The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-06-22
STAMFORD
 VOTES DOWN
 SPECIAL TAX

At the usual farcicaI town meeting | StratfOrd folks last night voted to lay | on the table a motion to levy a spe clal tax of two-thirds of one witf 1 the fire department. There wa! | plenty of excitement more than the | usual amount of personalities in | dulged in, and anyone who believe:
 the matter is entirely dead is due te | a rude awakening Before another summer rolls around a new bumper l will be stationed at the central fire house.
 Chief Judson passed the lie to ar anonymous speaker in the crowd who
 equipment, which is a 1906 Locomo-
 bile. The speaker faded away and
 the chsef stood pat. All of this was
 after J. E. Phelan. Lordship, had
 made a very comprehensive and en-
 Tightening talk, telling what the fire
 board wants to do and why it wants
 to do it. The general belief is that included in the regular annual budget Tn the fall' the appropriation will be allowed
 Frank Conine. and-fire apparatus, and antt-most everything progressive, next took the floor and would have
 been talking yet, if someone had not implored the chairman, George Barnes, to call him to order. He was talking about everything but the sub Ject- He made a statement that the town had not grown or changed since the present equipment was purchased years ago.
 Phelan promptly got the floor and told Conine he was insane Heavy applause He asked Conine if he still wore swaddling clothes and had stood still like he thought the town had More applause Conine made no further response.
 Thomas McQuiIIen spoke against the motion, but as though he knew what he was talking about, or at least what he wanted to say. He was brief and stayed on the subject, but many will doubt his theory that chemicals put out most of the fires today. McQuillen will not block the measure if presented in the regular way in the fall.
 John W. Thompson made one of the most pleasing talks of the even ing. He was against the motion, but apparently will support the Dur- chase of equipment in the fall. Talk ing up Conlne's argument that Strat- ford was not a city, but an old New England town of beautiful Colonial homes, he called attention to many homes that have burned, one by one. in the years within easy memory of old time stratfoord folks, and hoped soon that the fire department will have tools with which to prevent more catastrophies. He paid a splendid tribute to both the fire and police departments.
 Miss JeanaEte Booth obtained the floor and talked as loud as she could. but was insulted by some men cry ing for her to speak louder. She is afraid of a day of doom, like in the Revod utionary days if the town raises the tax rate any higher. Others seemed to think there would be a revolution if the town showed pro- gressive tendencies. The tax, had it passed, would have meant less than $3 per capita extra assessment, for a benefit worth many times that amount
 George Bateman answered an in situation made by Frank R. Sammis that the firemen'S memorial day was to be paid for out of the fire com fund. Bateman informed him that never had the town been asked to furnish money and further more there was no such aninaI' as funds in the possession of the fire commissioners
 George Carey made a motion that the motion before the house be tabled. Barnes, the chairman, a newcomer who evidently knows how to conduct a meeting, called attention to the debatable and therefore an adjourn ment was thankfully taken, and the motion overwhelmingly carried. Barnes closed the meeting by a sane talk, placing newcomers to Stratford, Stratford, in the category of those wanting to see the town develop and keep up with communities of it's