New Britain herald., 1924-11-13
'BUNCO' MAN GETS
 HIS LIVING EASILY
Makes St0 Quickly as Agent Of
 the ''GaS Company"
OCTOGENARIAN IS FITTED

Edgewood Residents Want Water
 Main ENtcndcd--AiasOnic Build
 ing Co. Elects Officers. Asserting that he had been sent by the gas company 10 install a fuel saving device on gas meters, a clever bunco worker succeeded in getting at least one sl0 bill out of this city on Saturday, according 10 belated complaint made to the police yesterday The installation was to have cost s5 but the house. holder had only a sl0 bill in tbe house. Very obligingly the work man" offered to go 10 a nearby his departure. away flew the bill to parts unknown. The household CT became anxious after time and communicated with the local office of the Bristol X Plainville Electric Co. but no information could be ob- tained there. A couple of days l.e elapsed and then report was made 10 the police. who began work 10 locate tho swindler. Their investi- gations revealed that the man had been in several houses but the resi- dents were re'iccnt as 10 money , losses. Reports from New Britain and other cities. indicated that the same man or others worked the same game in those places on Mon day and Tuesday.
 Dinner for OCtogenarian. John White, S5 years old of Broad street. was pleasantly surpris- ed by about 30 members of the Grand Army and the Womens Re- lief corps yesterday afternoon in G. 4. k. hall in Forestville. when he celebrated his eighty-ffth birthday. Dinner was served by Mrs. A. N, Phelps, owner of the famous New gate prison in Granby, and after the inner man had been satisfied, a s5 gold piece in q plush case was given 10 Mr. White. Mrs. Howard C. Beach made the presentation 10 which Mir. White expressed his grat- itude for the remembrance of his colleagues of the Union army.
 MT. White served in the Sixteenth Connecticut Volunteers in the Civil. war, fighting in the major engage mcnts of that memorable conflict. He enlisted from Rocky Hill. where he had spent his youth but eftcr the war came to this city, where he has resided since with tho exception of short time spent in Winsted and few months in New Haven.
 MT. White is an expert clock maker and has followed that occu- patton the greater part of his life. He retired from active work few years ago.
 Consider School Matters.
 One of the features of the annual report of activities of the Chamber Of Commerce centers in the report made by the education committee. stephen M. Wells, chairman; Mrs. Edson M. Peck, Mrs. Arthur c. Hitchcock, Judge Joseph NJ. Dono- van, Emil H. Funk, Dudley Ingra- ham, Superintendent of Schools Karl A. Reiche and William Muir. ,,The report has to do particularly with the matter of bringing eighth | grade pupils from the rural schools and is as follows:
 The committee has developed it's activities along two lines:
 "a The development of School Fairgrounds; and
 "b. The transfer Of seventh and | eishth grade pupils from the rural ! schools 10 the city schools.
 The originaj purposes of the Root Island Playground was brought 10 rhe attention of tda mayor and the members of tho city council and your committee feels that the dcyeI- opmen' of this playground. as or iginally planned, for the promulga- tion of play activities for our girls and boys will show splendid results next season.
 The matter O. playground equip- ment for tn" Federal Hill school pu- pis on the I'edaral Ifl Green was rar"tuuy considered and presented to the proper authorities. While no deficit action has boon taken. it is hoped that your committees actiyi- 1 ties in the matter will bear fruit at an carly daie,
 "The Nortr SjIe school district committee Is 10 hc conGr1,uated up- on having completed during The past War thr oNiolSlon ot rh~r play ground area and the conditioning Of the playground for all kinds Of &C., tiv,fies for Tho North Sidc school slrs and hoys, What this district has accomplished others ran also do. They ha'" set splendid example for other school districts
 The SOufh Silr school dtS'rtc,