New Britain herald., 1925-06-27


 a short time is a change in the charter providing for the appoint ment of an expert road and sewer builder as president of the board of public works or as an official under the direction of the board.
 In recent talk to one of tho civic clubs, Chairman Frank l., Conlon of the board furnished sta tistlcs which, no doubt. surprised some of those seated around the tables. The road mileage in New Britain is increasing yearly and the popularity of tho automobile makes 1t necessary to improve all high ways. The old village street has dis appeared. There are machines on every thoroughfare and the owners want smooth surfaces. In addition to keeping roads in repair, the pub lie works board also has new streets added to its custody every year. Sewers must be constructed, gutters built and grade lines maintained. Although the entire board of pub lie works is responsible to the mayor, the burden usually falls on the shoulders of the president. who is the directing head of the com mission. Under the present arrange ment he is expected to devote only part of his time to administering the department. But those close to the government realize that it will be soon necessary 10 engage an all time man who can concentrate on his job and attend to every detail entrusted to him.
 Chairman Conlon has made a splendid executive. He has thrown all his enthusiasm and ability into shis work. It is doubtful if the city will ever have in the office another man who will give so many hours Of his day to the work.
 The row between the. city of New ! Britain, as party of the first part and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad and the Connec' ticut company, as party of the sec ond part, is beginning to read like an old fashioned musical comedy There was time when a city was supposed to have some authority over it's own territory. But bit by bit, the cities of Connecticut have lost their home rule powers which are now vested in state commissions whose acts in the past have showr them to favor the transportation trust.
 Within the past week the Con necticut company has shown it' contempt for New Britain by refus ing to pay for the removal of th' Myrtle street switch despite thu fact that the city is desirousSof lay ing permanent pavement on tha thoroughfare. It has made use 0 the roadway ever since the Farm ington avenue line was opened and it IS to be supposed, has profitet thereby. But now that it is asked t spend a few paltry dollars. 1t snap rubber band around it's purse am refuses to contribute.
 Every day the New Haven roa, twiddles it's thumbs at the publi by its practice of switching freigh cars over several railroad crossing at the busiest hours of the day The Whiting street, Elm street an Main street, crossings in particula are affected. Apparently the mayo intends to have a show down. II will find the people arc with him The city Of New Britain owns tn public highways. The New Have road has no moral or legal right { seize them and use them for freigh yards.
 When a man gets on street ca and nonchalantly hands the cashie - pardon, we meant to say motor man twenty dollar bill ther is bound to be some discussion owe its The motormen on the one-ma trolley cars are not private banks sometimes they may have s20 money on hand, and sometimes not mostly not.
 George Chipman, one of the vel eran motormen of the Connecticl company. who holds down a job ( careening between New Britain an Plainville, has had a plentitude btwcnty-dollar bill experiences sinC the one-man trolleys began to operated; but the one which can to him few days ago - or at lea which he began talking about
 few days ago was what the do lar-a-word writers would ca unique"
 George had just started on or D of his daily tours of the rails whe a man got aboard and proffered D twenty. The stereotyped "got an, thing less'n that" brought no r assuring response. And a caref scrutiny of all available funds
 the motorman's> jeans likewi
 brought no reassuring respons George did not have the change.
 So he handed the man the tot
 of $S he had in his pockets al wrote out an order on the compal p for the difference. approximate SIT.
 '' A few days later the same ind '' viduaf got on the car and hand'
 George the ST document in pa
 ment of his fare, expecting to g
 back $16.90. Now a motorman vi
 hasn't enough change for a twen
 dollar bill will not very likely ha
 enough for ST; and this vital i
 formation in effect was respectful "A rendered the "cAsh customer" wi U --------------~------