New Britain herald., 1918-12-19
COMMON COUNCIL At
MONTHLY SESSION
Charter Changes Discussed
Department Increase Advised

Department Increase Advised
! The December meeting of the COM
mon council was held last evening.
! There were numerous verbal tits be-
| tween members. There was, however,
| acted. There were many resolutions
! presented and several of them were
| fostered by Alderman o. F. Curtis.
The roll call showed 81 members
present.
, Stanley Works Petition.
A petition was received from the
Stanley Works asking for permission
to connect property on the west side
of Burrtt street with the sewer. 1t
was referred to the board of compen-
sation and assessment.
A resolution was received asking
that the comptroller be instructed to
draw his order on the treasurer in
favor of the Adams Express company
for the sum OF $3.50, and charge the
same to the street department. 1t
was passed.
A resolution was received from
John A. ,Abrahamson eft al. for the
turning of a portion of the triangular
piece of land at the corner of East
and Jubilee streets into a public high
way. The matter was referred to the
corporation counsel and the city en-
gineer to take UP with the Connecti-
cut company and report back at a.
later meeting Of the common council.
The proposed highway crosses the
Connecticut companys right of way
on Jubilee street
A resolution was presented regard
ing authorizing the comptroller to pay
the health department from the emer-
gency fund the sum of $4,000. 1t was
accepted and adopted.
A resolution was received regarding
the authorizing of the comptroller TO
draw his order on special appropria-
lions for $4,000 in favor Of the City
hall commission. 1t was accepted and
adopted.
AmeriCaniZatiOn Committee.
A report of the special committee
on the matter of the use of the COM
mon council chamber for American
ization purposes was received. 1t
follows:
Your committee, to whom was re-
ferred the application of the Ameri-
canization committee for the use of
the common council chamb Der by the
city court in making citizens would
respectfully report that it has given
the matter due consideration and
would recommend the adoption of the
following:
RESOLVED by the common coun-
Gil: That the city court be requested
to continue the making of citizens at
the court room on Commercial street,
and that it~be allowed the use of the
common council chambers for the
final ceremo nies of distributing the
citizens papers to the newly made
citizens. It being understood that the
common council chamber is not to be
used more than four Cd days in any
one year"
F. p. O'Brien, Of the Americaniza-
ton committee, was called upon by
the mayor and spoke. He expressed
the thought that if the newly made
citizens are worthy to become citizens
there is no place in the city too good
to receive them. He thought the audi
torium Of the Elihu Burritt school on
North street a proper place to hold
the preliminary hearings. He deeply
regretted the fact and also resented
the stories which he had heard were
going around the city giving as the
reason the council would allow the use
of its chambers but four times year
that the newly made citizens would
very likely spoil the nice oak and ma
hogany furniture in the room. He was
told by one Of the members that the
story was not true and had not come
from the members Of the council.
Petitions Received.
The petition of the board of health
for an increase in their salaries was
referred to the salary committee. The
petition of the New Britain Medical
association for a change in the rules
relating to the parking of vehicles
was referred to the ordnance commit
tee and corporation counsel. The pc
tition was signed by DR.. p. w. Fox,
M D., president of the association,
and it asked that the rules be chang
ed because of the nature of the doc
tors business which often times
causes them to be delayed on a case
or otherwise detained for more than
the specified 40 minutes. A petition
of the employees in the charity depart
ment for an increase in salaries was
referred to the salary committee. The
increase asked for is 20 per cent. to
date from April /, 1919. The present
salary of the superintendent of poor
is $500, that of the Investigator
$1,000, that of the city physician
$1,000 and that of the stenographer
5000. The petition was approved by
Frank Riley, chairman of the board.
Trolley Men Criticized.