New Britain herald., 1916-05-18
matter and has d direct bearing on the welfare and growth of the city.

The telephone company is not giv- ing the service which Now Britaln IS entitled to. Complaints are ffe- Quent, well founded, and, from my own experience I know the service is inadequate for city with a popula- tiOn of 55,000.
 I urge you to take up these matters at an early date with the public utilities commission and if not sue cessful there, we can then appeal to the legislature at it's next session. Your railroad committee, so-called, should be renamed and called the public service committee as all mat tcrs pertaining to public utilities should be referred to this committee.
 This committee is at present re- garded by some members of your honorable body as being an unim portant committee, while in reality It is one of the most important com mittees of this body and should do a vast amount of important work.
 Water Department.
 The attention of this department has been centered for the past few months upon the work being done at Burlington for the purpose of proving the feasibility of building tunnel to conduct the water from the proposed reservoir at Burlington to the reser- voir at Whigville, instead of a pipe line, which will save the city approxi- mately $50,000.
 Commissioner Rossberg, with whom the idea originated reports that re- suits so far obtained indicate the feas- ibility of building the tunnel
 Another important work this de- partment has undertaken is the re- foresting of many acres on the water sheds which were denuded of trees.
 Police And Fire Departments.
 It has been my belief for a long period that these two departments should be under separate commis- sioners.
 In order to bring these two de- partments up to a proper standard of efficiency, it is absolutely necessary for the commissioners to devote more time to the work of these depart ments than they can afford.
 I would therefore recommend to you that this matter be again subject ed to charter change and a police commission and fire commission ere ated.
 Both of these departments are growing rapidly and a more careful supervision is necessary.
 The addition of more patrolmen to the police force, it is to be hoped, will render this branch of the government more efficient.
 With the addition of new motor ap- paratus, to be purchased this veal for the fire department, and the cre- ating of a permanent force, New Brit ain will have a modern equipped de- partment rendered necessary by the rapid growth of the city,
 The creation of a civil service com mission to govern the appointment of members to these two departments will be a great factor in driving fla voritism and politics out of these de- partments, thereby creating greater efficiency.
 It has long been felt some effort should be made to secure new quar- ters for the police court and police stations. These departments are to- day housed under the most trying and unsatisfactory conditions.
 With the addition of eleven new patrolmen to the police department, with the increased needs of the fire department, more room is required which cannot be secured in the pres sent building.
 The holding of court in the present building with any degree of decency is almost an impossibility due to the noise of the frequent passing trains within 100 feet of the building.
 While these conditions have been generally recognized it was not felt that the city could afford to purchase site and erect a building, which would necessarily have to be centrally located.
 I believe the city has now an op- portunity to secure site and possibly a building which, after some altara- tions, might answer the purpose for somo years to come.
 I refer to the Burritt school prop erty
 It is now proposed by the school board that the city abandon this prop erty for school purposes and the prop l erty be sold.
 I would, however. venture to suggest i that the city retain his very valuable 1 property and use the site for court !! building and police station.
 While I have not examined the ] building I feel that it might be pos sible to utilize it for the purposes sug- gested after some alterations mad been 1 made.
 While I have not examined the | building, I feel that it might be pos sib1o to utilize it for the purposes suggested after some alterations had l been made
 I hope your honorable body will give this matter your attention and | consideration.
 Health.
 The health of the inha bitants of 1 he city is being safe-guarded by our most efficient board of health. a board