The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-24
BEDDING NEWS OF GENERAL INTEREST
 TO OUR READERS

l
 Bedding, Sept. 23.-Problems incident
 to the transition from district to town
 management of the schools continue to agitate the community. After much pondering the authorities have decided that the proposed plan of bringing the recalcitrant Umpawaug district into the fold by means of the compelling action of a special town meeting is not the proper method be- cause the district has no indebtedness, the assumption of which by the town would be an inducement for it to ac- i quiesce in that manner of arrange ment. The course concluded upon is to make an appraisal of all the school property in the town and valuation waug district. With these two sets of figures and using the last grand list as a basis for the calculation there can be ascertained what abatement of taxation is due Umpawaug property owners by reason of the excess value of their school property and they will receive the benefit therefrom when their regular taxes become due next fall. This is practically what Umpa- waug has been standing out for and the rest of the town has really no choice except to coincide. The as- sessors began work this week to get the figures required for putting this plan into execution.
 
 the new school board. shall consist is still an undetermined question. Here the trouble lies in the alleged illegal ity- of the special town meeting which fixed the number at three. Only one member of the board of selectmen signed the call for the meeting al- though all of them verbally authoriz- ed the issuing of the call, and there were other technical defects in the case. Secretary Hine advised the 70 1,,% +; would have the serious defect of be- ing held in September whereas the statute limits the time of holding such a meeting to August. Two lawyers consulted about the matter gave it as their off hand opinion that the action taken by the meeting of Aug. 30 is void and that consequently the town would be justified in electing a board of nine, the old number. So the mat ter Atands with no authoritative voice to be held. Should the Republican caucus nominate for board of nine by placing five candidates on their ticket the Democratic caucus will probably follow suit. Should the ac- ton of the August town meeting be regarded as binding the caucuses will nominate Iwc each.
 There is comparatively little advance gossip about the probable doings of the Republican caucus which will be
 
 ly centers about the nominations for first selectman and town clerk. George S. Banks, the incumbent of the form CT office, says that he is receptively rather than progressively a candidate for another term and will stand aside if anyone of superior fitness comes forward for the place. William E. Hagen, a member of the present board declines to run again for the same position and will probably be urged H. low OF tI,n o,-I of assessors. It is said that B. A. Pinkey of the west side may be a candidate for selectman and failing to get that take a nomination for a lower place on the same board. Should the intentions expressed by quite a number of Republicans materialize J. N. Nicholson may find it difficult to secure a renomination for town clerk. He has held the office for more than thirty years and heretofore has gone The threatened opposition this year may develop effectively, but there would be little surprise if it amounted to little or nothing. MT. Nickerson professes to be not at all worried about the outcome. .
 The Denocratic caucus will be held on Monday evening next. As a rule l there is very little strife for places on | this party's ticket, even willingness to accept nominations being largely l  party's caucus and the promising | openings which this action sometimes | provides.
 The selectmen and registrars will be | in session at the town house on Sat | urday for the purpose of making vot- | CTS. The list of those to be made is | larger than usual for an off year and | includes the names of Samuel l.. | Albert Bige1ow Paine, Jesse | B. Cornwall, Fred Driggs, w. G. Doig, | not mi iy7in rI Charles H. Plump. All these are among the towns more recent resi- dents.
 The engagement is announced of Miss Helen, daughter of MT. and Mrs. J. N. Nickerson, to Robert Upson of The wedding will oc- eur about the middle of next month and owing to the recent death of Miss uncle will be a quiet, home affair. MT. Upson is one of Southing- tons substantial and prominent citi- zens. He carries on the nursery bus mess and is a grower of apples and l other fruits on an extensive scale, hay ng the largest and finest orchards in 1uainted with his future bride last year while she was teaching school in 
 The annual report of the selectmen to be submitted to the town meeting, Oct 4th, will show that there was ex- | past year about $2,4oO and for bridges about s2000. The permanent debt was reduced s1,100 and there is a balance n the treasury of $90O This balance would have been considerably larger lad the amount of tax payments been ID to the usual mark.
 While D. S. Sanford, proprietor of he Sanford School, was driving last evening over the Ridge road where State construction work is in orogresss his buggy ran against a pile 'f stones near the residence of Chas. Warehouse and tipped up so as to pitch him out. The fall stunned him o iinsensibility and severely bruised fl Jim about the shoulders but the in uries were not serious or permanent.
 The employees of Wyantenuck farm themselves and their friends last Friday evening with lance at the Ridge gymnasium. Les CT O. Peck, their employer, paid for he music and refreshments as is his Lnnual custom. Deputy Sheriff Banks attended the i .athering of State SheriffS deputies :,