Jun:
. ....,_._K_.,.~g-;’_ 1,
V same at the present time.
‘6‘ 4 If you vva‘nt the best 4
goOds for the least money
. read the advertisements »
in the Gazette.
VOL. VIII. . No.1‘797
.n...g
NORWALK, CONN., Tunas DAY EVENING, FEBRUARY'S. 189S.
PRICE oNE CENT}:
a” Recognized as th .
family paperthe Gazette’s
advertising columns will;
' prove its value to you: A
VOTERSSAYNAY!
THE PROPOSITION TO BUILO‘ A $50,000 TOWN HOUSE
DOES NOT NE/ET WITH "PROBATION.
[OWNED 1111 LARGE MAJORITY.
REPRESENTATIVE MEN FROM NORWALK AND SOUTH
NORWALK DISCUSS THE QUESTION AT
LENGTH IN THE OPERA HOUSE.
“I have,attended manyg Gatherings in
public halls,” remaI ked Mr. Frank A.
Ferris in the Opera House last even-
ing “and can fairly estimate the num-
ber in a crowd, and I believe that there
are fully 990 people in this building to-
night.”
It is safe to assume that Mr. Ferris’
estimate was low rather than high,
when at 8 o’clock, town clerk, Herbert
R. Smith, called to order the town
meeting in the above place pursuant
to the order of Selectmen Merrill and
Lynes,yto take action upon the follow-
.ing matters: '
1.——To consider and take action in
the matter of erecting a new town
building where the present Town
House stands, on Mill Hill, so Called,
said building to be practically in ac-
cordance with plans pow on view; and
if it is voted to erect such building,
then to make the necessary appropria-
tion for the same, and to provide the
manner of raising the money so appro-
priated.
2. “To lay the annual state and town
taxes;
3. -—To'hear the report of the School _
Visitors and to make the annual appro-
priation for the support of the public
schools;
4.-—To make the annual appropria-
tion for the care of the highways;
5.—~To take action upon the petition
' of Jacob Raymond and others praying
for the acceptance by the town of Sun-
mit street, Raymond avenue and con-
tinuation of Lincoln avenue, so called,
as public highways; and totransect any
other business proper to come before'
the annual business meeting.
The names of Francis Leonard and
John H. Ferris were presented for the
position of moderator. Mr. Leonard
was declared elected, but the vote was
doubted and the acting chairman ap-
pointed Messrs. B. S. Keith, H. W.
Gregory, E. E. Gorham and R. H.
Golden as tellers. A second vote re-
sulted in the Selectlon of Mr. Leonard.
Mr. Levi Warner, the town attorney,
then presented a resolution in effect
that the selectmen be empomsred to go
ahead and order the construction of a
town building in conformity with the
plans submitted, and at an expense .not
in excess of $50,009.
He said that he did not think it at
. all necessary to discuss the question of
the necessityof a new town building,
the main question being-that of the ex-
pediency of the construction of tho
‘ With an ar-
ray of figures as to the present cost of
’eonducting‘ the offices under the juris-
dicdon of the town, he in a persuasive
manner sought to convince those pres-
ent that not only was a new town house
deslrable but that it wasa necessity,
and to clinch his argument cited the
quite well known fact that the present
quarters of the town clerk, as regards
vault room, were inadequate. He also
cited figures as to the cost of more
vault room.
. He said further that the town could
by special act of the legislature issue
bonds, for its present indebtedness as
ell as that incur 1 ed in the building
f the proposed new town-house, and
hat a 1espons1blg New York fi1m stood
ead y to purchase such bonds at 3 per
cut interest, whereas the city had
Ireviousl y been paying 4 and 5 per cent.
.e‘ believed in the porpriety of using .
he present site for the new building,
nd said that he believed in the end it
would be cheaper for the town instead
of conducting the business as it was
done at present.
Continuing he remarked that he was
glad of the opportunity to say that he
believed in the expediency of dividing
the northern and southern section of
the town into two townships, and be-
lieved that in such event the part paid
by South Norwalk tax-payers in the
construction of the proposed building
would be repaid them. He said that
he had been given to understand that
contractors were ready to give bonds
for the construction of the building at
a figure not in excess of $45,000.
A call was made for the architect of
the building, which was responded to
by Mr Beers who gave an explanation
of the proposed building, which explan-
ation, however, was not lucid enough
for the crowd present, Attorney Light
asking him several pertinent questions,
some of which he seemingly was not
prepared to answer.
"He stated that the Assembly hall
would probably seat 600, this inanswer
to a question from Mr. Light.
Mr. Jere Donovan asked as to how
many rooms there would be in the
building, which Mr.
by saying, “I dau’t know; I’m not the
contractor. ”
The architect of the building being
unableto answer the questiOn struck a.
young man named Saunders as being
Beers answered
strange, and addressing the chair he
asked as to how that was.
He had scarcely made the inquiry
before a voice came from the gallery
with a, “you can’t tell how many rooms
you have got in your garret,” which
caused a. burst of laughter in which
Mr. Saunders heartily joined.
Hr.
nized by the chair.
S. C. Palmer was then recog-
He did not favor
the project of the new building. He
said that if the town instead of being in
debt, had a surplus, he would favor a
new building. He remarked that fig-
ures were the biggest liars in the
world and proceeded to prove his state-
ment.
Continuing he called attention to
the stagnation of business and the extra
tax the construction of a new building
would cause to every manufacturer,
business man and mechanic in town.
He said that he enjoyed the reputation
of belng the most unpopular man in
town, but always presented his views
in aconscientious manner, and not with
a view of seeking favor.
“If you are going into debt,” said
he, “befirst sure that it is necessary. .
There is a vast difference between
what you want and what is necessary.
You perhaps are aware that we have
been indulging 'in debt making at
' South Norwalk. Why is it that this
matter should crop up at the present
time.” '
He compared the need of a town
house as being far less than that of
work on the highways. '
Attorney John J.' Walsh spoke in
favor of the resolution, and said that if
a new town house was not a necessity
at the present time it' never was.
R. H. Golden asked for figures of
present rental for town offices etc.
which weregiven him by Mr. Warner.
* question.
Evidently they Were not satisfactory
to Mr. Golden who said “I will now
make the statement that the amount of
lent paid by the town aside from the
pi obate office is not in excess of $600 a
year
Gen. Russell .Frost opposed the reso-
lution and gave his‘ reasons. He said
that the town debt in 1896 was 8260.900
and- that in 1897 it had been increased
to $280,900, and that it was proposed to
make a further increase of $50,000 by
building a new town house. He said,
“we have got to pay this sooner or lat-
er if we are not cowardlysfenough tel
shove it off on to the next generation.”
The burden of'the tax he said would
fall upon the men who by self-denial
and hardwork had managed’to secure
a home for themselves and who in
many instances were now out of work.
He recognized the fact of the need
of more vault room for the town rec’-
ords but did not think it advisable to
(build a $50,000 building for that reason
- and considered such to be a profligate
scheme of extravagance.
Attorney E. M. Lockwood spoke in
favor of the project. He said that for
the past twenty years the building oia
new town-house had been put off on the
score of, “we are too poor now.” He
said it was not because of the hard
times, but that Norwalk people opposed
the coming of factories into town, and
aptly dubbed the present town house
as, “the miserable shanty on the hill.”
Mr. F. A. Ferris objected to the res-
olution. He said by way of commence,
ment, “This is a healthy meeting. I
i should say that there were fully 900
present. What a healthy time we
would have in getting this crowd into
the proposed new town hall with a
capacity of 600. He did not consider it
an opportune time to build a. town
house, nor the proposed site a proper
one, in fact thought it unwise to place
it anywhere at present. He said he
had no sectional feeling in the matter,
and smiled as he cited a previous speak-
er’s remarks in reference to the pay-
ment back to South N orwalk of its pro-
portion of the cost in case the t0wn was
ever divided.
Hon John S. Seymour spoke on the
He admitted the need of a.
new building, and expressed the opin—
ion of another that, “the time to build
public buildings was when times were
dull,” as being that of his own. He
did not favor Mr. Warner’s idea as to
the division of the town, He thought
that the selectmen in issuing the call
for the meeting would have acted in a
wiser manner had they left the matter
of the site of the proposed building to
be decided upon at the meeting instead
To that end 'he
offered an amendment to the original
of specifyingfithe site.
resolution which was ruled out of or-
~ der by the chair.
Mr. Jere Donovan was recognized by
He said that he only wished
to offer a suggestion and that was, that
the chair.
O
a manufacturer whose factory'was now
. running night and day be heard on the.
question, and added that he referred to
Mr. Eben Hill. ' .
Mr. Hill responded, and at the out-
set said that he resented the idea that
Mr. Lockwood in his remarks had
tried to convey that Norwalk people
were inclined to drive manufacturers
away, and that the present town "house
was a set-back to parties who might
locate here. FrOm his personal exper-
ience with manufacturers not a one
had ever mentioned the town hall, but
that the invariable question was as to
the grand list and taxation. He did
not favor the. present site.
Mr. Lockwood replied by asserting
that Mr. Bill did not live in Norwalk.
but in Danbury, where there was one
of the best town houses in the county.
In answer to which assertion Mr.
Hill said
Norwalk, I live here, vote here and pay
"I was born in the town of
taxes here.-
‘ Mr. Jere Donovan then stepped to
the front of the stage and openinga
copy of the'last annual town report
quoted from the same a few figures.
'He claimed that they did not agree
with those just presented by the utter
. o , . . 1, , ‘ p " 1
. others,
not blow of
ney of the towu, to the meeting.
. He asked if necessity had not run
mad when an attempt‘was made to
show that the building of a new town
house was advisable at this time. He
said “They, (evidently meaning those
in favor of the new building,) haven’t
told you that the toWn has no right to
rent 'any portion of the building to
They have, however, told you
that they could borrow money for 3
per cent- If true, why haven’t they
done so :before now in reference to the
presentindebtedness.” He also asked
I'i’fe‘a petitiohfor'the meeting had been
signed by any tax-payers, and closed
his remarks with “If you are good
enough "to vote on this question now,
'you certainly ought to have been con-
sulted before. it was presented.” I
Mr. Warner said that his statement
seemed to have been misunderstood as
to‘fthe present cost of maintaining the
tolvo offices, and tried to set himself
right by explaining the several items
of expense.
Donovan’s remark in reference to the
call for the meeting by asking if he did
not know that it is the duty of the
selectmen to call a meeting whenever
they thought advisable.
he town’s right to rent he said that
Id be provided lo1 by the legisla-
ture as it had done' in simila1 cases in
He also answered Mr.
In reference
reference to other towns.
Gen. Frost, then quoted figures as to
present cost of town offices including
that of selectmen at $300, collector $120,
town court $150,.and said if they were
not correct, they ought to be corrected.
He thought the claim for more extend-
ed quarters in the town clerk’s ofiice a
reasonable one, but did not think it ad~
visable to expend $50,000 for a few hun
dred dollars necessity. He said that
the present interest paid by the town
. was'something over$l5.000 and ' asked."
why the Selectmen had not taken action
in respectto reducing the same.
Mr. Donovan asked-as to the cost per
year of a new building such as it was
proposed to build, and including loss,
repairs, etc. figured it at close to $5,000.
Mr. Warner said that if such a state-
ment were true, in ten years the build-
ing won’t be worth anything. As to
borrowmg money at 3 per cent he said
the ‘selectmen were doing that at the
present time.
ing the discussion that it would cost
something like $800 for towu clerk,
headquarters in the N orwalk elub, M r.'
W. F. Acton representing the club,
said that such was not the fact, and
that the amount would be considerably
under that figure and that it would in-
clude accommodations for Selectmen,
town clerk and collector.
‘ Joseph Tammany did not think the
time propitious for the building of a
new towu house. He called attention
to the fact that hundreds were daily.
trying to get work without success, and
believed that it- would be such as they '
who would most suffer by added burden
of town debt.
Selectman Merrill said. that the
building would not cost. in excess of
$50, 000 and would probably be built for
considerably less.
A call was made for a vote on the
original resolution. The vote was
taken by the raising of hands, and was
declared lost by the Ichair. The/vote
was doubted by John J. Walsh and an-
other vote was taken, and thls time the
vote against the resolution was over
w hehmn g
There was considerable other busi-
ness to be acted upon, but as the hour
was late'and the business of an import-
ant nature, Mr. F. A. Ferris moved
that the meeting adjourn for one Week
at such place as may be decided upon
by the selectmen. And it was so voted.
. And thus ended one of the largest
and best represented town meetings
ever held in N or‘walk.
._ ‘
‘vvvr
His N15 9. Scarred
The bursting of a steam pipe at the
N01 walk & South 'Norwalk Electric
Light station badly Scar re 1 the nose of
Engineer Johnson, yesIerday He
(higKi himself lucky that t 11: head Was
-- , 15th of September,
As it had been made to appear dur- "
TERRY & CO. WSUED
Their Property Attached for
$3,000 by Sheriff
’Doolan.
Trustee Charles Olmstead Charges Them
with Buying 0st George Nichols to
Save Themselves.
An attachment amounting to $3,000
was placed on the property of William
M. Terry & Co. on Tuesday by Sheriff
Doolan in. a‘ civil actiofi brought by
Gen. Charles Olmstead of this city,
trustee for the insolvent estate of
George H. Nichols of N orwalk.
The allegations in the civil action
aver that the 15th of last September
George H. Nichols was and had been
in the wholesale hay,» grain and feed
business on Main street and was in
possession'of a large stock, together
with horses, wagons, harnesses, etc.
At that time Mr. Nichols was an insol-
vent, and the day previous (Sept. 14)
proceedings
against him in the probate court, pray-
ing'for the appointment. of a receiver.
had‘ be'en commenced
By virtue of said proceedings, Charles
Olmstead, the plaintiff in this action,
was appointed.‘
Trustee Olmstead alleges that the
15th of September, and within 60 days
of his appointment, George. Nichols
fraudulently sold and transferred all of
his stock of grain and feed, all of his
horses, wagons, harneSSes, etc., and
his book accounts, to William M. Terry
&Co., which exceeded in value the
sum of “$2,000. ,. Trustee Olmstead al-
leges that the sale was not made in
good faith,but for the fraudulent pur-
poseotpl'et'entmgtheestate from be-
ing: attached for the benefit of the
creditors; and for the purpose of giv-
i‘ng Messrs."Terry & Co. a preference
over other creditors. "
December 30, Trustee Olmstead de-
manded of Messrs. Terry ,& Co. that
they turn over to him all the property,
or in default thereof they pay him the .
sum of 92, 500, which they have refused .
.I
to‘ (‘10., ,
The second count alleges that the
the defendants,
who were creditors, -1-epresented to
Mr. Nichols that if he would sell his
stock and book accounts to them, they
would, cancel in full all his claims and
debts, which he had incurred up to that
time. In relying on that promise Mr.
Nichols alleges that he sold and trans-
ferred his stock, book accounts, etc.
This Messrs. Terry 8.: Co. {have failed
to do. The plaintiff claims $3,000 dam-
ages. -
Papers are returnable the first Tues-
day' in March, to the Superior com 15.
4 ‘A‘
CRANK CIDER AND DIED.
Edgar A. Smith Disregarded Warning to
Eschew the Beverage.
Edgar A. Smith, a well known. resi-
dent. of Pound Ridge dled suddenly
Tuesday while sitting in Fred Scofield’s
grocery store. Mr. Smith had just
taken a glass of cider and after he had
taken the last swallow he gasped and
' fell back dead. He was sixty-six years
of age and had lived in the vicinity for
several years. A At one time he was em-
ployed in the New York custom house
and for a number of years he was a
shoe manufacturer. It is' alleged that
he was Warned several months ago by
a physician that if he did not stop
drinking cider it would surely kill him.
Mr. Smith was a married man but has
not liVed with his wife for several
years. She now resides in Maryland
and has been notified of' her husband’s
death.
Resignation Accvptr-d.
Edmund E. Crowe is in receipt of the
following letter signed by .Governor
Lorrin A. Cooke:
’Dear Sir; Your lette1 co: itaining
' your resignation as di1ect01 of the Con-
necticut State plison is received and as
no other coulse seems to be open to
me, I accept it.
I want to thank you heartily in the
name of this state for all the time and
conscientious work you have given to
it, and I hope that any successor that
may be appointed to yOu will fill the
~; place as ably as you have.
‘ .
I
COLLIDED WITH OAR.
011uncilma11——_~ Gregory and Wife
Have a Narrow Escape
from Being Killed
Avoided the Red Car Only to be Strut-.1:
by a'_0ar ol the Tramway Line.
Yesterday afternoon, George. B.
Gregory in company with his wife took.
a sleighride in common with many . ‘
others. . . .
The ride was entirely satisfactory
and they decided to return to their
home on Isaacs place, little thinking-T
that an accident was imminent.
As Mr. Gregory was about to turn
his horse’s head from Wall street into
-Isaacs place, he stopped to avoid a car '
on the
across the tracks only to collide with a
car on the “white line,”
The car struck the sleigh in sdch a‘
manner that the occupants escaped be-
Mr. .
ever, avers that he was. more or less
injured and that the sleigh was badly
.At the same time he at-
taches no special blame to the motor-
"red line,” and/then swung
ing thrown out. Gregory, how-
damaged.
;
manon the car. _
It was an accident that happily did
not result in damage to life or limb.
CONNECTICUT LEADS.
Patents Issued Last Year to Citizens of
This State. '
Not only for the yeai 1897, but for
several vears pieceding, incie patents
were granted to the State of Connecti-
cut, according to population, than to
any other state i‘ the Union. Last
' year the tbtal number of. patents grants-
ed to the citizens of Connecticut was
1,010., The counties which received
the largest number. of patents were:
Hartford, 362;. New Havem, 362. Fair-
field, l79: New Landon. 37. Middlesex,
29, Litchfield, 22; Tolland, 6; Wind”-
ham, 4. ,
The individuals who received the
1m gest number of, patents were: Fran-
cis H. Richards,.Hartford, 78; Thomas
Cor'scaden, New Britain, 11; Lewis H.
Nash, South Norwalk,10;Jamcs S.
Copeland, Harthrd, 9; Frederick W. '
Chesson, Waterbury,- 9; Thomas C.
Johnson, New Haven, 9, Frank Rhind,
Bridgeport, 9; Collins Company, Can-
ton, 8, John Lines, Waterbury, 8; Ed-
winJ. Toof. New Haven, 7; G. E. Di-
mond, Bridgeport, 6; CurtisH.Veede1,
Har,tford 6; ThomasG. Bennett, New
Haven, 6; Frank C. Fowler, Moodus,5
John C. Miller, Waterbury. 5; Frank
G. Miller, Meriden, 5; Abraham L.
Adams, Bridgeport, 5; Warren H.
Taylor, Stamford, 5; Herbert S. Pull-
man, Stamford, 5; Wilber F. Dial,
Bridgeport-,5 ,ReubenT. Palme1, Jr. ,5.
In addition to being the leading in-
ventor of the State of Connecticut, Mr.
Richards of Hartford is. the second
largest inventor in the United States,
Thomas A. Edison, only, having been
granted more patents than he in the
history of the patent office.
—-———-—\—-—<0.0>—-———-—-
——Prof. M. S. hosen, the well-known
oculist Optician, can be consulted at his
office in the parlors of the Mahackemo
Hotel, South Norwalk, Tuesday from
9 a. In. to 8 p.- m. Eyes examined free.
-- f5-tf.
The Weather.
Threatening to-night,fai1, and not
so cold Friday.
DEATHS. '
TURNEY—In Fairficld; Feb. 2, Albert
Turney, aged 80 years.
OSBORN—In East N orwalk. Feb. 2.
Sarah, widow of William P. IR'ey,nolds
aged 96 years.
How.’ 3 This ?
We offe1 One Hundred Dolla1s Be
ward for any case of Catarrh that can-
not be 0m ed by Hall’s Catarrh Cure.
F. J. CHENEY & CO. ,Props. T,oledo,
We, the undersigned, have know
F. J. Cheney for the last 15 years, and
believe him perfectly honorable in all
business tiansactions, and financially.
able to carry out any obligation made
by their firm.
WEST& &.’1‘RUAX, Wholesale Druggists,
Toledo, 0.
WALDING, KINNAN & MARVIN, VVhole-
sale Druggists, Toledo, O.’
Hall’s Catarrh Cure is taken intern
nally, acting directly upon 'the bIOOd
and mucous surfaces of the system. I
Price 750. per bottle. Sold by all (11 utr- ,
gists. Testimonials free.
‘ Hall’s family pills are the best.
Turns " .. tie Liver Turners—A ver‘y '
small p L Turns your liver. A true
laxative. An after dinner pill. -' '
Norwalk Chronicler