New Britain herald., 1915-11-17
Sparks Fly af Adjourned
 Ioun Neeting in Berlin
Selecman Gibney and Major Wilcox in Verbal Battle and Latter Says He May Never Attend Another
 Meeting Because of Afronts.

fingered by what he took as 8 per- sonal criticism. Major Frank l.. Will . cox. one of Berlin's best known cit izens. said T may never attend an- other town meeting" This remark was made at the annual adjourned town meeting in the Town hall, Ber- lin last night. The voters had gath cred to receive the report of the re- gently chosen financial board. The board in it's estimated receipts for 1915-16 had an item of $5,170, as duo from the state for educational ex- penses during the last school year. First Selectman William H. Gibney said the town had received $1,S40 of that amount last March and desired it bo subtracted from the totalsof re- ceipts. In order to expedite matters, Major Wilcox moved the boards re- port be accepted as far as the amount of estimated receipts. MT. Gibney ob- Sected to the item of $5,17O. Major Wilcox in moving the acceptance of the report to that point, remarked that the town should have seventeen mill tax. MT. Gibney said: If the as- sessors of the town of Berlin had done their duty properly, there would be no need of a tax rate increase. They do not take into consideration the mort gages, a man has on his house. Of course, it is alright for rich man, to advocate seventeen mill tax, but tie burden rests on the poor man. The assessors had reduced the grand list, which MT. Wilcox had personally of- fered. It's all right for him to advo cate higher rate. He can afford 1t. But the poor man bears the burden"
 Ma ir~ ,~1-e 6 personal affront and said he might never attend another town meeting. He then said he and Mr. Gibney had been friends since childhood and he was pained at the latter's remarks. { Major Wilcox made a stirring appeal for seventeen mill tax, saying he de- ! plored the size of the towns debt and ! 1t ought to be paid off gradually. The taxes should be enough to pay @ little more than running expenses. Do not shave too close to the wind but let us get our debt down." he concluded.
 Bald Headed Men Favored.
 The meeting was called to order at o'clock by Moderator Charles M Jarvis, with about seventy voters pres- ent On account of there being no heat in the building, Col. Jarvis said:
 All Udlu uSducO ulSlI IIlSy keep CLGlI hats on." Evidently all present were bafd headed, for no hats were re- moved. Selectman Gibney explained that the insurance boiler inspectors had taken the furnace apart during the day and had not reassembled it. 'It will be hot here soon enough" con- cluded the speaker. His prophecy was correct. Town Clerk Shaw read the of the last adjourned town and, on suggestion of Major Wilcox, read the call for the original s~s- ,.-.~,
 Elect Moore Selectman.
 MT. Gibney then reported that Ed ward Stevens, who was chosen third selectman at the recent election, had failed to qualify. MT. Gibney, on be- half of the board of selectmen, in ac- cordance with the wishes of the dem ocratic town committee nominated John A. Moore of Kensington. to fill the vacancy. Mr. Moore was elected unanimously.
 Dening Reads Reort.
 Colonel Jarvis then called for the report o the board of finance. It was read by Francis Deming, chairman of the board as follows: