New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-01-16

committee was read to the members.
1t reported progress except IN regard
to the matter Of reducing the COM
mOn council to the number OF IS al
dermen. The charter revision COM
mittee therefore presented the propo-
sition to the council for consideration.
Alderman May was the first to speak
on the matter and went on record AS
opposed to it. He thought that the
council at the present time has the
material for good legislation.j The
trouble in his opinion is that the ma
terial has never been developed AMI
that is the reason the council is in
the present way. He also said that
reducing the common council to Is
alderman would reduce the control
to a minimum and virtually the con-
troll of the people would be lost. In
his opinion the people should have
some say in the matter. Speaking
further, he said, "The trouble is we
have not the people to push us. The
people whom We represent do not tell
us what they want and therefore we
must rely on our own Judgment" He
had ready for Introduction Il resolu-
ton that there should be monthly
meetings i'll each ward. The meet
ings to be held in the school in the
ward and open to the public. The
purpose of the resolution was for the
people to meet their representatives
and discuss matters with them. He
moved the adoption of the resolution
but it was ruled out of order by
Mayor Quigley. Alderman Curtis
spoke in favor of a small council. He
gave as a good reason the way the
business has been handled by a large
Ii ,-1Ix-
smaller council would mean more eff
ficiency and that is what the city
wants. He spoke of the farce of the
committees which exist at the present
time. The license committee whfcn
has been i'll existence for two years.
In that time the committee has never
held a meeting. There are other COM
nlittees which are not of importance
and which the members are placed on
just that they may be interested IN
the work of the council. While
speaking of the matter the alderman
said he did not expect to profit from
the change. This may mean that he
does not consider returning to the
council for another term. Alderman
Richards compared the number of
the council and the city people to the
operating committees and the fac
tories. He couldn't see the advantage
of reducing the membership. Re-
plying to the comparison Alderman
Curtis said they didn't compare at all.
The factories have their employees and
they make use of them all the time.
They interest their workers and get
better results. But when the common
council is considered there is not
enough work for the members ard
they cannot be interested like the en-
ployes. Councilman Gillin said it
was an important matter and one to
take much consideration. He favored
waiting a, few weeks before the mat
ter is decided. He could see the adj
vantages of q smaller counch He
estimated that the men in the coun-
Gil represented 5000 people each and
they should have the opinions Of these
people. 1t was brought out during
the discussion that Bridgeport, with a
population of 5000 and Hartford
with q population much larger than
New Britain have but 20 aldermen
and they have efficient legislation. It
was moved that the matter be tabled
for two weeks and when the meeting
adjourned it would adjourn for two
weeks. The motion was carried.
The petition from the board OF
health that the salary Of the Superi1e-
/ tenQenL OIL ne3lCn De raised from
! $4,000 to $500 was referred to the
salary committee
The supply committee petitiOned
that the mayor be authorized to sign
! a contract with the Southern New
! England Telephone company for the
! placing Of a telephone in the home of
| the clerk of the board of police COM
! nissioners at municipal rates. Pcti-
| tion accepted and recommendation
! adopted.
Curtis Objects to Expense.
| There was also a lively discussion
! in regard to the request of the fire
commissioners for an additional COM
pvny. Alderman Curtis objected to
| the number of leutenants, captains
! etc. and favored reducing the num-
Der one IN each case. His opposition
! to the proposed increase in men was
| that the city is unable to stand it
financially. He told of the heavy eX-
| penses and again stated that he was
afraid a heavy tax would stare the city
in the face this year. In reply to him.
Chairman A. f. Magnell of the board
of fire commissioners told the coun-
cilmen that the city has the appara-
tus at the present time and it should
have the men to man the apparatus.
'"The purpose of this" Mr.. Magnell
said 'iS to have a new unit in the
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