New Britain herald., 1916-04-03

any bids for paving Hartford avenue for this pavement under discussion were advertised for. l ask the mayor to produce one of the duplicate con- tracts under which this pavement was contracted for If this contract was not authorized by vote of the com mon council is such contract legal If it is not legal of what worth is the guarantee for five years to keep it in repair, especially as a portion of it is now going to pieces.
 Also I ask his honor to produce the evidence that the common council ever voted to eXpend $1O,375.2S for semi permanent pavement on Hart ford avenue. The charter says explic- itly that an estimate of the cost shall be presented to the common council, before such work is voted on. Accord ing to the records of the council pro- ceedings, only $29,233.6O was author ized to be spent for semi-permanent pavement. It was authorized to be the amount to be contracted for and was a definite amount for certain named streets. What right or authority had the board of public works to spend S40,065.21 or $1O,S3161 more than they were authorized to spend, (more even than the Hartford avenue paving cost, and Arch street and part of Stan ley street were not done as Ordered.) :?
 Common Council Fooled
 The permission the common coun- cil gave the board of public works was to use the money that had been ap proprated to do a portion of Stanley street, which it was found could not be done that season. This was to be used on Whiting street and Hartford avenue, as far as it would go. The common council did not understand that Hartford avenue pavement had not been ordered; $1,3S5.21 as shown by the report was used on Whiting street. The balance could not have been more than $2,50O, that was avail able to be used on Hartford avenue, and if the board of public works had been confined to it's estimate, and the work on the other streets cost as much as it is reported, there would not have been anything to use on Hartford ave- nue.
 Fayors Public Improvements.
 'I favor public improvements as fast as the city finances will allow them to be done but I favor the city S getting it's moneys worth for what it spends and I favor the city trans acting it's business in a lawful way. I favor keeping taxes down as low as permissible with keeping up fair progress in city improveme ments. l do not want to squeeze the poor man for payment so he cannot live. can promise with the help of the city meeting in cutting off some of the tax rate, and still pay for all the nec- iroon ntS There are many leakages and changes in handling city affairs, whereby thou sands can be saved. Knowing this as I do, have no hesitancy in mak- ing this promise, as it can be carried out
 If the opportunity is given me to act, l can inaugurate, with the as sistance of the common council, changes in the city management, that will save thousands of dollars, with out impairing the service or curta1l- ing necessary improvements The mayor misquOtes me in having stated about the condition of the city treasury. The more money there is in the treasury, the better pleased I shall be, for the peoples sake, es-' pecially if it goes in there without be- ing too oppressive on them.
 "In regards to the street work, I have not stated that the streets are in poorer condition than when his h onor went into office. But how could they help being so, with an ex penditure of over $2OO,00O on them? They were better when Mayor Hallor- an went out than when Mayor Lan- ders left, for the same reason. They were better when Mayor Landers left them, than when Mayor Bassets left them, for the same reason.
 No Machine With Him.
 'In regard to this talk of political ma chimes, would state that l am nearly alone in my canvass in this fight against the strongest machine and largest array Of office holders and office seekers that was ever or ganized during the existence of this city. Talk about eliminating politics from city affairs, why it is permeated with political. Look at the building inspector, assessors, con- stables, compensation commissioners and a lot of would be office holders down to prospective new slaughter house manager, out working tooth and nail for the present incum bent. Even those who have had and and expect to get some city contracts are doing the same.
 Policeman Hauled Over Goals.
 Talk about politics being elimin- ated from the board of public safety Here the other day, a policeman was seen to sake hands with me, was within a short time approached by my opponents political manager, and a demand was made on him as to what he had been doing. He was called