Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-06
Westerly Town Council Organizes
Appointments Announced-Health Officers Salary Doubled -Elshway Committee Named Thomas Pratt Takes French Leave From New Lock-up-Bural of Judson B. Slocum. 4

Councilman Thomas remarking that
 Chase was the best officer ever de-
 was appointed chief and Edwin B. West sergeant of police. It was voted that in the absence of the chief, Ser
 geant West be authorized to act as
 deputy chief of police. The salary of the chief was fixed at $S0 a month and
 that of the other officers at $70.
 perintendent of health and his salary
 doubled. Heretofore the salary has
 been S100 a year. Councilman Flynn
 explained that there had been de-
 cided change in the number and char
 acter of population since this position
 was created and that now there is considerable work for the superintend-
 ent of health, and he recommended a
 raise in salary. There was a discus
 sion favorable to an increase and, on
 motion of MT. Flynn the salary was fixed at s200 year.
 Applications were received from
 James R. Johns and John l.. Breen
 for appointment as milk inspector. It
 was suggested that it cost the town
 $50 a year inspection that really did
 not inspect. The appointment of a
 milk inspector was deferred until the
 next meeting
 The applications of Walter E.
 Wheeler and Henry D. Washburn for appointment as clerk of the highway
 department was. referred to the high
 way committee.
 Justin Ravens, the present incum-
 bent, was appointed supervisor of
 highways for one month.
 It was voted that the highways of
 the town be comprised as one high . way district On motion of Council man Craig, President Culley was au-
 thorized to appoint the highway com nsfttee. He named Councilmen Flynn, Thomas and HasweH. MT. Flynn said
 that while willing to serve on the com- mittee, he declined the chairmanship
 in favor of MT Haswell, who was made chairman of the committed The bond of the town treasurer and collector was fixed at $25,00o and that of the town clerk at $1,000.
 Councilmen Culley. Craig and Rob- inson were selected as the commit tee on street lights.
 A victualling license was granted to the Gavitt Catering company and the application of Thomas Theruso for a like license was held for investiga- tion. Tavern licenses were granted to c. B. Bliven for the Wigwam and Edward B. Langworthy for the Rock Haven and Anne E. Nash for the Mar
 ragansett house.
 The jury list was corrected in ac- cordance with law, the only change being the removal of the names of Councilmen Haswell and Craig, who are exempt by reason of membership in the town council.
 Judge BarroWs of the superior court in rescript filed Thursday discussed the comparative value between evi- l-dence obtained by a jury from a view and opinions from expert witnesses in the case brought by Julia A. Mo Donald against the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad com pany, which was tried in the superior court for Washington county. It was an action to recover compensation fol l loss from a woodland fire started b, J spark from a passing locomotiv, l which destroyed. farm property neal The court believes that the verdic | should stand as rendered, although i 1 is smaller by $250 than the court it l self would have given on the testi 1 mony. The plaintiffs motion for new trial is therefore denied. In ex planation of the decision allowing tn, verdict to stand, Judge Barrows says l Many of the jurymen were them l selves thoroughly familiar with lant :! in the neigtborhood and. with the va, ues of timber and buildings. In a ca s 1 like the present, where several jury l men were familiar with questions re I lating to the value of farm lands ant buildings, to say that the jury is abso