The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-11
Only One Little Vote and Monopoly Can Renew the Water Contract for
 Another Year. City Clerk Boucher Denounc.s Effort to Make Him Goat, B cause Wa.er Appropriation Was Written
 Onto Preliminary List
President Trench. Having Denied That lie Gave Order, is followed by Al an ". Paige, Who Says That He D:d Net Hear Order -- Record Would be Illegal in Either Event, Because Tax Board President Lacks Power 10 Gre. ate Record ty Mandate.

The mystery of how the appropria- tion for water got onto the Tax Boards preliminary list remains un- solved today
 City Clerk Boucher continues firm in his assertion that he was ordered to write it in by President Hobart B. French. If Mr. French had any part in the transaction he has vigorously repudiated it. w
 The same is true of Allan W. Paige, who last night having reached his home from New York. declared that he knew nothing of the matter. and that he did not hear President French order the item put onto the list. His denial has weight because MT. Paige, 2S leader of the fight for the water lnonopoly's side of the question, would naturally be an insider to any prear- ranged attempt to gain a parliament ary advantage
 The repeated statement of President French that he gave no order to City Clerk Boucher, and MT. Paige's state rment that he heard no order given. is taken by the public at large that these gentlemen. who have been jealous fighters for 8 yearly renewal of the water contract. are disposed to lay the whole burden upon the shoulders of the City Clerk.
 But City Clerk Boucher stoutly re- fuses to stand for such an effort. He reiterates his declaration that he took instructions from President French, and will maintain his records as they are. until a correction is made by the board.
 It is probable. since the situation has been laid bare, that no damage will 70 hn ci6 nf troversy.
 The disposition of the members seems to be that they will correct the record, and then settle the question of whether the item shall be placed up- on the list by direct vote.
 But if the presence of the item upon the list had not been discovered, the procedure would doubtless have been that surprise would have been express ed because the item was on the list, that this surprise would have been accompanied by a motion to erase the item, that less than seven votes would have been cast for the motion, and that the item would have remained where it had been placed against rule and reason. $ There are 12 members of the Tax Board. No business can be transacted without the vote of a majority.
 At the last meeting the question tC be determined was, shall the appro- priation for water be placed upon the preliminary list.
 This proposition had only six votes in the affirmative.
 Six votes did not constitute a ma jority.
 The Paige forces adjourned the meeting.
 In g. meantime the friends of the water company have been turning over heaven and earth to get one more vote.
 Who can they get? It is believed, nobody.
 The men who voted to table the water appropriation were:
 J. J. PUELAN. sA
 S. LOEyyITH.
 s. F. OSBORNE.
 ZALMON GOODSELL.
 $. E. VINCENT.
 Those who voted not to table were:
 Allan w. Paige.
 Hobart E. French.
 Andrew M. Cooper.
 George Windsor.
 George ". Jackman.
 B. D. Pierce, Jr.
 Unless the water company can gain tonight one vote from the five men named in the first list the water con- tract will not be renewed.
 Hon. John J. Phelan will lead the fight against the contract tonight. He will continue the argument against the renewal Of the arrangement with the water company, which he was engaged in making, Tuesday evening, when the majority adjourned the board for no other apparent reason than to give the badly jared mono poly time to get the one vote it so sadly needs.
 Mr. Phelan is said to take the view that it is of no consequence whether President French ordered the water item placed on the preliminary list, or did not.
 Either way the entry would be illeeal.
 The president of the board cannot order items placed upon the record except upon the action of the board itself.
 Even thoueh MT. French gave such an order. and the clerk accepted it. and carried 1t out. tn item would not. in point of law be upon the record.
 Mir. French has no right to give such all order. If he did and the clerk of the board executed it the record is to this extent defective PICKED UP CREW