Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-26
Consolidation.


 We copy from the Shore Line Times of March %, the following:
 THE CONSOLIDATION SCHEME. The capitol at Hartford on Wednesday swarmed with residents of Fair Haven East and other parts of the Annex. They were there to give their testimony against the consolidation scheme.
 Among the witnesses who testified against consolidation were: Judge Deming. Charles Fl. Fowler, Alfred Hughes, Wm. Woodward, Coliis B. Grannis and several prominent men of the city. The sentiment against this project may be | said to be almost universal in Fair Haven East and the Annex. From the testi- mony elicited it is pretty evident that the | annexation scheme when consummated was carried with a direct understanding l that these outlying districts should not come into the city except by a major ity vote of the citizens in the Annex favor- | ing it. And this certainly seems just. This would look like sacred compact that should be rigidly adhered to. We have been in- formed that some of those who previously fought against the annexation project did so because they predicted that it was only an entering wedge to the scheme now at- tempted to be consummated. And their pre- dictions seem to have been verified. Taking then into consideration the agree ment that was made at the time the Annex
 
 be the violation of sacred compact to insist upon consolidation eainst the will of those who are So seriously interested in this matt ter.
 We also copy from the Register of January 8, 1886, (three years ago) showing the same feeling existed then now in regard to the extending of the city limits so as to make them coextensive with those of the town NOW SATISFIED-WHATT THE pEoPTE oF THE A N- MEX WANT PLAINLY SET FORTH. The following statement defining the po- sition of the opponents of the town and city consolidation scheme, or more properly that of the residents of the Fifteenth ward, was reserved for publication to-day: "The residents and taxpayers in the Eff teenth ward are satisfied with the arrange ment entered into at the time of annexation and do not wish to change their relationship. All they ask is that the arrangement entered into shall be carried out, viz, that the bridge which now is Tomlinsons toll bridge shall be free, and that they shall not be brought within the city limits.
 ''The inhabitants of the Fifteenth ward learn with regret that certain individuals within the city limits propose to extend such limits as to make them coextenslve with those of the town, abolishing the town alto gether. The residents of the Fifteenth ward repudiate such proposition. They wish to be let alone, but if parties who insist upon such change have any proposition to make to the residents of the Fifteenth ward, the Fifteenth ward will receive and act upon them, and if feasible, would be willing to entertain and accept them. But if the city is determined to extend it's limits around and have city jurisdiction over the Fifteenth ward, then the inhabitants of the Fifteenth ward prefer to return to East Haven, from whence they came.
 ''The residents of the Fifteen ward do not wish to be relieved of any moral obligation which they may be under for the expenses which properly belong to them as inhabitants of the town of New Haven. They are will ing to pay their share of the tax of said town, but are not willing to be taxed for that they do not want and which, by their location and business, could not use.
 ''If the representatives of the city insist upon using all their influence and power to extend the city limits over, and include the residents of the Fifteenth ward, then the tax payers of the Fifteenth ward will use all the influence and power they have to defeat such extention.
 f'The greater part of the land comprising the Fifteenth ward is farming land, cultivat- ed and used tor farming purposes and should not be taxed for city purposes. The owners Of the land are most of them dependant upon their farms for the support of themselves and their families and could not pay the in- creased taxes which would be imposed upon them by extending the limits of the city around them"