Morning journal and courier., 1882-05-26
Tom1insOn's Bridge.

Shall it be Madea Free Roadway-What
 President Watrous and City and Town & Officials Think Of it. -..-.. >;. ] There was meeting of the sub committee of the town and city in the Mayors office last evening to farther consider the making of Tomlinson's bridge free roadway. There were present His Honor the Mayor and Cor poration Counsel Stoddard representing the city, Town Agent Reynolds representing the town, and President Watrous and Vice Presi- dent Reed representing the bridge company and the Consolidated Railroad company.
 The different interests were united in the opinion that the bridge should be made free to public travel.
 President Watrous said he had no doubt that the bridge company would give to the city and town the bridge for very small consideration.
 Mir. Stoddard thought the company should
 be willing to give something toward the con- struction of new bridge.
 MT. Reed thought the draw should be
 widened and the superstructure should be
 erected on iron piers. Judge Stoddard inquired how much the company would be willing to pay toward a
 bridge
 Mir. Watrous replied that the railroad anc bridge company had already expended many thousands of dollars there in filling muo flats He said that he thought the company could maintain the bridge on it's present ln l come and he did not think they would bt willing to give away any land or to add any | thing to the present structure. He said the lands owned by the present Consolidated
 Railroad company had been acquired by lega | process from the bridge company, the bridge company being owned in equity by the rail
 road company. Continuing Mir. Watrou'
 said that he verify believed that toll bridge l was worth maintaining. yet he preferred { | free bridge anywhere in the city. He though
 that the only advantage to be gained to tho \ railroad company was building of manufac \ tories on the east side of the river. Looking \ to the desire to have New Haven grow we 1 are disposed, said Mir. Watrous, to make con sessions and give you the right of way across there
 Judge Stoddard inquired of Mir. Watrous i | he could give any approximate value of tht I land that had accrued to the railroad compa ny by filling in the wharf and building th' | docks.
 | Mir. Watrous said he presumed some esti
 mate could be made.
 Vice President Reed said they would hav' to go back forty years to ascertain the facts. Mir Watrous said that if the railroad com pany contributed the bridge from end to enc 1 he thought it would be all the company ough | to be asked to do.
 Judge Stoddard said he thought the compa 1 ny would be inclined to be more liberal thai l they even proposed.
 Mir. Watrous said his company was not
 charitable institution, and he thought thei | offer was liberal one. l Judge Stoddard said the facts were that tn
 city and town thought the bridge compan.
 or railroad company ought to aid in buildin!
 the bridge.
 In reply to MT. Reynolds MT. Reed said h
 presumed that such bridge as was requires ! there, with a widening of the causeway whicl 1 is needed, would cost $60000. What wa needed was more waterway for vessels to pas | up and down the river.