New Britain herald., 1917-04-18


 tions can tighten the purse strings of the citizens. MT. Kehoe remarked that already the government of the .coun. try is facing . debt of $7,0OO,0OO,00O and it is proposed to tax everything from automobiles to cigarettes. He insisted that because of the dubious future outlook the tax rate should be kept at twenty mills and later, when peace has come, it will be time enough to go ahead with added expenses.
 Alderman Orson F. Curtis said he too had changed his mind. He said that when he voted for the twenty and three-quarter mill tax rate in the council war had not been declared, giving more serious aspect to the financial items of the city, state and nation. He called attention to the present high prices, saying that flour costs from $3 to 4 per barrel more than it did formerly. that cepent has increased by fifty to sixty cents per barrel during the past few days, that crushed stone has gone up fifty cents per ton and even city labor is more expensive. Unless work is ab- solutely necessary the alderman thought it best to curtail. expenses for the present and he advocated the  ment this year and recommended that the street be temporarily repaired.
 Jester Strong for Pavement.
 Alderman M. Irving Jester from the second ward objected to this move and in 8 short speech advocated the laying of this pavement. He said the citizens are better able to pay the tax this year than they will be next. For mer Councilman Hillstrand took different view and favored a twenty mill tax rate. On a vote an over- whelmingly majority voted to do away with the Park street pavement in the estimates.
 Alderman Curtis then introduced a resolution to cut $11 ,50O for the new fire station out of the estimates and to introduce instead an item of $1,5OO for a site. He said that the cost of building has nearly doubled during the past few years and that in ad- dition to the initial cost of construct ing a new fire station there will be the expense of Installing a heating plant, plumbing, etc., as we'll as several thousand dollars a year to keep men in it. He said he thought with a encouragement of the fire ap- paratus and the addition of the flying squadron this section of the city will be well cared for. Amid applause the third ward alderman concluded with the statement that wages do not keep up with the expenses and taxes. Emil Brumbaum opposed the fire station. He said he has lived in the first ward twenty-nine years and in that time knows of but six fires there. He objected to the added expense. saving that he did not think the city should pay five or six firemen to sit around in the proposed new station with nothing to do but read the news papers.
 May and Fire Station Totter. Arising from the midst of his first ward admirers, Alderman May began his much anticipated plea for the fire station. He declared that the south western section of the city Is unpro- tected and 1t takes about five minutes for he fire department to get there. He declared it would make no differ ence in the protection if 100 fire com panies were placed in No. 2 station as the fremen could not get to the scene any quicker He argued that the chairman of the safety board has an