The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-04
.STRATFORD MAY BE
 CITY BY ITSELF
COMMITTEE OF FIVE SELECTED TO CONSIDER CHANGE IN
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
TOWN MEETING HEARS ORATORY SPILLED ABOUT THE TOWNS
 FUTURE.

Fundamental changes in the form of the government of Stratford were dis cussed at length at the town meeting last night, when the various forms of government city, borough and town, were threshed out at length, and the merits Of the commission form of gov- ernment came in for a generous share Of attention.
 The bugaboo of being swallowed by Bridgeport in a consolidat tion scheme
 was raised in support of the propon- ents of the establishment of Stratford under the city government form. There was no dearth of debate, and the meeting, though not largely at- tended, was one of the 1ivelieSt of the year.
 The outcome of all the discussion was the appointment of a committee of five, empowered to hire counsel if they deem it wise, to consider the var Ious forms of government, and if eX-
 to aFaf etf for The commission form of government was knocked in the head by Frank E. Con-
 to meet with practically unanimous approval.
 The name of Charles H. Peck, Judge Of Probate and several times a mem Der Of the General Assembly from
 Stra tford, has been mentioned as the likely Republican candidate for mayor in event Of the adoption of the city form of government. The committee includes Judge Howard J. Curtis, States Attorney Stiles Judson, J. Hen ry Blakeman, Elliott W. Peck and Thomas H. McQuillan
 The meeting called to order by Town Clerk Harold Lowell was follow ed by the nomination and acceptance ,, of Judge Charles A. Peck as chair man, that honor having been previ- ous1y declined by Robert W. Curtis.
 The warrant being read, Elliott w
 Peck arose to remark that as he was responsible for the Board of Trade taking action which had resulted in
 the. calling of this meeting he would
 make a motion that a committee of five be appointed to investigate the different forms of government that might eeen desirable in the town and report at this meeting to be adjourn ed until the second Tuesday in Jan-
 uary-
 A weak protest from someone in the
 hall that the meeting had been called
 prirnSrily to vote for or against the adoption of the commission form Of government was promptly stifled by
 the former speaker who hastened to
 reply that such was not the case as
 cool delibera tion over such niomen cous
 matters was needed by men versed in
 civic affairs.
 Continuing MT Peck said, some
 though a city charter needed
 while others eontended for Borough
 form that the acute situations which
 had arisen in Stratford might prop
 erly be coped with. Particular refer
 which could be taken of sidewalks and
 gradings by commissions than could
 be done at present in the crowded
 town meetings
 Frank E. Conine securing the floor
 prefaced his speech by relating how
 out of minor agitation for Borough,
 I,ewspa per publicity had resulted in
 surprise at recently learning that
 Stratford might be incorpora ted as a
 city as Derby had recently done with a population little more than 5 900 and as Shelton was now contemplating. Something must be done and done quickly. stratford must become a! city if for no other reason than trunk sewers, estimated to cost between $780, | GOO and $150,O00 were imperative and there was no alterna tive< but to issue l bonds for their construction. It was i situation which was appalling but must be faced in all seriousness. A l would comprise that district between l the City Line, the salt meadows, the l Housa tonic River and as far North as [ the residents wished. Taxation would | was done. all must keep together as if 1 the contemplated legislation which the l speaker knew would be introduced at 1 the coming session in Hartford to an- nex Stra to Bridgeport was con- summa.ted, it would mean that lots taxed at 1ut s259 xalgation a,1d in the he then taxed at over $600 ''If we hang i together citizens we can still have electric lights, whereas in Bridge port they still use gas.''
 He believed the commission should 1 be- empowered to hire two lawyers as i counsel and to draft a charter for a city or borough and suggested that the Chairman Judge Peck) be named as one. He also hoped if the city form was accepta ble to the people Judge Peck might be made the first mayor. At any rate he would make a motion that the best counsel Bridgeport or New Haven could furnish be authorized pr incorpora ted in the committee, to show what can be done by Stra tford as a city, as distinguished from the powers now given it as a town.
 Again exhorting his fellow townsmen I to beware of the coming annexa tion 1 ,on ten1p1ated by Bridgeport, and to combine as unit to fight such a Ressett
 This speaker characterized as bun :or2be the remarks of his predecessor hat taxation would be ra a3sed to the alarming extent and predicted and de- ,ried the agitation for a city form of "Stratford is old enough o be Bridgeport'e Grandmother and hould annex Bridgeport rather the everse. He further flayed a1dermanic u1e in Bridgeport which he held to 'e open to criticism, citing an in- tance which he alleged to have oc- urred on Stratford avenue, where avenaent becoming worn. rather than ody had given them to friends for us n erecting houses. Warmed to an ar- ent pitch he accused the a1dermanic ody had given them to friends for use ire department to Jacob Brothers nd concluded by recommending that he community stand as a unit in ghting any such proposed annexa- ion.
 After a hard fought battle. by citi- en after citizen to place the name , f some favored candidate for the orn mittee in nomination with acri- o 1onious discussion as to precedence q nd the voting down Of candidates r hose names did not seem favorable to t he orga niza ton both Judge H. J. Cur F is and Stiles Judson were included r n the body which will decide for or f sainst the city form of government.
 Weather Indications s