The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-20
Fairfield County News.
Shot With Air Rifle.

Luella Clancy ;, the ten-year-old
daughter of Mr.. William F. Clancy.
of Danbury, is at hospital with her
right eye seriously injured as the re-
suit of being struck by a shot from
an air rifle Saturday afternoon, in
the hands of a ten-year-old son of
John Osborne. It was accidental.
Struck by Train.
Cornelius McDevitt, 65 years old, a
gardener. of Riverside, was struck
and instantly killed by the SPRING
field express at the Riverside station,
Sunday evening. Mr.. McDervitt was
crossing the tracks.
Smelt Are Scarce.
Sfnelt do not run in the Saugatuck
river as they used to and the fisher
men declare that the refuse from the
various factories along the bank is
the reason. During the past few years
gradually diminishing, until this year
fewer than ever have been caught.
Thrown From Bicycle
The breaking of the front forks of
the frame of his bicycle Tuesday, al
most cost Frank Holly of Norwalk
his life, and as a result of the acct
dent he is in the hospital with a bro
ken lower jaw bone and his face cut
and bruised to such an extent that he
can hardly be recognized.
Darien's Town Affairs.
At Darien, Monday evening the long
expected report of the investigating
committee appointed at a town meet
ing held Jan. 81 consisting of Robert
s. Purdy. John A. Weed, Mr.. Forbes,
DIR. F. N. Smith and Mark Norman,
appeared The general statement of
the committee shows that the busi-
ness affairs of the town have in the
past been conducted in an unsatiS-
factory and unbusinesslike manner.
The committee recommended that a
more detailed system of bookkeeping
be used and that the forms be made
more explicit.
1t appeared from the report that
each board of selectmen was in the
custom of dividing the town into dis
tricts for road and bridge work. each
man doing the work in his own par
ticular district. The committee con-
demned this system as it does away
with board consultation, makes the
selectmen competitors, and increases
the cost of purchasing supplies. AL
though the Selectmen may know per-
sonally that their bills and accounts
are all right, the system they use is
such that a third party would not.
A concrete illustration of the loose
way that the town money was ex-
pended was in the case of the pay
ment of men who worked on the
roads. These men were supposed to
receive $1.75 day. The committee
discovered that the selectmen's idea
was that S1.75 was the amount the
town should pay, and not the amount
the worknen should receive. They
were paid anything from $1.25 to
$1.75 and in some instances 50 day.
The committee concluded it's report
by making five recommendations, as
follows:
abolition of the practice of divid-
ing the town into districts so far as
road and bridge work and the eXpen-
diture of money is concerned.
2-That the Selectmen act as a
board upon matters of town affairs
3.-The installation of proper
voucher and certified bill system
4.-The abolition of salaried select
men, and the appointment of a road
commissioner, with a proper salary
and working subordinates.
5.-The voting of a salary equiva-
lent to the combined salaries of the
entire board, to a competent select
man who shall have personal charge
of all the road work.
/, The fifth recommendation was given
as an alternative for the fourth.