Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1921-12-02
FIRE DEPARTMENT
CHANGES ARE SURE
Company Will Return to North
End and New Council Hopes
to Cure City Cancer
Thurstoa For Chief.-Tax Collector
Only Contest

With the stage all set and about
three and one-half acts Of the PLAY al
ready acted out, Putnam on Monday
viii stage lis biennial city election
Il win be an odd election in that the
actual casting of the votes has prac-
tieally nothing whatever to do with
the city government as il is 70 be con
stltuted during the next two years
Only one contest exists aud that Is for
the office of tax collector in which
Uric Beausolei Is opposing the pres
ent holder Of the office, Archibald
Macdonald. Jr
As the eaueuses showed. Archibald
Macdonald, Sr.. will succeed Allie W
Marcy rs mayor, Mr. Macdonald bav-
ing been endorsed by both PARTIES As
there IS but "a single candidate for al
derman-at-large and as the election Of
the other members is a foregone CON
cmsion. there is little reason FOR ex-
element or interest over the elections
themselves
The particular interest Ia this cleo
tion lies entirely in what the new city
government viii do after il goes into
office on January ist The old city
council viii meet for the last time
next Tuesday evening Only two Of
its members. Messrs Dean and John
son. viii be In the new council All
the other members. including the al
dermau-at-large. will be new to city
government and the work Of the eoun-
ell They will have an experienced
guiding hand in Senator Macdonald,
who has twice before served As mayor
Of Putnam.
Whatever the majority coancilmen
are planning to do with the appointive
city positions after they go into office,
they, are not telling TO the world in
general. Many Of their friends who
went to the caueuses with high hopes
Of creating general ruetion with the
various city departments. have as yet
no reason To believe that their hopes
are going to be entirely verified.
One thing Is sure, and that is, Of
course. the entire reorganization of
the fire department II he can be per
suaded TO take the positions there is
little doubt that Ralph +. Thurston,
local manager Of the Putnam Light a
Power Company. viii be made chief Of
the department His assistant viii IN
doubtedly be appointed from the north
end Of the city The hose company
viii be- returned to the north end and
there Is every reason to believe that a
strenuous effort VIII be made ou the
part of the council as a whole 70 do
everything in its power to settle the
fire department fight for once and all
The condition Of local affairs leading
to the present election has convinced
all sections Of the town that the hfe
department ghost must be laid defn-
itely
As for the police department, ask a
council candidate what the new coun-
ell is going TO do and he will probably
say nothing at all something
stronger. If one is to believe certain
signs. the department will probably
remain very much as u Is, thoueh
there are several active candidates IN
the field for the position Of captain.
II seems unlikely that the present
force. which has had little criticism
for lack Of efficiency, and frequent
praise for accomplishment, viii be
completely overturned, as is undoubt
edlv sure 10 be the case in the fire de
partment.
The polls, however, viii be- open
for the election Of city offices on Mon
day The casting Of the vote viii be
chiefly interesting in the number OF
women who appear to vote this being
the first municipal election in which
Putnam women have taken part