Morning journal and courier., 1888-01-19
THE LITTLE DERBY

The Big Changes to be Made About
 the Derby Depot SecfiOn-Railroad
 Commfssfoners Hear Property Ovgn-
 ers-vigOrOus Opposition to Closing
 Up Streets.
 There was quite an animated hearing yes- terday morning at the office of the Derby railroad before the railroad commissioners on the proposed change of location of the Derby depot and the other changes involved in the vicinity Mayor York and MT. Driseoll ap- peared for the city and Professor s. E. Bald win for President Bostwick. The railroad desires to extend Silver street from Hill to Commerce, and close the present Liberty, Hill and Lafayette street grade crossings of the road, and MT. Baldwin argued forcibly and at some length why this should be per nnitted This done, the railroad could prop erly utilize the area which included the depot property and the land recently bought by the railroad. The company desired to build passenger and freight depots, shops, etc., on this land which would be gridironed by tracks, switches, etc. The crossings must either be done away with or bridged. The company would extend Silver street, at it's own expense, to Commerce street. Bridging
 
 venience and cause an unnecessary expense To the latter remark Mir. Driseoll said it would be an easy matter to bridge Liberty street crossing, owing to the lay of the land. MT. Baldwin said the road wanted the traffic to come up Silver street on grade with the tracks-this in re- ply to proposition to lower the grade of Silver street. The engineer, MT. Bolles, be ing appealed to replied that he did not believe depression of the tracks would be practica- ble. MT. Driscoll thought they could well be lowered two feet. MT. Driscoll said the bridging of Lafayette street would close the outlet of Minor street. NIT. Driscoll in reply to the claim that the road wanted all the room it's land could give enquired if one quarter of the land would not answer, even if the New England systems most roseate expectations as to it's New Haven enlargement were gratifed. To this MT. Baldwin inter jected-"Or the Consolidated road fears" "Yes," Mir. Driscoll retorted, ''put, it that way if you like. sold lot to MT. Bostwick for $50 foot and I'd give from $60 to $70 foot to get it back" Mir. Baldwin then said the New England road ex- pected to do big business with New Haven. Mayor York's view was against clos ing the streets He deemed it would not be for the public interest. It would incommode the public. MT. Driscoll said that one thou sand railroad men who use the streets in question daily would be incommoded. MT. John Leary gave reasons against shutting up the streets, and Lafayette street storekeeper and another one named Adrian Miller said it would ruin their business. MT. George Baldwin, the genial sexton of Calvary Baptist church, who owns several houses on Lafayette street, said the change would ruin his prop erty and incommode thousands of people. Nathan Cohn, who has a clothing store on Congress avenue, said the property owners would fight the proposed change to the bitter end. E. s. Quintard's opinion was that it was impracticcble to lower the tracks The hearing was then adjourned to Thursday, January 26 at the City Hall