New Britain herald., 1914-08-01
TOWN TALK.
n {

first republican candidate in the field,
 for the last legislature had scarcely ad-
 journed before public voice was given
 to what some of the members had
 been thinking of during the last few
 days of the session; the matter final
 ly reached the newspapers and the
 boom for the speaker was on it's way.
 It is not claimed that MT. Webster IS
 strong in the cities; on the contrary
 his weakness there is admitted, but 1t
 is claimed that he is showing great
 strength in the small towns where, by
 the way, regular republicans, par
 ticularly of the agriculturist type, are
 always popular. MT. Webster IS a
 mem Der of the grange and has all
 ways stood we'll with the country rep
 resentatives. It would be strange if
 two of New Britein's ex-mayors
 should be rival candidates for gover-
 nor this year, and yet it seems as if
 things are drifting in that direction.
 It was a different New Britain, how
 ever, when MT. Webster was mayor
 than when MT. Landers held that of
 flee; in fact there were two govern
 ments here during the formers ad-
 ministration and they were both con-
 solidated when MT. Landers was elect
 ed O. F. Curtis was in the council
 during the administration of MT.
 Webster and during the first term of
 MT. Landers; he was then in his prime
 as political factor in the city and
 he fought one as much as he did the
 other, although MT. Webster was of the same political complexion as him. self. MT. Webster also had the so- cialists to deal with and they did not add anything to the pleasures of his administra tion. The two ex-mayors are different in type and thought; Mir. Webster was more partisan than MT. Landers, yet less aggressive and did not accomplish as much during his administration in the way of .nu- nicipal reforms. Should both gentle men be candidates for governor there is hardly any doubt but that a coni- parison of their administrations as mayor would add to MT. Landers' vote in New Britain. Mir. Webster has long been a resident of Harwin- ton, but he still keeps up his ac- quaintanceship with New Britain peo- ple. They are naturally interested in him and note with pleasure his in- crease in prominence throughout the state. It is not only possible but probable that the New Britain dele gation to the republican state conven- ton will support him for governor and it looks at present as if it would go uninstructed.
 Chairman Burckhardt of the board of assessors says he has been sur prised to see so much building going or in New Britain and adds that if every other city is doing as we'll as this that all the factories in the state should be working full time. He says that the greater part of the new are tenement houses with only a small number of blocks. MT. has noted that the build ing business started earlier this year than last. so that between those which were not finished on 1, 1913, together with those which will be completed on the same date next fall, which is the close of the assessors year for determining the value of property, the sum to be added to the grand list will be quite large. Last year the additions to the grand list by reason of the factories were not large as they were prac- tica1ly confined to small buildings while this year Landers, Frary & Clark are finishing seven story building and the Stanley Works has started on another which will be about as large Readers of the Herald must have noted during the past week the arge amount of taxes which are paid by the factories, almost one half the entire sum paid into the city treas
 +, .k- not because of any increase in taxa ion, but because their property is growing and becoming more valuable. The factories at present are of enormous size. some of them cover ng entire squares. It is only natural hat there should be an increase in he number of dwelling houses being erected because there is such a de- mand for them by people seeking MT. Burckhardt says that in addition to buildings to be used :or this purpose that there are also | many of the better class of houses being erected and between them all 1e looks for a substantial increase in | he grand list this year. This is good l news because an increased grand list ] means more money for improvements any increase in taxation. If his increase could be made to bring enough money into the treasury every | 'ear to meet all the expenses of new improvements it would be a great benefit to the municipality in several | ways There are small stores spring ng up all over New Britain evidently 1ecessitated by the increase in the 'oreign population. These people ap- like f0 do hIICi,,oSc hose who speak their language, hereby relieving them of much em- 'arrassment when making their daily ]! purchases.
 It appears from the attitude of the | Rev. F. l.. Grant, pastor of the Con- church in Plainville, that he New Britain baseball team will