New Britain herald., 1914-04-30
ROAD ROLLER CHARGE
 BY ALDERMAN kERW|N
Lively Fight in Council Over h.
 crease in Engineers Salary. -s
 ASSIMILATION DENIED BY MAYOR

Executive Takes Floor Twice and
 Uses Big Stick on Law Makers
 Board of Health Garbage Collection
 Contract Again Rejected.
 Charges that road roller tactics" were being employed were made at last nights council meeting by Alder man M. T. Kerwin and stoutly denied by Mayor Quigley at whom the shaft was aimed. The charge was made as the result of resolution of which the mayor was the author in which the committee on ordinances recom- mended an increase in salary of the city engineer from $2,200 to $3.50O. A heated debate ensued in which party lines were not adhered to strict ly but the resolution went through after the committee on salaries. to which it was referred for five min- utes, recommended its passage.
 The council was obdurate on the matter of sanctioning the awarding of the garbage collection contract to J. J. Donahue and referred to the new health commission the recom- mendation of the present board of health which goes out of existence tonight at midnight. Chairman H. T. Bray of the board of health said that many stories had been circulated TO- garding the contract, but he did not think any member of the board had received even as much as cigar.
 Democrats Aroused.
 
 ing for the increase in the city en- gineer's salary was the signal for op- position from the democratic side of the house. Councilman Paonessa again disguised himself as human Interrogation point and asked Mayor Quigley where the resolution found birth.
 Tt was drawn up by the corpora ton counsel at my request and was placed in the hands Of the ordinance committee tonight replied Mayor Quigiey.
 .In my opinion the salary commit tee Of this council has been ignored" said Alderman Kerwin testify. Tt was ignored last week when the sal- ary of the prAsident of the board of public works was reduced x to $2Oo. Itsis being ignored tonight when the salary ef the city seng gineAr is being. increased Why not get rid of the salary committes alto8ether? It looks 10 me as if the steam roller was at work =
 scouncilmen Desnan and Paonessa expressed the opinion that the reso- iution had not been given sufficient consideration.
 I'm frank to say that I'm at sec on this matter said Councilman Paonessa- It's crude way of doing business I'm a member of the or dinance committee but, I don't know how to vote on this question because 1t has not been given enough thought"
 Mayor Disowns Road Roller"
 Mayor Quigley called Alderman Christ to the chair and addressed the council, saying: Tt was one of the blanks in my platform that we should have new method of street construc- ton and supervision. I don't doubt that every member of this council realizes we must have 1t. The streets are in horrible condition and this must be due to either of two things, that they have been neglected or tudt IuoSO AA SAAoA 6C AAeSNO OCCA 4ll' efficient.
 "The ordinance last week was aimed to eliminate the president of the board of public works. The man I want for city engineer is William H. Hall. He Is competent and un- derstanls how to build streets. He can also go out and assist the water department.
 We haven't much time to act on this matter. The new commission CTS go into office on May l. Here- tofore the work of the street de- partment has been hampered be- cause those in charge did not start early enough. They waited until about July 1. I am not trying to play a road roller game. I want a bus- mess administration. This is not road roller tactics While am mayor I want the cooperation of this common council. I don't think $3,50O is an exorbitant figure to pay 8 city engineer You can't get a competent man for less. One of the best recom- mendations can give MT. Hall is that he is the only man in New Brit ain who is a member of the Ameri- can Society of Engineers, membership in which is based on efficiency"
 Paoncssa Wants More Time.
 But both resolutions were brought in here in a crude fashion," insisted Councilman Paonessa. We have not had sufficient time to consider them. If we could not get results with one man at the head of the engineering department and another at the head of the street department. how can we expect to get results with only ono man at the head of two departments ? It's a pretty hard job for one man to fill. I don't find any fault with Mr. Hall, but I don't see where we can improve conditions with only one q, of dAnn e