Norwich bulletin., 1911-03-07
ES1ERlY TOWN COuNcI
|611D IEnee Hour Session-Frank w. Coy Asks Ques- tpn About Corporations Rights Chief Bransield leporn Thirteen Arrests During February John Donohue's Condition Still Serious

information. as representatives of the people.
 Solicitor Agard did not consider it the duty of the council to find out the gas company's rights for the benefit of Mir. Coy, but that he ought to get the information to prove his Grievance for the guidance of council action. If the toyn council wanted the informa- tion it had the power to appoint a committee and pay a lawyer for mak- ing the search. and MT. Coy bod a like privilege.
 MT. Coy wised it plainly understood that he did not como Co the council for any special favors, but he believed it was for the public to know the. legal relations not only with the Westerly with the Westerly Automatic Tele- phone company and the Westerly wa ter works. He did not think it was up to a private citizen to search the rec ords for facts and then ask the coun- ell for legal Interpretation. He con- sidered 1t to be the business of the town council, not for his personal pro- lection, but for the interest of the whole town.
 Councilman BurdicA expressed the opinion that the council should be in possession of the tnforma ton sought by MT. Coy.
 Records were produced and showed that on Oct. 26. 1863, H. o. Hawley asked fer permission to lay gas pipes in the streets of Westerly, and a com mittee of three was appointed to con- slider the petition and report at a fu- ture meeting. The records show no re- port of this committed. At a meeting held Nov. 16, 1863, a petition was re- ceived f0F~the erection of gas works and the use of the streets for pipes. It was voted that the matter be given . public hearing at the Seward hotel. Nov. 30, 1868. Al
 At a meeting July IS, 1884. a Vote was passed authorizing the work of laying gas pipes, the work to begin and end on dates specified, and to furnish gas in the town, subject to the restrictions of the town council.
 In November, 1867, complaint was made against the Westerly Gas Light company for opening the streets for the purpose of laying pipes and 1eav- ing the streets in unsafe condition. It was voted to order that the streets be placed in as good condition as before they were opened by the company.
 When informed that the council had no other information at hand, MT Coy declared that according to the records the Westerly Light and Power com pany had received no franchises from the town.
 Councilman Maxson asked Mir. Coy what he wanted to do; did he want the pipes taken up. MT. Coy replied that he did not want anything as fool ish as that, nor did he want any ad- vantage taken of the present company. Still he insisted that the rights of the company and the town should be de- termined. If former councils took no action on this matter of interest to the people, he said the present council ought to take up the work. MT. Coy believed it was reasonable to ask the council to appoint committee to look into this whole matter, even if it was deemed expedient to wait until the work of indexing the records was com pleted- He did not consider it the duty of 0h ordinary taxpayer to furnish the records in this public matter
 Solicitor Agard said it was not a duty imposed by the charter for the council to make the search of the rec ords, as suggested If MT. Coy is ag- grieved. MT. Agard delared it was the duty of MT. Coy to furnish the infor- nation for action.
 MT. Coy wanted it distinctly under stood that he was not going to do work that he believed was fully within the province-Of the town council, as it was a matter of public and not person al interest with him.
 President Clarke declared that it had specified duties to perform and could not be burde1ed with grievances of individuals. He said the council men devoted more time to public mat ters. and without pay, than any other class of individuals, and could not spare the time, even if they had the inclination, to search records cover ing a period of thirty or forty years just to get Information for any citizen Mir. Coy again asked if the council was not able to determine the rights of the town with corporations doing business within it's boundaries. President Clarke asked if Mir Coy could ascertain the towns rights, and the answer was, No.