Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-11
AGIrATING THE BOROUGH.


 SavIn Rock Property Owners-The
 FsoPOsed Change of she Shore Route
 of the West Haven Horse Railroad.
 Much interest has been aroused among residents and cottage owners of West Haven and Savin Rock over the proposed change of route of the New Haven, West Haven and Savin Rock horse car line at the Savin Rock end. A great deal of talk has been expended both for and against the measures. The road now has 8 petition before the legislature for the change and will exert it's efforts towards procuring permit for this alters- tion of the charter.
 The road now, as is well known, proceeds direct after entering West Haven from Elm street through Cambell avenue to the shore and thence along Beach street, past the prins cipal hotels, pavilions and cottages to point about a third of a mile from Savin Rock. This route brings naturally the entire thropg from the city before the face of the main part of the settlement and lands the crowds upon the street between the edge of the sea and the front of the hotels and some of the cottages. Much annoyance has often been felt by cottagers and hotel guests at the noisy and unruly conduct of the boisterous and unruly portions of the crowds who visit 1 the Rock, especially on holidays and in the l long summer evenings. This it was thought could be obviated by 8 change in the route, while fine improvement of the shore could be at the same time accomplished.
 Another objection for the road to run down Beach street was that several fine 1 vacant lots facing the sea front and affording excellent building spots were kept from the market by the fact of the publicity given the location. Persons desiring private quiet building places were deterred from purchas- ing these fine lots simply because of the dus- ty, disagreeable proximity of disorderly cus- toners who congregated to take the cars or visit the drinking places. The proposed change of route, instead of going as far as Beach street, turns to the right at Thomas street and proceeds thence down towards the grove. It passes along to the grove and runs through the center of the grove, passing be- fore all the principal points of amusement. From here it proceeds on to Rock street, hay ing terminus only short distance from the Rock and no further than the old terminus was.
 Various solid advantages are claimed by those who favor the measure. In the first place Beach street will be turned into mag nificent promenade or seashore boulevard and driveway almost @ mile and half long, without the interference of horse cars and horse car tracks. It will be freed from many of the unpleasant conditions accompanying the constant running of horse cars with their mixed throngs of people, and will be chiefly place of quiet promenade and pleasant sur roundinps The now vacant building situa tions would undoubtedly soon be secured for fine new cottages, and the whole street would be turned into a much more beautiful thor oughfare, better kept and having more ele- gant appearance. The corner where the cars turn on to Beach street has long been barren, and this would add much to the shore if several fine cottages were erected upon it.
 Another great gain by the change would be the opening up of all the land now unoc cupied, through which the new line would run. This has previously been almost out of the building market because of it's distance from the water front and the small number of people that visited the location. The run ming of the road by these places would, of course, bring people coming from the city there and thus present great inducement for building operations. It would in word tend greatly to equalize the share of visitors. While now all are carried down to Beach street, the change would bring all to the grove and near by. Here they could either remain or proceed through the short side streets to the places of amusement on the shore The cars would in this manner pass Home street directly in the rear of Hills Homestead and would enter the grove at the head of Grove street, through which those who so desired might go to all the points of interest on or near Grove street, the Sea View House, Beach House, Massasolt House, Miller's pavilion and the bath houses near by It would be about as convenient for these places as ever and would present the great advantage of running directly through the grove, which is the principal center to which the great mass of excursionists are attracted. The lots all along Thomas street would be brought into central connection and it is estimated that the addition to the grand list of the borough through new buildings arising from the change on the various portions of the shore lands would amount to at least quarter of 8 million dollars in very few years
 The principal opposers of the planning of running the line through Thomas street arc Charles Miller, proprietor of the Casino, and Mr. Skeeles of Skeeles' pavilion at the head of Kelseys wharf. They object to the change because they claim it would injure their business and tend to draw the crowds from the attractions offered at their resorts to those of the grove; in fact, that it would make the grove the center of amusement for the city crowds. This, by the way, is something that the owners of the cot tages along Beach street desire, for 1t would leave them in tranquil possession of their green lawns and wide yerandas in peace. Mir. Frank E. Morgan, secretary and treasurer of the New Haven Clock company; MT. Benedict the Church street coal merchant; MT. Gal brath, the carriage manufacturer, and J. Gardner Clark, the conveyancer, all owners of cottages along the street, favor the new measure very strongly, ss do their neighbors almost unanimously.
 Another advantage claimed is in the new terminus of the road. As the terminus now is at Skeeles' pavilion, a long distance inter venes between it and the Rock. The cars formerly ran to the Rock, but the washouts so broke up the road from Kelsey's wharf down that the terminus was necessarily plac ed at the wharf. The road has since been filled up to some extent and finely rebuilt with sea bulwarks at the personal expense of oottaUera who own the sea front. But the road would meet with great opposition in ex tending their tracks, for the cottagers along the street wonld immediately prevent such move by an njunction. This Is another req son the new proposed terminus Is deemed better than the old It is within short distance of the Rock that the walk is not nearly as far as at present and DO farther than than when the cars went to the Rock. The land around the end of the terminus, which is now not much used would thus be also open ed to building.
 It has been said that one reason why Press ident George R. Kelsey of the West Haven road favored the now line was because he owned property behind the grove that would thus be brought into the market. This Is mistake. He is a large property owner on Beach street, on the line of the cars as they run now, and owns next to nothing on the new proposed route. He joins with the own CTS of the neighboring land in favoring the change.
 MT. Kelsey owns personally from 200 to 1 400 feet of fine building lots on Beach street and the West Haven horse railroad owns almost 1 1000 feet.
 The hotels, it is also zrged, would be ben eftted by the new line, as those. on Beach street and Grove street would be almost as near the cars they now are, at the same time being far more quiet.
 The proposed change has been thoroughly discussed upon all sides by citizens of this city as well as by those of West Haven The hotels on Thomas street would enjoy the ad- vantage of having the cars run by their front doors, while those on Beach street would have them in their rear. In word, it is ar gued both would gain; the Thomas street re- sorts in being more commodiously connected with means of travel; the Beach street hotels gaining free sea view and losing nothing in convenience of connection. People from the city usually visit the grove, as all picnics are celebrated there. As 1t