The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-02
INVESTIGATE
 COMMISSION
 GOVERNMENT Mayor Wilson Thus Advises Common Council In An-
 nual Message. NOTHING TO SAY ON
 MUNICIPAL ICE PLANT Would Have Library Sold And Public Markets Estab-
 IiShed.

In message which covered many
 subjects, but from which all discus l sion of the municipal ice plant voted by the people was omitted, Mayor Will
 son addressed the Common Council at
 Ett: first meeting last evening. A non-partisan committee to fnveeti- gate commission form of government | civil service for city employees and the retirement of old members Of the po- | lice department in favor of young men,
 were some of the things advocated by Mayor Wilson in his message to the Common Council.
 The mayor also offered a resolutio which was adopted, that he be given
 authority to appoint a committee of twelve citizens to serve without pay,
 to investigate the various systems of commission government and report to
 the council what system of commits sion form of government is best adapt ed for Bridgeport. After the report is
 presented to the council it is to be
 presented to the voters for their con sideration at a regular or special cleo ton.
 The adoption of the commission form
 of government would mean the adop- ton of the 6o-called short ballot.
 The mayor also Advocated that the building. commissioners and building Inspector meet4with the common coun-l ell and fqrInulate aebuilding code.
 He scoIded the board of ed1cation for not moving with more rapidity in the erection of the new high schools and other school buildings and said the ef- hciency of the board would be in- creased if 1t would consider and adopt the recommendation of pr. Van Sickle, who recently investigated the Bridge port school system.
 The mayor believes the park com missioners should instalIs more play grounds with a competent and proper supervisor in charge and that the com mtssionerss be given a ereasonab1e and conmensurate'' appropria ton.
 Mayor Wilson recommended, that mo- tor-driven fire apparatus be introduced to supersede horse-driven apparatus
 He praised the police department, but says. the old men in the service s11oulG retire in favor of younger and more active men and advocated that the re- serve system be put in use.
 He declared the directors of the pub lie library should at once proceed to sell the present site Of the library ana construct g. modern and up-to-date building.
 The mayor expr eseed the opinion that the new a1mshouse can be erected for much less than the $175,Oo0 bonds for which the people voted at the last cleo ton.
 He recommended that an arrange ment for the proper and satisfactory disposal Of the garbage be made at once.
 He praised the work of City Engineer Terry and Director Of Public Works Courtade and declar ed the work of the latter has made the appointment of a 1 superintendent of streets unnecessary.
 The mayor recommended an ordinance compelling vehicuIar traffic except the | fire apparatus and ambulance when | crossing Main street and Fairfield ave- | nue to continue straight across these | thoroughfares without turning from | one street into the other. He also ad- 1 vised an ordinance prohibiting any re- ! hicle standing in the center of the city 1 for a longer time than fifteen or twen- l ty minutes
 He suggested cooperation of the fire 1 and health commissioners and the | board of charities with the Manufac- turers' association in its plan to se- cure more desirable housing conditions in Bridgeport at 8 minimum rental
 The mayor advocated the esta blish- | ment of public markets, one on the East Side and one on the West Side of the Pequonnoclz river.
 He suggested that the a1derrnanic committee on lamps take up the mat ter with merchants in the center of the city for the esta b1ishment of a | White Way He thinks the mer- chants would be willing to pay part | of the lighting cost and the present arc lights might be discontinued and the cost of these lights appropriated to the general cost of maintenance Of the White Way
 In closing his message he said:
 -''In a later message to your honora- ble body I shall call our attention to 1 matters of school buildings, pavements sewers, bridges and the financial pol icy in general. I take this my first opportunity to present to you the h above matters for your general infor- nation.
 f'I believe that yoa will agree with ne that while we were elected to office on tickets of different names, we are primarily citizens of this city, and that all our efforts should be devoid Of politics and directed toward the well fare and advancement of Bridgeport