The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-04-18
REDDINC
Especial to The Times.)


Farmers Dairy Co. in Bridgeport and
who are also interested in the COM
pany to the amount Of several thou
sand dollars as shareholders were
well represented at the meeting held
in Newtown on Monday for the pur-
pose of considering the state of the
company's finances. Among all the
shareholders and milk suppliers anx-
iety had been caused by the recent
arrest of Manager Coburn on the
charge of embezzling the companys
funds. Statements made at Mondays
meeting were to the effect that ex-
perts engaged in examining the com
pany's books reported a shortage of
1880 which sum might be somewhat
increased by further disclosures 1t
was further stated that while the
company remained solvent the loss of
funds by wrongful diversion of funds
shaTpened its need for additional
working capital, a need which had
been hampering influence ever since
business was started. This lack of an
adequate cash reserve had been given
as explanatory of the company's delay
in sending pay checks to the supply
ing dairymen. Although supposed to
be sent every two weeks the payment
/ intervals generally extended to a
month or more and one of the local
creditors had received nothing for
nine weeks. Another local dairyman
was creditor for more than $1,000
One gratifying incident of Mondays
proceedings was the action of the
companys officials in settling all out
standing milk accounts up to March 9.
The sentiment of the shareholders
in attendance was that they could not
afford to permit the company to go to
the wall for lack of the money needed
to keep it going concern, because,
if it went out of business, they would
again he at the mercy of the private
! wholesalers who previously constitut-
ed a monopoly and fixed prices to suit
themselves. Consequently the call for
additional subscriptions to the stock
| resulted in the pleldging of between
So, 900 and $4,000 before the meeting
adjourned. Considerable additions to
this sum are expected. Those who
sought information regarding the AL
| legged embezzlement were informed
that Manager Coburn had drawn
money by check from the companys
funds and failed to account for it. He
was prominently identified with the
Bridgeport Dairy Co., a company
formed for the retail distribution OF
milk, and the suppositfon is that the
missing money went towards tins
company's financing. His trial on the
pending charge is yet to be held and
meanwhile he is out on bond.
Not much progress was made with
the local Liberty Loan campaign last
week owing to the bad weather. RED
ding's quota is only $10,5OO instead
of $4,000 as was at first supposed.
In the present drive this town IS IN
cluded in the Bethel district, as each
district must have within it at least
one bank, but all subscriptions by
residents of this town will go to Red
ding's credit if made through the
Bethel bank or any member of the
local committee. This committee is
composed of H. S. Barnes, Rev. Ray
lmond Cunningham, Michael Connery,
Mr.. and Mrs. Randolph Bradley, c.
10. Perry, w. C. Sanford, J. B. San
ford, L. W. Warner, Rev. W. S. Wool
worth, W. H. Hill, Charles H. Ward
A. G. Barnett, Mr.. and Mrs. E, P.
Sanford, Miss Myrtle Beck, Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Meehan, DR.. W. G. Dem
ling, Henry Hawthorne, John Muen-
mich and Mr.. and Mrs. George Pat
ltison. members of this committee
will gladly wait upon anyone express
ing a desire to subscribe.
Eight citizens attended the special
town meeting last Saturday afternoon
and after slight discussion voted a
regular tax rate of twelve mills. This
will raise about $751; while the es-
timated expenditures are approx
mately about $1,000 more. However
the $500 raised by the special mill
tax to be collected in June will yield
a slight surplus besides meeting its
particular requirement, thereby les
SEEMING by so much the current defici-
ency. 1t was figured that $4,000 call
ed for by the next job of State road
building would not be called for I'M
til next year. The sum of $50 was
appropriated for war expenses and
the selectmen were voted discretion
airy power to provide service flags fol
, the Ridge and the Center.
Responses received by the commit
tee who are arranging for the foo6
| <
!, Twain library on Wednesday after
= noon of next week indicate wide
spread interest and disposition to CO
operate among the ladies of the town
1t is assured that the contribution
of war time cookery will be many ant
varied and cannot fail to provide
much useful information. An instruc
tive lecture will be delivered at 3:3t
by Miss Merritt of Hartford and a
4:30 coffee and sandwiches will b.
: served. The premiums awarded tt
the more successful exhibitors will
consist of war and thrift stamps.
q At the Center Congregations
church last Saturday afternoon an,
again on Sunday evening before
n congregation gathered for uniol
! service. Miss Law, for IS years
- missionary in Syria, made an appea
e for the suffering Syrians and Armen
ians. An accompaniment of the ad
dresses was the appearance of chill
dren of the Sunday school attired i
y the costumes of these Eastern race!
le The collections realized about SIS
n Some 40 years ago Miss LAWS fathe
l. was pastor of the Center church an
subsequently he was chaplain in tn
Tombs prison, New York.
I'd What the project attributed to
10 club of New York college women fo
eg reason of active farming work
IN this town is reality and not merely
beautiful dream was proven by tn
appearance of an advance guard {
&c the devoted band last Monday morn
1e ing at the Methodist Deaconnes
x Home about a mile above West Rec