New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-02-17
Town Topics

While Mayor &. A. Quigley has
urged the strictest economy in the
various city departments for the conf
ing year, expressing a hope that the
present tax rate of 1876 mills may be
reduced to possibly Is mills, his OPP
timism is not generally shared. Past
history has shown that when q tax
is once boosted it is seldom lowered
and the general opinion in this city
is that if it is possible to get along
with another 1876 mill tax, or even
20 mills tax, the administration will
have occasion to feel satisfied. The
retrenchments urged by the mayor
will not it is thought, be of sufficient
magnitude to affect the tax rate, es-
pecially in view of the many needs
OF the city for the coming year. AL
though the health department will
ask for several thousand dollars less
and the charity department looks for
ward to a smaller appropriation as
do, possibly, one or two other de-
partments, the enormous increase In
the school appropriation, coupled
with necessary expenditures by the
board of public works, the fire and
police departments and others, Will
probably more than offset 1t. The
school board, which generally gets all
that it asks for, seeks s349,74o, an in
crease of $42,140. The mayor has
also recommended that the board of
public works take on no new street
improvements this year and simply
keep streets in repair. This plan,
however good it may sound, is thought
to be 1mpra ctical. At the present
iyYon +14 -
thirty-fve streets that need macadam-
izing or paving. The department Is
already behind schedule on macad-
amizing and paving a. number of 9TH
er streets and should no new work
be done this year, by another sum-
mer the department would be so far
behind in it's work that it could never
catch up. To let present streets con-
tinue as they are would also arouse
wall of protests from property own
ers, SO it would appear that the board
of public works will be unable to
curtail their expenses very much
without sacrificing efficiency. From
a careful perusal of the wants Of the
various departments it is hard to see
where any reduction in taxes can be
expected and a 20 mill tax seems
probable. s
Next weeks presentation Of "Diplo-
macy by the Walter Naylor Players
at the Lyceum Theater is significant
for other reasons than that it is a
vehicle in which famous players have
won fame before the footlights.
Diplomacy was the first production
ever staged at the Lyceum Theater
and 1t Is fitting that this play be given
next week as it will serve to COM
memorate the twenty-fourth anniver-
sary Of the opening of this popular
playhouse. on the stage Of which have
been seen the greatest actors and act
resses the American public has ever
known. Practically all of the great
thespians at some time or other made
a bow beneath the proscenium arch
of the Lyceum. The Lyceum is not
the Oldest theater In New Britain, but
1t has always enjoyed the reputation
Of ever giving the best offerings.
In the beginning the Lyceum the
alter was erected as a public enter
prise by a number Of public spirited
men. The Russwin Lyceum company
was organized in February, 1892,
with 500 for land and $4,000 for
stock. Work was begun the same
year, the year in which the Depot
block was built and the Tack shop
was burned with loss of SIS, 900.
The theater was completed in 1898
and was then regarded as one Of the
prettiest and most thoroughly modern
playhouses in the state. The first
production was Diplomacy" and the
cast was headed by that famous act
fess Rose Coghlan, who took the
part Of Countess Zicka, which part
will be played by Miss Virginia Perry.
Gertrude Coghlan took the part of
M1on, maid to the marquise, and
Charles Coghlan took the part of
Henry Beauclerc. These parts will be
taken next week by Miss Ruth Miner,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick
w. Miner Of Park Place, a former
High school thespian, and Philip
Quin.
The opening night of the Lyceum
was a memorable one. The theater
was really packed from pit to dome.
Everybody who could secure ticket
was present and society was decidedly
represented. The theater was for
mally opened on February q, 1893
The head usher was Thomas 3. Burns,
a brother of Patrick Burns. Tom
the famous third baseman with the
Chicago White Sox and team mate
and friend of Billy Sunday the
evangelist. Among the first ushers
were Fred W. Latham, Frank Vib-
berts, Dana Vibberts, Herbert John
son and William Kimball. Council
man Charles Mueller was the leader
of the orchestra and the door tender
and treasurer were Edward Messinper
and Charles H. Moore respectively
1t was Robert Burns, the immortal
poet, who made a remark concerning
the gift to see ourselves as others see
us. AS far as DR.. James R. Faulkner
of this city is concerned, the gift has
been granted. DR.. Faulkner, as read
ers of the Herald are aware. was on
the firing line in France, attending
to the wounded and otherwise light
l. 10