New Britain herald., 1920-02-25
POPULATION HERE
 ESTIMATED AT 5,355
Directory Canvass is Not How
 ever, Accurate As U. s.
MAY REOPEN FACTORY SOON

 Tax Rate Discussion-First We'd ding of Year-Other Items.
 The Plainville and Bristol direc- tory which recently came from the press contains the nameG of 2142 local people including S3 removals. The 191S-19 directory contained 2,101 names, including S2 removals. In compiling this years directory. there were 235 ensures made and 276 names were added. The 1910 census for Plainville was 2,SS2. Null tplying the directory names by 2 F, the estimated population is 5,555.
 Freight Service Improves.
 The congestion caused by the snow storms of the past few weeks in the local freight yards is being relieved and freight service is being resumed on a. more nearly normal bassi. Extra locomotives have been used during the past few days in the wards and if the possi bility of more storms is eliminated, the officials at the freight depot expect to clear out the freight being held up and to resume the service on the usual scale. This will be welcome news to
 
 m ents of material through the local freight Yards.
 May Recall Men.
 It is reported that the Standard Steel and Bearings Inc, may offer to recall the men laid off a few weeks ago if expected shipments of steel arrive from the mills. The concern was obliged to lay off about so opera tiHes, girls and men, owing to a shortage of raw materias namely steel. The hands who were laid off were employed on jobs necessitatinG the use of raw 1aterial. Other em- ployest were placed in other depart ments where they could be used on other jobs.
 First Wedding of Year.
 The first local wedding of the year took place this afternoon when Miss Lena Beth Morrilly daughter of Mir. and Mrs. Ralph E. Merrill of East Broad street and Arthur D. Bridgman, son of Ar. and Mrs. George J. Bridg- man of sherman street. Hartford were united in marriage at o'clock at the Merrill home. Rev. F. C. Gil iettc. pastor of the Conerega tlonaI church, performed the ceremony Miss Marjorie Morris of Bristol was brides maid and Robert Racket of Essex acted as best man.
 The, bride was becomingly attired in a gown of white meteor and carried a shower bouquet of white bridal roses. The bridesmaid wore a gown of pink orSandie and carried q shower bou- quet of pink roses. The wedding march was rendered on the piano by Miss Marjorie Merrill, a sister of the bride.
 A reception followed the wedding 
 wedding trip. Upon their return they will reside at 10 Broad street. MT and Mrs. Bridgman have d large circle of friends in Plainville. The bride was employed in the office of the TrumbulJ Electric Manufacturing company and was popular with her associates. Atr. Bridgman is also employed in the Circle T office.
 Tax Rate Prediction.
 The approaching special town meeting called for March to lay the annual tax has led to few pre- dictions as to the proba bility of rais- sion of the question. The popular ing the rate. accompanied by discus opinion is that the tax rate will re- main at it's present figure. 17 1-2 mills. \ few citizens predict that it will be raised to 1 s mills but this seems improba ble if the arguments on the other side are needed.
 Robert C. Usher, who has been town clerk for many years and who has had a splendid oppo ptunity to ob- serve the usual trend of public opinion in this matter, discussed tho tax rate this morning, MT. Usher believes that the town needs little higher tax rate than it has at the present time to pay for the maintenance of the schools Experience has taught him, however, that the voters of the town arc averse to voting for an in crease.
 Ii is very certain that tho rat will not be reduced as the expense of maintenance of the schools has in creased considerably within the past year. The voters recently granted an increase of $200 to each teacher in the schools for this years work. The increase totaled s3SOO. and the rate for 1920 must be fixed with a view to paying this additional burden on the funds of the town treasury.
 Sale to Aid Campaign.
 There will be food and apron sa le Friday afternoon from 3 to j o'clock at the home of Mrs. John E. Lamb, of Broad street. The proceeds will be donated to the fund which is being raised by the m emfoers of the Meth odist Episcopal church to pay off tho church debt before March IT.
 Class Meeting Postponed.
 The meeting of the Mission Study class of the Church of Our Saviour
 (Coutinued on Tenth Page)