection with the changes in Bridgeport. He said that 25 or 30 years ago all of the saloons in Bridgeport were open on Sunday. while the police were cognizant of the fact. Disorder ly houses were running wide open, as were faro banks and keno joints.
 More rum was drank on a Sunday, in those days than is consumed in twenty Sundays in these days.
 He thought that city officials were not appreciated by the ministers, for they gave little commendation when they did a good thing. and were loud in their condemnation when cog slipped somewhere.
 Later day ministers. he said, did not seem to wieId the influence in com munity that they used to. because where one used to read occasionally of a pastor preaching a 18th or 50th an- nlversary sermon. you read quite ire quently of the going Of a pastor who has been connected with a church for d IcW years, dl1O OL LuG luSIttlldLlOI OI a new pastor. He said that in his re- collection in Bridgeport, Rev. Dr. Hewitt, pr. Palmer, Dr. Maxcy, Rev. Father Synott, and few others, were men were yielded considerable influ- ence in @ community.
 He thought it was as essential for a minister to stay in a community to become known as it was a. man in busi- ness, who always had to establish him. self.
 The mayor also took his customary fling at the newspapers and said that the ministers most always formed their opinions from the newspapers which he had found in his own case to be wrong in the majority Of instances.
 The general opinion Was that the mayor was taking a quiet little fling at Gerald H. Beard, pastor of the Park Street Congregational church. who is relatively a, new conner, and with whom the mayor has had some differences in recent days.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
Adventist Institution Burned Near Battle Creek, Mich,
 Early This Morning.
THREE FAILED TO
 MAKE ESCAPE
Many Were Forced to Jump From Third Story Window But Only One Was Badly Hurt--Buildings Were Con- pletely Destroyed And Loss Is Total.
Especial from ITnited Press ,

NpGCldl U1lLoQ HIeSS,l
 Battle Creek, Mich., Feb. g. When the children of the Haskell Home, a Sev- en Day Adventist Orphan Asylum just outside the city, were gathered on the snow outside the fire ruined buildings early to-day, three were missing and it is feared that their bodies are in the debris. The children are Lena Mc- Ferney, IA; Cecil Quotant, IA; George Goodnow, 8, colored.
 Thirty-seven children ranging in age from years to 15 years, were awaken ened from sleep by cries of Fire" at A M. to-day The little ones were driven out of the east wing of the or phan asylum by the watchman. Those who were big enough, jumped out of the second story windows. The watch man gathered up several babies in his arms and carried them out. Scream ing children were cut off in the west dormitory with a third story window the only means of escape.
 Flames and smoke drove them into a corner of the room to the window and one by one to the narrow ledge where almost lifeless from terror they tumbled the full three stories The building is a mile outside of the city and there was no one at hand to catch one little girl whose name has not yet been ascertained She suffered a fractured skull and may die.
 The three missing children slept in another dormitory just to the left of the west one. The building is total loss as there was no fire protection save that furnished by farmers.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
MADE ATTEMPT TO CARRY AWAY HIS
 SWEETHEART
(speciai from United Press,


 Newark, Feb. 5.-For bfdden entrance to the home of his sweetheart, Miss Marion Davis, J. Henry Ross, sneaked in like a. burglar early to-day and at tempted to steal the girl as she got up. Instead she screamed, the family was aroused, Ross overpowered, and a terrific struggle ensued which the entire neighborhood was called upon to subdue.
 Ross had been calling on the girl for some time but about a month ago her parents forbid him the house. Last evening he called but was refused ad- n1ittance. He returned about mid night, broke through a cellar window and made his way to the second floor. w. H. Davis, the girls father, was awakened by the footsteps in the hall and caught Ross just as the latter was entering Miss Marion's room. Ross shouted that he intended to carry the girl off.
 The girl and her mother threw open the windows and called for help. The neighbors rushed in and although Ross fought stout1y, he was overcome and placed under arrest.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
POPE PLUS THANKS MEMBERS OF A.O.H.
Special from United Press.)

Special from United Press.)
 Boston, Feb. 5.-National President
 Matthew Cummings of the Ancient Order of Hibernians to-day received the following letter from Archbishop OConnell, conveying to the A. O. H., the thanks of Pope Plus x for their generous aid recently given towards the relief of the victims of the Ital- ian earthquake:
 My Dear MT. Cummings: His Em- thence Cardinal Merry Del Val, secre- tary of state to His Holiness, has ca bled to me requesting me to convey to you and to the other officers and nem- bers of the Ancient Order of Hiber- nians, the Holy Fathers deep appre- citation of their generosity in contrib uting so well for the relief of the earth quake sufferers in southern Italy and Sicily.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
(By Our Staff Correspondent )

(By Our Staff Correspondent.) Hartford. Feb. 5.-Upon the principl hat the early bird gets the worm. th' Bridgeport Gas Light Company lead all the rest in an effort to get a. blan l1et permission to issue some hundred of thousands of extra paper upo1 (which the gas purchasing public would be required to pay profits. This is the beginning of the rusf which the public service corporations of the state are going to make to gel onto the band wagon ahead of the pas sage of a public utilities law. which will stringently regulate such issues and protect the public from the effects of stock watering. The following is the pretty little plli which the Bridgeport corporation po1;nns aske Ks : the Committee on Interpretations to endorse. It provides that
 Sec. 1.-The Bridgeport Gas
 Light Co.,, is hereby authorized
 to increase it's capital stock by
 issuing from time to time new
 shares of stock. in such manner.
 and under such regulations and
 of such character, as the stock
 holders of said company shall
 prescribe, provided, however,
 that the total amount of it's
 oapital stock shall not at any
 time exceed $2,0O0. 600, and pro-
 vided further, that such stock
 shall be issued at par. for cash
 or it's equivalent or in ex-
 change for the present out
 standing common stock of the
 company, in the proportion of one share of said new stock for
 three shares of such common
 stock. which common stock when so exchanged shall be
 cancelled and retired, and any
 franchise tax paid on the com
 mon stock so retired shall be
 applied to the franchise tax on
 like amount of such new
 stock.
 Sec 2-This act shall take eff
 feet upon it's passage.
 Attorney Sanford Stoddard appeared for .sthe bill. He seemed very much
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
IS CITY PATROLLED EFFICIENTLY?

Liquor Prosecutor Frederick B. FTal- lon has received a letter from Attor- ney M. E. O'Brien at Washington, protecting against the licensing of the saloon at 16 River street with James McDermott as the licensee. O'Brien claims that the place is outside of the efficiently patrolled portion of the city and states that the commissioners had no right to issue the license If it has been already issued he asks for a revocation. The license will proba bly, stand if the district is efficiently pa trOlled
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
TRYING TO SHIFT
 BURDEN TO CITY ATTORNEY CULLINAN
Latter Has Never Given Opin- ion on Points Raised by Former City Attorney
 Marr.
When City's Legal Adviser Gives Legal Views it Will be In Writing To The Proper Authorities-Two Kinds of "Conspirators," For An d Against Bridgeport.
Bridgeport.

The promoters of the Harbor Gral are becoming desperate. The opinion rendered by Former City Attorney Jas A. Marr has convicted them before the people of "being caught with the goods on." MT. Marr's statement that no damages need be paid by the city under the new charter is so clear as to be beyond dispute.
 But if the new charter did not give the city power, the legislature could rectify the omission. Fortunately it is the railroad that needs charter change before it can get any money out of Bridgeport.
 Such a. change is not likely to be ob- tained since the little joker'' amend ment, putting 57 back into 58, was dis covered by the Farmer, and laid upon the table by the committee on char ter amendments.
 The latest attempt of the su1len and defeated friends of the railroad propo- sition, is the attempt made last night by an esteemed contemporary to drag City Attorney Thomas M. Cullinan in- to the controversy, as having given an opinion opposed that of Mr. Marr.
 It is probably true that under the old charter the city would have been oblig- ed to submit to payments to the rail- road company in order to keep it's har- bor. Everybody who fought for the old line frankly admitted this.
 MT. Marr's opinion is intended to cover the situation in the case of a harbor line laid under the new char ter.
 There is no disagreement between City Attorney Cullinan and MT. Marr, and if there were, City Attorney Gull linan is not the lawyer who would eX- press it except in a properly rendered opinion to the proper authorities.
 The Farmer will not submit to this attempt to shift the burden to the city attorney. 1t is late in the day.
 MT. Marr says that the state has power to lay harbor lines and that the rights of owners of uplands are sub- ject to that power without privilege of compensation.
 Mr. Marr says that no damages need be paid to the railroad because the city line crosses the Naugatuck Dock.
 Mir. Marr believes that in the new charter the state has delegated it's full power to the city. It is not believed that any first class lawyer can be found who will go fur ther than to raise a. doubt.
 If it is true, as charged that group of "cOnspirators" banded together to keep the city's property for the city, and if the same group had charge of charter amendments, isn't it possible that their views on charter amend ments bearing on this subject are at least as sound as the views of the "conspirators'' who are banded togeth- CT to help the railroad company.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
COMMITTED SUICIDE BY HANGING IN
 BEACON FALLS
Special from United Press.

Naugatuck, Feb. 5.-Arrangements are being made to-day for the burial of William H. Basham, aged 50, whose body was found last evening hanging from g. barn owned by Wilbur Seeley in Beacon Falls. The body was dis covered by a farmland who immedi- ateIy notified Medical Examiner E. H. Johnson. After an examination of the body the medical examiner stated that 1t was a case of suicide.
 Basham was a wagonsmith and was we'll known in Naugatuck. He had constant employment and his relatives and friends are unable to account for his act.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
WALL STREET TO-DAY,

Especial from United Press.)
 il a. m.-After a strong opening the entire market became heavy and with out special incentive. Consolidated Gas was an exception to the weakness ad- vancing A.
 Noon.-The announcement of the de- claration of the Brooklyn Rapir Tran sit dividend caused a rally in that stock which recovered nearly all of it's decline. This was about the only marked increase worth noting in the last half of the forenoon. Prices of the leading railroad issues shifted around the low level reached at the end of the first hour a few fractional advances being made.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
WILL INVESTIGATE
 TRINITY CHURCH NY.

Albany, Feb. 5.-Declaring that he was prompted by reports of pernicious activity in worldly operations, Assem- blyman Cuvillier announced to-day that he would introduce bill calling for a legislative investigation of Trin- ity Church, New York, the richest church corporation in the world. He will call upon the land office and attor- ney general to produce all papers re- lating to the character of the Trinity corporation. He said that legislators and state officers have for years been given the privilege of examining the records of Trinity
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
SMITH WILL PROBATED

The will of the late Mary J. Smith was admitted to probate this morning. Harris B. Smith qualifying as execu- tor and Frederick M. Ward and Her bert B. Townsend as appraisers. Tn the will the deceased leaves all her to her husband, Harris B. Smith
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
FREE WATER, GREAT SUMS IN TAX REBATES
 AND HYDRANT UPKEEP
Facts That Will be Brought Ont at Tax
 Board Hearing Tonight.
Opinion of City Attorney Wheeler, Now Judge Wheeler, Upon Power of City to Make Contracts for More Than One Year, in Absolute Coincidence With Opinion of Present City Attorney.
THE 20 YEAR CONTRACT.

We declare the 20 year water con- tract to be an instrument under col or of which the City and its citi- Zens are defrauded, and we pledge ourselves to the use of every law full means to set it aside.
 Platform of the Democratic Par ty of the City of Bridgeport, adopt ed by the Convention, Sept. g, 1908.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
QUICK CHANGE
 FOR JASPER BARWICK

A marriage license was issued yes- lerday afternoon to Jaspeh Barwick and Jane Hardwick, both of this city Barwick, who is a foreman at the Un- ion Typewriter Co. plant, obtained divorce from his former spouse about two weeks ago in the civil Superior court
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
PROFESSOR GOODHUE
 DIES AT NORWALK

Especial from United Press.)
 Norwalk. Feb. 5.-Professor Willis B. Goodhue. Yale 1883, principal of the Center vile School, died at the Nor walk hospital last night after an opera tion for gall stones. He is survived by a. wife whom he married last June.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
WHOLE BUSINESS < BLOCK BURNED AT
 CHARLOTTESVILLE

Especial from United Press.)
 Charlottesville, $. C., Feb. 5.-Fire in the business section early to-day de- stroyed one complete block with a loss of more than $250,000. Aid was sent from surrounding towns.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
HELD FOR ASSAULT
 ON MIR. HAMMERSTEIN
Special from United Press.A

Special from United Press.l
 New York, Feb. 5.-F'rederick NJ. Hall and James J. Doyle, reporters of the New York Press, accused of as- saulting Oscar Hammerstein in the lobby of Broadway hotel, were held in $500 bail for trial by Magistrate Finn to-day. The court denounced Ham merstein for the letter he wrote con- demning the two newspapermen, but admitted that two wrongs don't make a right
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
PROSECUTOR WILL
 CHARGE MURDER

Especial from United Press)
 New York, Feb. 5.-Prosecutor Mott to-day decided that a complaint of murder be made against Nocola S. Sica. in the Wilhelm mystery. Chief Corbett will prefer charges this after noon.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05
DEATH FOLLOWS
)LlO 5
 -APOPLECTIC STROKE

APOPLECT1C STROKE.
 Especial from United Press.) South NOrwalk, Feb. 5.-Mrs. Jose phine Wilson, aged 6S, of Danbury. Conn, died here to-day as a result of g. stroke which she suffered last Satur- day while standing on the platform of the Norwalk ctation.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

wANTED.-Compete girl for general homework. Call S4S Myrtle Ave:
 B 5 b *p
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

THE ANNUAL MEETING of the trustees of the Bridgeport Protestant Widows Society. for the election of officers. and the transaction of any other business proper to be done at said meeting, will be held at the home Tuesday. February 9th. 1909. at D. m. Adelaide E. Sherman. cor responding secretary B4sao
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

TOST-A bunch of keys, on East Side. Finder leave at 4oo fdIk o'' and receive reward. bo
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

IF YOU enjoy having good time wait
 until Monday evening, Feb. 9th and
 attend the Equal Clubs dance at FapIes, Hall. B s*po
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

FOR PHOTOGRAPHS, amateur sup plies and finishing, you can't beat the Blackman Studio, 57 Fairfield Ave.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

FOR SALE.-400 stereopticon views at one-tenth of original cost P. B. Red-
 field, 177 Fairfield Ave. B SEQ
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

FOR sALE-s5O0 upright piano, cele- brated, came in trade. $175. The M. Steinert & Sons Co.,, 915 Main St.
 B 5 70
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

CATH, AT. Pratt's Cafe. 137 Fairfield Ave. Saturday and get one or our cigar lighters.