Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-13
THE HYPERION MATTER.

A Vigorous Article on the Subject.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 After reading in the newspapers so much
 about booming New Haven and doing some-
 thing to popu!arize the city, its parks and
 schools and banks. it's government and other
 attractions, we are at loss to understand
 the meaning of the tirade against the Hype-
 rion; the which, from beginning to end, we
 regard as mere tirade, as we believe it's basis
 is chronic disposition to disease which
 does not prevail in any other city in the State and which has thus far defied all treat- ment here.
 Only recently prominent and wealthy gentleman expressed purpose to locate per
 manently in our beautiful city, purchased one of the most desirable building lots on 6 prominent street and erected palatial resi- dence and surrounded it with all that beauty and taste could suggest. .eTo him, with sen sitive nerves and shattered physical energies, New Haven with its quiet air or comfort seemed the very ideal of his desires. Why did he so suddenly change his purpose Being 8 man of spirit and independent for | tune he could not be persuaded to remain ! Thoughtful public spirited citizens should al least see the drift of such case.
 ! Even the Chamber of Commerce has gone out of it's way to wipe out this old stigma o1 damaging ourselves, and they have printed | circulars, appointed committees, and visited i places to improve the external atmosphere in \ regard to New Haven not being good place \ to come to and visit or in which to live. ! But in this case, concerning the property \ of Dr. Winchell, we find that leading and prominent men in the Chamber of Commerce have signed petition to the school govern ment of New Haven striking a blow at g portion of the Hyperion as a "death trap, an unsafe place for children and parents tc go, and if unsafe for them unsafe for any. ' body else. \ ently, perhaps, allowed it's fire marshal \ whenever he choses, or was prompted by others, to repeatedly assail this piece of pri vate property, which cost $125, ,O0O, and ii \ devoted to high order of public amuse' ments, and is the only building in New Ha | ven which is adapted to the graduating ex- | ercises of the New Haven High school. Is there any reason why this annoyance | should continue or the owner of the prop, ' erty be treated as though it or he had nc rights which are entitled to respecta You, MT. Editor, could travel the country ! over and not find parallel case. \ There are some crude notions of safety. ! It is no risk to say that there is not single l opera house or theater in New York ol ! Brooklyn that bears any comparison to the | Hyperion in point of safety or quick deliver ! ance. And further, as responsible gentlemen ! as there are in New Haven have repeatedly 1 timed the exit of some of it's larger audi l ences, and by the watch all have disappeared | in four minutes or tride less.
 ! As to the third and highest seatings in the house. they are, for their limited number, as safe as the same elevation can be made. All there is to this point is no place of seeting should ever be allowed to be overcrowded. kLa H. Wiuchell appearing before 8 body of men when his property was being assailed and legislated upon, they are so unbecoming as to really require no answer, for if Dr. Winchell has not the right to protect his property the fire marshall or others have no right to assail other; indeed, they go together, with the equities all on the side of the owner of pri- vate property.
 Is all this clamor made in the interest and for the benefit of the public, or is it evidence of some personal hatred on the part of a cer- tain few individuals!
 Speaking of fire escapes being ordered up- on that building year or so ago for all the galleries and it not being done, we find no record of such an order, but we do know this,
 that no more dangerous death trap could be affixed to this building than outside fre-es- capes.
 Is it possible that our citizens have for gotten the death-trap on the Brooklyn bridge of only half a dozen or more steps, and in broad daylight, when, from a senseless panic, they ran over each other and trampled
 old and young to death?
 No, Mir. Editor, such contrivances are not unfrequently death-traps of the worst kind. Finally, we regard the whole proceedings
 as unfortunately calculated to injure private
 property, and check private enterprise in other directions.
 The Hyperion is comparatively safe, and
 its owner is responsible and is wide awake to
 make any sensible improvement which may
 be suggested by any one, but we think he is
 not a man who is inclined to cut and carve
 that building inside or out, simply because
 Eff you don't do it, we will make fuss"
 In behalf of