The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-15
PATRONAGE IS A
 T. CURSE SAYS LEE
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 Alderman Primrose said he was of rhe opinion. that some day the depart msnt would be filled with old men if the commissioners were not given the right to take the initiative in the mat ter.. If the matter was left solely with the men he was of the opinion that nOs policeman or fireman would make fapplicati tion to put himself on half pay. Hefw also inclined to think that one of the purposes of pensions is to pro- tect the city from departments of old men. fN
 {. City Attorney Cullinan said there ] were many things in the police depart Imefit a man of 60 years could do and earn his money.
 City Attorney Cullinan said he be- {, lieyed the committee should ask for an amendment relative to the right to purchase the water works upon the vote of the people. He recalled that two years ago an amendment had been drafted, but after it reached Hartford it had been amended so the consent of Fairfield and Stratford was necessary in the matter. He wanted i a bill this year whereby Bridgeport would have free hand should at any, time the city want to purchase the wa terworks. The other members of the committee were of the opinion that the city should not be tied to Stratford and Fairfield in the matter and City At torney Cellirian was requested to draft : a Dill to be presented at the meeting to be held next Thursday night.
 When Mayor Lee readshis prop0sc0 amendment in reference to the public : works commission it called for the abolition of the office of superinten- dent of streets, but he wanted that struck out as he had changed his mind about the matter and would ask that : it be allowed to remain an office until
 
 sembly. in order to see what kind of a showing could be made by the depart ment. .s.-
 The mayor said that the city is pay ing $S,000 in. salaries to the director of public, works, city engineer, and su- perintendent of street cleaning. He thought someone should know what they were doing. John J. Morrissey asked the mayor If he did not have control over these officers. The mayor replied that the charter did not give him any powers over the officials. Morrissey said, This is going back to the old board of of public works Is it not?"
 The mayor replied that it was. He wanted it understood that there was not a good street laid in Bridgeport until the old board of public works cameSjnto existence.
 Alderman Tague wanted to know if the board did not make poor finish. The mayor replied that it did, because it got so that it let one man run things.
 City Attorney Cullinan stated that the creation of the office of director of public works was supposed to be a move toward single headed commis- sions and that the director is not sup posed to have anyone over him.
 The Mayor said that nevertheless New Haven had similar commission -ex-GovernOr Woodruff was a mem Der of it-and he heard that it was do- ing splendid work. MT. Morrissey said he was sorry if the ex-Governor had to answer for some of the pavements he had seen in New Haven. The Street committee here would not stand for some of the work in New Haven.
 Alderman Tague asked: What is the matter with the Street committed" The Mayor only gives them the right to designate the streets to be paved The proposed commission will let the contracts. The Mayor replied that the six year terms of the members of the Submission will make them men of ex- peEience. of Public Works. as prepared by the Mayor, provides that the city auditor should be the clerk of the board, at 9 salary to be determined by the board Alderman Clifford B. Wilson objected
 
 to that and said he thought the salary should be fixed by charter.
 Alderman Tague asked the Mayor how much salary the auditor gets now. The Mayor replied he did not know. and the Alderman wanted to know If he did not think MT. Keat1ng's salary should be fixed by charter. The Mayor said he thought the auditor would be glad to have his salary fixed by charter.
 When it came to considering a per- manent clerkship of the Fire depart 1nent, the Mayor said he was opposed 10 that and that the clerk would prob ably be permanent as long as he per- formed the duties of the office.
 The Mayor was also opposed to the appointment of two permanent assist ant chiefs to the department although every other city has at least three such officers. The commissioners also asked for control Of the fire depart naent. flre telegraph system and 6ra-