New Britain herald., 1917-02-22
BUT TEN COMPLAIN
 TO RELIEF BOARD
Five Taxpayers Appear at Final
 Public Session
ASSESSORS. DID GOOD WORK

Although they held four public ses- l sions since tie grand list was turned
 over to them for inspection and re-
 vision the board of relief received but
 ten complaints concerning the work 1 of the assessors and it is probable ] that the total reductions will not i amount to a great deal. The mem bers will meet in a few days to- con- 1 sider the protests filed with them, making a report before March 15. The board held it's final public ses- ! sion yesterday afternoon in the town
 clerks office, five taxpayers appear ing to ask for reductions from the valuation placed on their properties 1 by the assessors. The applicants, ] however, did not appear to have very
 strong arguments and it is doubtful l if their petitions will be granted. | G. Clifford Woodford came before the board to protest against the ac-
 tion of the assessors in placing val l uation of S200 an acre. on some or the land which he owns in the east
 ern section of the town. The board | figured seven acres of the tract at ! $50 each while the other six acres
 were entered at $1,200. At the meet ing yesterday attention was called to 1 the fact that the contiguous lana MT. 1 Woodford had sold to the Rockwell l Drake company, through A. F. Rock ] we'll, at $500 per acre, the manufac; turers subsequently, placing a value on it of S75C an acre. The board did 1 not appear to be greatly impressed | with the argument for a reduction. Neither were the members en-
 thusiastic over the merits of the pro- l plained because the assessors had in
 creased the taxable value of house on Washington street from S200 to s35O MT. Newton didn't think the place was worth the figure named by the assessor, although he gets fair return in rent from it
 1 Louis Higgins appeared for his 1 father, H. Wilbur Higgins. to learn l why the assessors had estimated some of his land in the eastern section to ] be worth s2O an acre.
 1 Mrs. Sylvester Mason thought her
 property on Pennington avenue was I listed too high. Susan King, who has l a place nearby, had received notice ! that she had cen raised s26O. ln- vestigation showed that the increase in her case was but $10O. an amount l to which she had no objection. her 1 complaint being withdrawn as re- l suit
 1 The board took no formal action on any of the protests but individual members expressed the opinion that in all proba bility the report of the assessors will not be greatly changed Accused of Stealing Shoes. Charged with the theft of six pair of shoes, which it is alleged were l handled at the local transfer station. James l Machell, a former employe of the New 1 Haven road. was taken into custody 1 yesterday afternoon by Constable l Downing. He will be given a hearing l before Justice Prior before night. Mitchell worked at the transfer station until week ago when he sud- denly gave up his job. In the car from which the shoes were stolen were found an old pair of shoes which were identified as the property ! of the missing trucker. Yesterday the man returned to town and sought l his old place of employment. It was discovered that he was wearing a pair of the stolen shoes, and he was locked up.
 His hearing had to be postponed nntu a representative of the firm
  here to identify the pair in which the nrisoners feet were snugly encased.
 Gave Services Free.
 Chief M. A. Norton and members 1 of the local Hose company recelVeo many compliments in New Britain last evening for the quick response which they made to the Hardware Citv's appeal for help. The Plain vile "smoke eaters were in the dah- ger zone in about twenty minutes aft CT the call for help was received. Tn chemical truck made the trip in seven minutes and was ready for serV- ice in less than half an hour after the local departments aid was sought:
 The Plainville boys were assigned to one of the fires but at the tune it was practically under control ana they had nothing to do. They gave their services, however, in guarding the Stanley Works and other prop ertv in the vicinity of the factory ana were ready to give whatever assist ance might be necessary.
 On returning home they passed vote to make no charge to the neigh boring city for their services
 Before answering the call for as- sistance, Chief Norton had the Cahtll company's truck brought to the nre house to be ready for any local emer- eencv which might arise. He left squad at home to look after Plain vile, should their be fire here, and the town was well protected.
 The fire commissioners have made | a rule that the chemical truck can not he taken out of town without their permission. They could not be l located last night when the cali for | aid came from New Britain and Chief 1 Norton decided to take the initiative. l Before departing, however, he took | nain s. tfsa.4ee fha Plain,,fllo ho .tha l