The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-03-02
APPROPRIATION INSUFFICIENT TO
 REMOVE SNOW
No Opposition to Building of Several New
 Sewers.
Especial to The Times.)

Stratford, March 2.---Notwithstand- ing that the recent heavy snow fall is slowly disappearing resulting from the rays of Old Sol now on it's fay north again to gladden. the hearts of those who prefer to see the thermometer hover around the 100 mark rather than see it registering around the zero mark with snow and ice a plenty, the criticism hurled at the selectmen for not having the sidwalks cleaned of the snow as soon as some of the local critics thought it should be, is not subSiding as fast as the snow is dis appearing and among those who are rejoicing over the return of Old Sol to it's extreme northern latitude are the members of the Stratford Board of Selectmen, and more especially Mayor Wellington, who has been the target for a large part of the undeserving criticism Only yesterday three local men, two of whom were not familiar with the situation during the recent snow storm were discussing it at the center and. the. two unfamiliar ones assailed the administration for not having made faster progress in clean ing off the walks after the big storm, while the third one took the defensive until his opponents who were speAk- ing Tn no gentle terms began to draw an audience when he left the gather ing with a parting word that should remain fresh in the minds of the two Elen for some time. Reviving the old story of tl2e recent { storm it was announced in this col umn some time ago that the select men were receiving undue criticism because the sidewalks were not | cleaned after the storm It has not been previously announced, however, l that one of the reasons for the delay was the delapidated condition of the snow blows which had been left out
 in the weather since they were used some two years ago and as soon as
 they were put into use almost feh | apart, causing them to be laid up for | repairs which took more than one day i Then, too, the small sum of $500 which l was appropriated for the removal o1 1 snow was soon spent and with no
 other available funds in sight the se- lectmen were powerless to clean snow 1 away with no funds to compensate 1 the employees. As a matter of ract Mayor Wellington used every avail. able dollar for the removing of the snow, overrunning his appropriation by about s10O and of this amount the Connecticut Co.,, through MT. Yelling. tons efforts, will reimburse the tow1 to the extent of $50, leaving $50 ove1 l the appropriation spent for doing tht | work
 I Mayor Wellington told the loca
 correspondent yesterday that in case where he exceeded his appropriation
 he alone was responsible and says tn
 mayor, without gas you cannot rul
 an autom obile, neither can you hir l men to cart snow without funds
 Mayor Wellington told of one cas
 where he had received a complain
 because 8 path had been made O
 only one side of the street. In thi
 case he explained how he was sho1
 of funds and suggested the shovelin
 of 8 path across the street by the az
 grieved taxpayer a distance of a fe7 1 feet Summing up both sides of tn
 story it can be clearly seen by tn
 fair minded taxpayer that the st . lectmen are to be compLmented ratt ! CT than censured and that every et fort on the part of the opposition s only a -loVe for something more las a ing than a clean sidewalk during 1 month of snow