The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-09
qon. John Phelan Offers Tax Board Satisfactory
 Method of Determining What Public Wants
Resolution Temporarily Laid Upon Table, But Believed Will Pass Board at Next Meeting w. Paige Opposes PaFenc Who Was Sockhoder in Hydraulic Company One Year Ago. Votes for Preliminary Appropriation.

Allan w. Paige, formerly chief attor- ney for the Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co.,, whose candidacy for sen ator was rejected in a strong Republi- can district in 1906, was the chief sup porter of the 20 year contract at the meeting of the Board of Apportion- nlent & Taxation, last night. It was through his efforts that the desire of President Enoch P. Hincks, the dean of the board not to appropriate the $12,000 for the continuation of the 20 year water contract, was defeated.
 It was also due to the rough shod manner in which the former Repub- lican leader tackled & proposition to appropriate the $12.000 under protest, and with the understanding that the question be submitted to the people that the proposition was laid over.
 This plan was proposed by Hon. John J. Phelan, who said he would not be willing to vote for the $12,000 appro- priation unless it was under the pro- visions of the resolution.
 MT. Bernard Setzer was also strongly in favor of the resolution anG com fbatted some of the arguments which MT. Paige advanced in favor of the ap- propriation. Stephen J. Osborne was against the appropriation of $12,000, and was in favor. of the adoption of the resolution.
 Friend w. Smith, who has served many years on the board, was in fa- lvor of the adoption of the Phelan res- olution and seconded a motion for it's adoption, which was prevented by Messrs. Paige and French, who spar red for time, by having the matter de- Iferred until the next meeting of the board.
 At the first discussion of the water appropriation, both MT. Setzer and |Mr. Phelan voted in favor of the ap lpropriet ton with the qualification that they were only voting with the un- derstanding that the resolution would receive consideration later on in the meeting.
 When the time came to consider it, MT. French thought that copies of the resolution should be made and mailed to each member, with the plea that the members did not really have time to understand it in the short time it was introduced.
 Mr. French who was a stockholder in the Bridgeport Hydraulic Co.,, year ago, voted last night in favor of all measures that were favorable to a con- tinuation of the contract.
 MT. Paige, during the discussion, said he did not care anything for the opin ion of the city attorney, or for what Lynn w. Wilson had said about the matter at the hearing. Further he said he did not care what action the Board of Aldermen had taken ill the matter as it was his intention to vote | just as he would if he was in the sen ate of the General Assembly and was considering a bill which had been pass ed by the lower house.
 The preamble and resolution intro duced by MT. Phelan is as follows:
 IVY on 1niJ of the city of Bridgeport, on Feb
 ruary 1, 1909, by unanimous vote
 duly approved by the mayor, has
 requested this board to make no
 appropriation to pay the Bridge
 port Hydraulic Company for the
 water supplied to the City by such
 company, as provided by the terms
 of a certain contract entered into
 by and between said city and said
 company on the first day of July,
 1906, and
 Whereas In consequence of such
 and other requests, a public hear
 ing was held by this board on the
 fifth day of February, 1909, at the city hall, in said Bridgeport, at
 which many citizens by voice and
 vote were heard in protest against
 the making of said appropriation,
 and
 Whereas. it was alleged at said
 hearing, and is otherwise alleged
 that the citizens generally are dis
 satisfied with and opposed to the
 provisions of said contract, because
 such provisions are unreasonable
 and unjust to them and to the city
 itself, as well as inconsistent with and at variance with the lawful
 rights of the city and citizens un-
 der the provisions of the Green
 charter, sO-called and the general
 laws of the state, and
 WhereaS,lt It appears to this board
 uncertain whether or not a major ity of all the people of this city are
 opposed to the making of annual
 appropriations to carry out the
 provisions of said contract, it is therefore
 Resolved, That it is the sense of this board that the mayor and oth- CT proper authorities of this city forthwith take, or cause to be ta- ken, such necessary steps as will permit and authorize the obtaining bv ballot from all the electors of the city, voting at the next regular municipal election for municipal officers, to be held in this city, after this date and for any subsequent like election, an expression of opin- ion whether or not appropriations ought thereafter be made in favor of the Bridgeport Hydraulic Com papy, in accordance with the terms and conditions or the contracL eA- ecuted by the city and said co1n- pany, operative July 1, 1906.
 Resolved, That all appropriations necessary to carry into full effect the provisions of said contract, un- less their continuance or otherwise De determined by law, or be deter mined and changed by the agree lneht of the parties thereto, at least sixty days prior to any said elec- tlon, may be made by this board for the ensuing year and thereaf- ter, and until it is officially shown from the municipal election returns, that the majority of the electors voting at such an election have vot- cd against the making of such ap- propriations. Before the board could proceed with the making up Of the preliminary lists they were met with a resolution con corning the water contract. President Hircks thought it would be a good thing to allow the matter to go over. ATr Hobart E. French thoueht if was