Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-05-03
savin Rock Railroad.

powerful and combined movement was
set on foot yesterday both in this city and
West Haven to obtain if possible re-hearing
by the railroad commissioners on the subject
of the proposed branch of the Consolidated
railroad from this city to Savin Rock. The
project, as the public are aware, was virtually
defeated by the decision of the commission
ers, who endorsed the route proposed, the
central. route, but prohibited the railroad
from making any crossing at grade except in
one instance. A petition was in circulation
yesterday in this city and up to o'clock had
secured the signatures of many of our most
prominent citizens, including theI following:
Ex-Governor James E. English, Hon. N. D.
Sperry, His Honor Mayor Lewis, Hon. Hen
ry B. Harrison, 81. D. White, Henry s. Daw-
son, Hon. D. r. Wright, ]. D. Dewell & Co.,
Stoddard, Kimberly & Co., Benedict Co.
Mr. Dawson of the Water company was active
in forwarding the interests of the movement.
The petition referred to is as follows:
To the Honorable Board of Railroad Commits
sioners of this State:
We, the undersigned, being residents of the
city of New Haven and of the town of Orange,
respectfully represent to your honorable
board that we are much disappointed and
aggrieved by your action in refusing to allow
the New York, New Haven d Hartford Rail-
road company to build their SO called West
Haven branch in such a way as to cross the
streets of the borough of West Haven at
grade. We are aware that ordinarily it is
not proper to allow new roads to be built to
cross highways at grade. There are, how
ever, in our opinion, especial reasons" why in
this case such crossings should be allowed,
some of which are the following:
lot ho ia IntAN6Ad a
rapid transit line between the city of New
Haven and one of its most important and at
tractive suburbs, and is purely for passen-
ger traffic. If built its trains will be light
and will make frequent stops through the
| borough and will not run at high speed.
I'd. The land in the borough is almost
entirely level and bridges for the highways
or for the railroad will greatly disfgure its
surface and impair the convenience and
beauty of the highways.
3d. The expense of building bridges will
be SO great as to defeat the enterprise entire
ly, as we understand.
4th. The party whose property is to be
taken for the road, as well as all those who
will use the road when built greatly prefer
the crossings to be at grade rather than over
or under.
5th. The land is so level that trains can
readily be seen at long distances and thereby
all danger can be guarded against.
For these and other reasons we most
earnestly ask your honorable body to grant
US q re-hearing at an early day as to that
part of your decision which denies the
privilege of crossing the streets of the bor-
ough of West Haven at grade. Your early
response will place as under great obliga-
ton.
Dated at West Haven this day of May,
1884,
In conversation with MIR. Dawson he said
there were special reasons why grade CROSS
ings SHOULD in this case be allowed. He said
public sentiment in West Haven and New
Haven was greatly in favor of the proposed
road as it would Undoubtedly be of great bene-
fit to both places.
MASS MEETING TONIGHT IN WEST HAVEN.
Down in West Haven great disappointment
was felt at the decision of the railroad COM
missioners, as it was confidently expected
that favorable decision would be rendered
in view of the fact that the whole borough
was so unanimously in favor of the building
| of the road, and by the central route, the
route approved by the Consolidated road. A
great mass meeting will be held tonight of
| the citizens of West Haven. The topic of
| building the road has agitated the borough
more than any other local question in many
years. Printed notices of the mass meeting
are posted up at the notable public places of
the borough reading as follows:
CALL FOR THE MEETING.
The citizens of West Haven borough are earnestly
Saturday O'Clock to take action upon the report
| Of the railroad commissioners on the proposed
branch of the Consolidated road to Savin Rock and
| Wsverly Grove. Every citizen should be present.
THE VOICES OF PROMINENT MEN.
A COURIER representative interviewed
many West Haven citizens yesterday as fol-
| lows:
Mr. George R. Kelsey, one of the leading
| men of the borough, expressed himself as
| decidedly in favor of a re-hearing and of the
building of the proposed road by the central
| route, as that route appeared to be
an essential matter. Although a large
owner in the West Haven horse railroad
| his opinion was the same. He thought that
| temporarily the horse railroad interests
1 would be impaired, but ultimately, by the
building up Of the borough by means of the
/ steam railroad connections it would be the
/ gamer He recalled the fact that he was one
/ of the first to advocate and originate the idea
| of a branch of the Consolidated railroad to
1 Savin Rock, and some time ago took Presi-
/ dent Watrous in his carriage over what is
4 now called the western route, in further
1 ance of the plan of having the proposed
| branch. The branch would, without doubt,
| help build up West Haven, and the Savin
i Rock shore interests would be greatly
| benefited by it. Mr.. Kelsey's health is
| improving. He was able yesterday to
leave the house and take a short walk into
| the neighboring streets and fields, and hoped
| with the arrival of settled mild weather to
improve rapidly by outdoor exercise pro-
portioned to his strength.
Mr.. E. L. Kimberly, of West Haven, in
terestep in the Land Improvement company
which owns a mile and half of the shore
front below Savin Rock, said; ''The road
IN
and to Savin Rock and the shore interests in
general. The project is killed if the railroad
cannot be built at grade. West Haven is
nearly level tract of land snly a few feet
above the level of the sea and the track. This
renders it i'm practable for road to run under
| the highways, and it is just as impracticable
to talk about embGnkments and the roads
passing over the highways. The people of
West Haven and New Haven want the road
built. 1t will be of great importance to both
Then the large extent of valuable shore
| property will be benefited. Why, I have
letters showing that if such a road were now
in existence we could find call for 100 Gotta
ges and at least two hotels below the Rock.
Prominent people from New York, among
whom are number who spend the summer
at Fabyan's at the White Mountains, have
communicated with us, expressing much de-
| sire that we had cottages and hotels they
could occupy for the summer. We could
make the place fashionable resort, a second
Sheepshead Bay, if we had steam rail
road facilities. We have letters and assur-
ances from quarters that leave us no doubt
of brilliant success with steam railroad COM
munication. With our hotels and cottages
we could have steamboat connection by
means of an annex boat with the splendid
steamers of the old line. We would build out
q dock and have a steamer to connect with
the boats. Commodore Richard Peck has
assured us that his steamboats, would stop to
make connection with an annex boat from
our place. There is no doubt that the Con-
solidated road means business and would
build the road by the central route
with the crossings at grade. We have ample
reason to believe this and know whereof
We are speaking. The question we have be-
fore US is. Can we have grade crossings, or
must we do without the road? An embank-
ment right through the center of the borough
and the passage of trains under the roads
in such low soil are equally out of the
question. AS an extra safeguard the rail
road company will put up electric bells at
each grade crossing which will give ample
warning by ringing at the approach of trains