Subscribers enjoy higher page view limit, downloads, and exclusive features.
NECES SITY OF WAR ECONOMY . URGLD IN MAYOR'S MESSAGE Advises City Departments to Criticizes Assessors for N Guard Funds Closely — ot Increasing Grand List— Exhorts People to Grow Foodstuffs. In his annual message to the gcom- mon council, delivered at the meeting last night, Mayor George A. Quigley gave a comprehensive account of his administration during the past three years and also made a number of very important observations and recom- ‘mendations which he advocated for civic betterment. Among other things the mayor assailed the present method ©of assessing private property and ad- - ¥ived sweeping changes in the methods in order ‘that the city's revenue may De increased in a fair ratio. He like- MAYOR GBEORGE A. QUIGLEY PR S wise advised the converting of the Burritt school building into a fire and police headquarters building and dwelt for some time upon the food situation, extorting the council to do all possible . towards increasing this year's supply and curtalling waste. Gentlemen of the Common Council: In pursuance of my duty as mayor i of the city of New Britain to commu- nicate to you annually, a statement as to the condition of the city govern- ment, I take the liberty of addressing you on several matters which ought, in my judgment, particularly at this time, to engage your attention. During my three years of office the members of this body have refused to countsnance politics in the govern- ment; you have done your duty re- gardless of political amii: Cheap % partisan politics has no in a government concucted in the interest of the people. I am gratefdl, to the members of your honorable body for your stand taken for clean, honest, ef- ficlent government and teel that you have elevated your service 'and posi- s+ tion in this government. 1 ask for a continuance of this high sense of duty so vital at this time when our people must not countenance internal dissen- sion, either political or industrial. It behooves you, as the :qu:uglv’: Dod: ting the people o :76., tro. Mswfl Anlnlt‘ anything that may arise to cause dissension in this ordered Al e hospitals have - e “;;::: the antiseptic powder, for i government or among our people, to enact legislation directed to the com- mon good of our people to be swayed only by your sense of -duty and a pa- | triotic regard for your country, state and clty. Imbued with these principles the coming year should be fruitful of wise, patriotic legislation, free from the taint. of selfishness and political jug- _glery. | Eoconomy and Retrenchment. i I belleve that at this time no great famount of public work should be un- | dertaken; conditions -are abnormal, | the cost of material and labor is pros hibitive; further, your government jmay be called upon to assume finan- | cial burdens on account of the war { which in themselves will increase taxation to such an extent that our itnxyn.yerg may have grave difficulty in meeting their obligations. I.would therefore recommend to your honorable body ‘and the various { boards and commission at all the Iwork in various departnients that can [ be curtailed or eliminated be laid over until we can see with clearer vision what is confronting us. Health Department. This very important department, progressive at all times, is doing & work that our citizens \can well be proud of. Always slightly in advance of other health departments, this de- artment recommended a municipa} aughter House which was erected, placed in operation, and at this writ- ing promises to be self-sustaining. The erection of & municipal slaugh- ter house was a step as yet taken by few citles. The building of a munici- pal slaughter house was oppomed. by those who did not realize its value or ; opposed it for mercenary reasons. For years, dispased meats of all de- scriptions were placed upon the city markets by ignorant or unscrupulous persons whose one desire was profit. It was stated by these persons that the number of animals butchered in 'w Britain was so amall that it was a ridiculous proposition to- build a municipal slaughter house yet, I find from the records of the health de- partment that an average of over two hundred ani & month has. been slaughtered and inspected. There is no question but that previ- . ous to the erection of the slaughter house over three hundred animals were butchered in this city but the persons who formerly butchered dis- eased animals dare not bring them be- fore the inspector at the slaughter house. Thus is New Britain safeguard- ed against diseased meats. Later in the year this department will undoubtedly bring to your atten- tion. the-necessity of erecting and- maintaining an isolation hospital for the care of contagious diseases. It is not necessary for me to go further into detalls regarding the work - of this department, a perusal officials will enlighten you as to the scope and importance of its work. Taxation. After a careful study of the taxation problem in this y. I have been forced to the conclusion that our pres- ent system of assessment for taxation, it we can dignify it by the name .of system, is obsolete, inadequate and inequitable. In my 1916 message to your honor- able body, I recommended that the as- sessors devote their entire time to the CARPET CO. 319 ASYLUM ST., CORNER HAYNES ST., HARTFORD. ~ Carpet Size RUGS! Large Assortment At Your Service Tapestry Body Brussels Axminsters, Wiltons S ; A Rug for Every Room and Every Price. —_— We are featuring Car- pet Size Rugs in a won- derful assortment and a great variety of wanted sizes. - Newest fithe most mew shades. atterns and ecoming of work. Time and study muit be spent upon this problem. Part time officials in this important department of the government is ridiculous. The incomse of the city is not keep- ing pace with the necessary demands made by a growing eity. The growth of the city hag increased land values: increased land value is community created wealth and it is only just and fair that owners who are deriving greater incomes from their property on account of its increased value should pay a just and equitable tax. An inadequate income is forcing the | government of the city to deny to its | citizens their reasanable requests for : street improvements, hetter fire pro- tection, park and playground develop- | ment. { I find upon investigation one of ' the most flagrant violations of our tax lawsl I find that the assessors’ have on their boaks the sum of $33,603 as the taxable amount om hand in Na- tional banks and Trust companies. - Yet, the reports of our local National {bank and Trust companies show de- | posits of over six milllon dollars. ; Little attention, evidently, is paid hy | people who make out their lists of i ;‘a.tublg pProperty to the items on the ™ The assessors have certainly been lax in not insisting that this item on the list be made out, and, if they are | not satisfled with the list as made out by the property owner, they should in- | vestigate, for surely out of over six million dollars on deposit in the local | $u¢ banks more than $22,603 should ap- pear on the boaks of the assessors. I belleve thet this item alome, ‘“Money on deposit in National banks ! or Trust companies” would increase he grand list, it properly located and i taxed, by over three million dollars. ! Another item which the assessors have falled signally in locating is the amount of personal property. We have on the books of the assessors an amount slightly in excess of $90,000 when it is common knowledge that there are hundreds of thousands of dollars of personal property which the assessors have failed to This year I understand the as- sessors will give these matters their careful attention. Oity’s Financial Condition. The city’s financial condition as re- ported by'tle board of finance and of the annua] reports of the .various | troller, should receive your ocareful study and attention. Their reports show the city to be well managed and -their reports are very gratifying. Deapite the fact that our school in- debtedness increased $151,000 our net indebtedness increased but $45,711. due to the payment of maturing bonds, increased amount placed In sinking funds and the accrued interest on present funds, The amount in the various sinking funds for 1916 was $467,085.81; for 1917 the amount is $530,344.36 a very gratitying increase. The balances in the city treasury on March 31 were as follows: General fund «-$ 47,511.47 ‘Water fund 53, Sewer fund Subway fund .. Street improvem: Park commissioners New schaol bujlding funt City building fund Cemetery committee Dog license fund . Municipal ice plant . Parks purchase fund Public amusement comm slon .....iiceieineiaes $399,542.08 Recapitulation of Indebtedness. ‘Water bonds $1,175,0f Bewer bonds 1,1 Street bonds .. Subway bonds ......... 146,000.00 Municipal building bonds ' 315,000.00 .1 00 00 212,388.65 194,630.83 20,649-34 55,448.77 38,687.50 Municipal building bonds * 8,699.37 $ 530,344.35 Net indebtedness .......$3,391,765.65 Board of Public Works. The work of this department this 'year will be curtailed to a great ex- tent by its limited appropriation. It is to be regretted that Park street taxation, the Mnr and ea’-n-” for the Burlington supply. The im- portance of this work must not be minimised. yet, I feel that a public ‘work involving the expenditure of ap- proximately $300,000, under present conditions, should have your very careful investigation before you reach a decision. B The cost of material and labor is about 26 to 30 per cent. higher than in ‘normal times, there is a scarcity of labor and it is very doubtful if it is wise in view of these conditions for the city to engage in a work as extensive as the building of the Burlington tunnel. I would therefore recommend to your honorable body that this matter be lald over until the winter months as tunnel work can be carried on then as well as at this season of the year and we will then have a clearer idea as to the problems confronting us due to our entrance into the pres- ent war, . Oivil Service. By the enactment of a charter pro- vision placing the fire and poMce ap- pointments under civil service New Britain has taken another stride for- ward in governmontal efficiency. For years appointments in these departments were largely a matter of | politics, today men enter these de- partments on their ability as police- men and filremen not as political ‘wire pullers. 3 I hope, in the near future, to see other departments placed under oivil service which will eMminate the fear of removal held by many competent oity employes when a change is made in the administrative head. Scwage Disposal. The problem of sewage disposal has now been'taken up by the atate. Through the efforts of Representative. Baward F. Hall, a bill was introduced in the legislature carrying with it an appropriation for $26,000 with which to build a state sewage ‘disposal ex- perimental station. 5 The result of thess expariments will be of interest to New Britain as our study and experience of - this problem has not as yet warranted our spending any considerable sum . of money in sttempting to remedy the defects of our system or the building of any new system recommended. Munioipal Tce. The harvesting, sale anddistribu- tion of municipal ice has been placed in the hands of a firm whose contract At the meeting of your Honorable body on May 2, 1917, a small appro- priation was made for the purpose of assisting in the work of food produc- tion, 4 . It is now necessary.that the govern- ! ment of this city not only assist but | enter into this movement and I will later ask you for an appropriation that we as a government may do our part in the great struggle which our nation has entered upon. | It is not only an economic necessity | tion. but our patriotic duty to increase the | the result of last year's poor harve: production of foodstuffs. Several of our large manufacturing companies have secured tracts of land and have allotted parcels to their em- ployes. A joint food production con- sisting of a committée authorized by your Honorable Body, and a commit- tee from the Chamber of Commerce, is now at work upon the home garden project. The Park commissioners are cultivating several acres in the North End Park and our citizens are securing tracts for cultivation. Permit me to quote from the plea made by Herbert C. Hoover, chairman of the American Commission of Relief T in Belgium, and now hcal the American Food board, in orucr that you may realize more fully the neces- sity for the action I recommend: “Our Allles cannot fight without food. Our enemies are calculating that America will fail to supply them and that they will need to give in. “The total stock of food available in the Allied world is not sufficient to last until Beptember, if America con- tinues ‘its present rate of consump- ‘We are now face to face with the diversion of man-power from ag- riculture all over the world, the un- avalling efforts of European women | to plant available fields fully, the isolation of Rus the sinking of food ships, and many other causes. “Englend, France and Italy are re- ducing consumption by drastic steps, but even with all, this reduction they must have from us during the next three months more than twice as much food as we would have exported normally or than we can send if we consume as usual. The only hope of providing the deficiency is by the elim- ination of waste and actval and rg- n people.” Can we do less than appeal, can we sit idly by 'a to others the work we should it be said that New Brittain f. nation in its hour of need? ‘We have never failed in war a to do, our part, let us th fail now but respond with ‘¢l that -has ever prompted our i to do their duty regardless ofid The work of the other depars of the city not specifically menl in my message has been i { during the year and their vorts -with their recomm: { should be caretully studied i , that we may act intelligentiy matters pertaining to those ments when presented to us sideration. In conclusion I wish to officlals connected with the ment for thelr uniform cous ® as mayor during the year and press my appreciation to the. who, during the past year, h willingly of their time in service city, 2 pledges them to carry out the plans | of the city regarding the sale and distribution of ice. This firm has now entered into & contract to pay ' the city a sum of money which will ¢ paying of Elm street from street to Hast Main street. This work was completed within the ap- propriation paying approximately $6,- 000 to the city. The general work of the board and the city engineer is worthy of much prajse; our citizens must however rea- lize that it is diMcult to sccomplish all the work demanded by the growth of the city with the limited appropria- tion allowed this department. Police Department. This important department has in- creased .in marked efficlency during the past year. Many additional men have been added to the department, our city is well policed and the per- sonnel of the department is second to none in the state. The working of this department at the time of the incendiary fires in Feb- ruary is worthy of much praise. In fact, throughout the entire year the work of this department has met with the approbation of the citisens of the city. Under the new charter changes this department will' be placed under & police commission which will, no doubt, work'_to the advantage of the departmen There is one matter which I wish to bring to the attention of your hon- orable body in connection with the police department, its inadequate quarters. p 7 A year ago I suggested in my mes- sage that the Burritt School be used by the police department when it had been abandoned for school purposes., The building on Commercial street occupied by the police department, fire department, city and police courts will either have to be enlarged at considerable expense or abandoned by one of the departments. The building is overcrowded and nolsy and it is almost impossible on account of the noise from the rail- road nearby to hold court. The spending of any considerable amount of money on this building in view of the surroundings is not ad- visable. and I would therefore recom- mend to you that you consider the advisability of giving over this entire building to the fire department and locating the police department, city and police court in the old Burritt achool. " Fire Department. I would recommend to your atten- tion the report of the board of public safety on the fire department. The report contains many recom- mendations of merit which should be carefully considered by your honor- able body. The work of this department dur- ing the past year has been very effl- clent, many difficult situations have confronted the officlals and men, which were met with prompt, keen dgment. The efficlency of the department was proven during the incendiary fires on February 21st. There was no confusion, orders were given rapidly by the officers and were car- ried oyt with coolness, courage and dgmeént by the men. ’“T‘Ie assistance rendered by the town of Plainville and the cities of Hartford, Waterbury and Bristol on the night of February 2ist was gratefully appreciated by our citizens. Under the recent charter change the management of this department | will be placed under a fire commission which I believe will be productive of much good. ‘Water Department. This department will have im- portant recommendations to make this year to your honorable body re- garding the building of the tunnel bring five per cent. upon the city's investment in the ice plant and also distribute the ice to our citizens at thirty cents per hundred. The intent of the city in entering into the ice business was to secure & supply of pure ice at & reasonable rate ’tg“l'ua-ddunl. This is being ao- ocom; e Never before in the history: of this nation have we faced a food situstion so acute, so world-wide in scope as is presented to us today. The situation demands the imme- diate attention and co-operation ' of every citizen In order that we may have an adeguate food supply, mnot anly ‘must we secure to ourselves & sufficient amount but we must assist in feeding the people of Hurope. To do this we must not only in- crease our production of foodstuffs but we must practice the most rigid economy in the consumption of food. The gravity of the situation must not be mintmized. ‘We must as citi- zens, as officlals, as a government dedicate our energies to the conserva- tion and production of foodstuffs, It is not a question of profit at this time; the person who conspires to force up the price of foodstuffs or in any way curtiils production is a traitor to this country and should be branded as such by our citisens. ‘We are dealing with big issues, let us be big therefore in meeting the call which has come to us. CONVINGING TESTIMONY Given by Many New Britain People. Bxperiences.told by New Britain people— Those who have had weak kid- neys— 2 ‘Who used Doan’s Kidney Pills— ‘Who found the remedy effective— Such statements prove merit. You might doubt an utter stranger. You must believe New Britain peo- le. p Here's New Briatin proof Verify it. ¥ Read. Investigate. Be convinced. You'll ind why New Britain folks believe in Doan’s. v Willlam A. Sadd, 100 Seymour 8t., New Britain, says: © “Doan’s Kidney Pills served me good when I used them eight years ago for an attack of kidney trouble. The cure has been lasting, as I haven't had to take them since. I gladly recommend them."” Price §0c, at all dealers. Don't simply ask for a kidney remedy—get Doan’s Kidney Pills—the same that Mr. Sadd had. Foster-Milburn Co., Props. Buffalo, N. Y. — PUT ON FEW DROPS AND LIFT OUT CORN Try this yourself, then pass ft along to others. It works ! 7 Good things should be passed along. It is now said that a few drops of a drug called freezone applied directly upon a tender aching corn relieves the soreness and soon the entire corn, root and all, can be lifted out without pain. For little cost a quarter of an ounce of freezone can be obitained from any drug store which is claimed to be suf- ficlent to remove every nard or soft corn or callous from one's feet. This is a drug recently announced from Cincinnati. It is gummy but dries the moment it is applied and simply shrivels up the corn without inflaming or even Iirritating the healthy tissue or skin. Cut this out and lay §& om your ‘wife's dreaser, e Lfley“Satist}"! ~and “Yes, mild —yet they Satisfy cigarette to do more than that. 5 But Chésterfields do more than the taste— Chesterfields spot,”” they do what cigar say a cigarette “SATISFY’! ““touch the ; smokerd | ‘just ‘ And yet, they’re mild! ; - It’s the blend— that’s the ideal " That,together with the pure, hatural Imported and Domestic tobaccos. And the blend can’t be copied. If you want more than good m in a cigarette—try Ches ‘today. 20 £r10¢ tineof 100 Ches- e = et they