Connecticut western news., 1909-02-04
To THE SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF
 NORTH CANAAN

NORTH CANAAN
 We, the undersigned, citizens and tax payers of the town of North Canaan hereby petition you to call a special town meeting of the voters of said town to be held at the town hall in the village of Canaan in said town of North Canaan on Sat. Feb. 18th, 1909 at D. m. for the following purposes to wit:
 1. To ascertain the attitude of the voters of the town toward the accept ance or refusal of the most timely and public-spirited proposition of certain ladies who have circulated paper to collect money to defray the expense of installing heating system in the said town hall building.
 3. To authorize and direct the Select men of said town to install said heating system.
 8. To authorize the Seleotmsn of said town to pay for the expense of maintain ing said heating system when installed.
 4. To authorize and direct the Select men of said town to install proper lava tories and connect the same with the sewer system.
 We thoroughly appreciate the fact that the town is exceedingly poor at the pre- sent time, fact which we think Is one reason why this proposition should be accepted. If the town is not financially able to install this heater, why should 1t refuse to accept a proposition to install the same free of charge to the town? An intelligent reading of the proposition presented by these ladies would lead one to believe that the Selectmen and Fin ance Committee have failed to grasp the meaning of this proposition. All ex- penses connected with the installing of this heater are to be borne out of the subscriptions raised, including the foundations and placing of the heater. It seems to us that the heating and san 1 itary conditions in the town hall as they now exist are a disgrace to the town, q menace to the health of anyone who enters the building and thing to be de- plored by anyone who has any public prlde or is interested in the welfare and health of the community.
 DaCed at North Canaan this 2nd day of February A. D. 1909.
 EXPLANATION OF TOWN AFFAIRS BY ONE OF THE AUDITORS AT THE REQUEST OF
 WOMAN WHO PAYS TAXES AND
 CANNOT VOTE. At the annual town meeting last Octo- Der the Selectmen's s and Treasurer's re- ports showed an increase of indebtedness during the year of about Sl6,OOO not in- i cluding a village debt of $12.000 for l sewer. Of course this unusual increase of indebtedness called for an explana- tion which was made as follows: For ad- ditions and improvements in school building, $10,000 or more for state roads. The building of retaining walls. iron railings, removal of rocks etc, which many taxpayers supposed B of the ex- pense paid by the State. proved to be a town charge. The other increase of ex- pense was mostly from schools, roads and bridges. The increase of indebted ness and the additional expenses for run ming schools and new bridges to be built, called for an increase of the tax rate from 121s to 15 mills. At this town meeting 8 Finance Committee of three members W ere appointed to advise and confer with the selectmen and if possi- ble reduce the expenses. At meeting of the joint board the selectmen having advised that there was no money in the treasury to pay teachers, it was the unanimous expression of the board that expenditures for the year must be con. fined to the necessaries and that no more contracts tor additional expenditures be recommended until such time as the 1 finances of the town would warrant fur i ther expenditures.
 JOHN B. REED,
 One ot the auditors for
 Town North Canaan. Canaan, Conn.,, Feb. 2, 1909.