Norwich bulletin., 1911-10-21

of the other minor offices that are con- sidered by some of the aldermen to be ancient and perhaps bordering on the obsolete
 been for years the Ieadinq minor of ice in the list, still no such officer has been appointed for the past two years, or since the death of Joseph D. T. Strickland who held the office for many years, and who succeeded Rial Chaney who had served as city gauser for perhaps forty years and up to the time of his death. True there does not seem to be any need for a gauger at this time, still there is liable to be oe- casion at any time when official ceT- tif1cAte of gauge may be required in New London, but which could not be given as there is no official gauger in the city, aside from those in the GUS tom house and they could not certify to official gauge only in government business.
 In the good old whaling days, so often referred to by the very oldest of inhabitants, Rial Clancy, as city gauger, was a very busy officer, as he inserted his gauge and vantage rods into every cask of oil that was landed on the wharves and the oil from the sperm and Arctic whales were sold upon his official certificate of gauge. The office was of great importance then, has been of more or less inn portance since, and is liable to be re- quired any day. So it is suggested that at the next meeting of the council that office be filled. When the office was declared vacant by the death of MT. Strickland some of the young aldermen who perhaps did not appre- ciate the importance treated the office as a joke, and appointed no successor.
 ff there IS anything in this wide world Mayor Bryan F. MaF1an wants for New London and cannot get, that thing has not yet appeared on the calendar, and almost everything wolth getting the mayor is after. With his gang of boosters he went on to Rich mond without any prior preparation, resolved to capture the 1912 annual convention of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways association and succeeded, and for four days next September fully fifteen hundred representative citizens of the United States will be in New London for at least four days and have ample opportunity to in veStigate the natural mercantile and marine and industrial advantages, and the probable progressive outcome will be among the things that cannot be calculated.
 Tine mayor and his associates are entitled to great credit for the achieve ment, winning from other cities that have been for months planning to cap ture the convention, one city sending couple of hundred boosters With brass band in the hope of gaining over the delegates. Now that the conyen- ton is coming to New London It Is up to the citizens to fulfill the promises of the. citys representatives in the matter Of giving the visitors reception in keeping with the big event and the personnel of the delegates to the con- vention. Last year the convention was held in the sister city of Providence and was one of the most thoroughly representative gatherings ever held in that Rhode Island city of conventions. In that city a fund of $25,000 was raised for the reception of the visitors and nearly all that sum was expended, for the reception was on an elaborate scale.
 Just as soon as the mayor and his a associates arrive home from Richmond the initial steps will probably be taken for arranging for the convention and reception. It is a big thing for small city, but is in keeping with the present rate of progress, and year Is none too long to properly prepare for the big event that will mean so much to the future of the city. Incidentally just a little preliminary reception to the mayor and the rest of the Richmond party would not be out of place.
 Tn the WofdS or the late lam0ntSd David, Scott Ruddock, editor of the long deceased New London Star, ''as we predicted" there is already move ment started to divert the approprla- tion made at the recent annual city meeting for a new steam fire engine for the Northwest to the purchase of a modern automobile apparatus to be located in fire house in more cen tral section of the city. The sum Of S6,500 was appropriated specifically Tor a steam fire engine and if that means anything it means just what was spec flied when the freemen voted the ap- propriation. While some firemen at the meeting who were on the inside believed that the sum appropriated would be diverted there was not man among them who had the courage to get right up in open meeting and have the change officially declared before the vote was taken. It is conceded that a fire engine is needed in the Northwest section where there is low water pressure and the majority of the freemen voted the appropriation hav- ing full knowledge of that need.
 It may be that money appropriated for one purpose can be applied to some thing else, but this mode of procedure has been opposed in other times on strictly legal grounds and the objects of the original vote maintained. So if it is the intention of the powers that be not to use the money for the pur- chase of a steam fire engine that fact should made known and proper method taken to use the appropriation for the purchase of an automobile fire apparatus. There is a right way of doing tie city business and the rep resantatives of the city should know no other way in the conduct of municipal affairs. Whether the automobile would be more preferable than steam fire engine, has nothing to do with the
 
 plcK Kc0vEREn WITH pIMpl lES