Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-21
CONSOLIDA1ON AGAIN.

l Animated Hearing on the Shell Fish
 CommissiOn Questionable Capital
 Punishment Abolition Question
 Aired-New Haven Corporations
 Many Matters of Public Interest.
 HARTFORD, Conn.,, March 20.
 Especial Correspondence of the JOURNAL AND
 CoURIER.l
 There was slightly diminished attendance
 of New Haveners at the consolidation hear ing to-day. The attendance was made up
 principally of the opponents of the bill,
 among whom were Harvey F. Hemingway,
 Daniel W. Shares, ex-Auditor F. W. J.
 Sizer, H. A. Loveland, Herbert Barnes, Ami
 Luddington, Collis B. Grannis, Alfred
 Hughes, Hon. James M. Townsend, of the
 Annex. The opponents of the bill opened
 their case with the presentation of remon-
 strance to the bill signed by ex-Governol
 James E. English, ex-Governor o. R. Inger-
 soil, Hon. N. D. Sperry, ex-Mayor H. M.
 Welch, ex-Congressman Charles L. Mitchell, , ex-Governor H. B. Harrison, ex-Town Agent } James Reynolds, ex-Selectman Hudson B. Forbes and hundred other prominent citi-
 gems and also big remonstrance from Vest vile.
 Judge Deming was the first witness called | by the opponents. He testified first in rela- ] ton to the original efforts for consolidation ! resulting in the annexation of parts of East
 Haven. He controverted or rather explained
 the testimony of Judge Stoddard yesterday,
 which was to the effect that no agreement of the Annex that they should not be forced into the city. Judge Deming said that such distinct agreement had been made without which annexation (of what is now the Annex never could have been brought about. The select- Ne h0k1 he'd lo hSc ,a,,f which resulted in the bill finally passed. All these bills were in Judge Demings handwrit- ing. The bill was passed with the provision that each section should have veto power. It was submitted to the people. The major ity of New Haven city in favor of the proposition was ,344, in the Annex 216 and East Haven Center IA.
 Judge Deming said that there was only 9 actively and passively in favor of the bill \ in the entire Annex. In the city he thought there were not over 5O people 1n favor of the \ bill. It would be more expensive and waste | ful, in his opinion, to take care of the poor under the city commission of charities than ! it is now by the seIectmen. The only reason ' in favor of consolidation was that it is better | to have one set of officers. which is but | theory.
 MT. filling asked Judge Deming if he knew that the bill provided that no farm or wood land should be taxed above five mills.
 eve don't rely on what you say," replied Judge Deming.
 We think the whole matter is put forth in | bad faith and we don't want anything to do with your bill"
 "Do you appear here as an attorney, judge?' asked MT. Alling.
 | "I do not" replied Judge Deming. 1T ap- pear as private citizen and member of the | Annex committee with MT. Niles and oth- ers."
 New Haven assumed $16O,OOO debt of the 1 town of East Haven. Judge Deming testified in response to question by Mir. Alling. The average town tax now in the Annex is 51s mills.
 Attorney Charles H. Fowler was the next witness called in regard to the 'agreement" question. The first he knew about the an- nexation proposition was call from the late Dr. Stone of Fair Haven Annex, who wanted him to assist the project at the legislature. At that time he was opposed to the measure. He told Dr. Stone that if he would submit the matter to the people, and all the three districts should favor it, he would not op- pose the bill, for he believed in the rule of the majority. A town meeting in East Haven was called. The advocates of annexation then promised that the annexed portions should never be forced into the city against the bill. Upon this promise he went before the town meet ing in East Haven and favored the proposi- tion. It was the biggist meeting ever held in East Haven. On cross-examination by T.. of the proposed bill that farm and wood- lands should not be taxed for city purposes, and that the Annex should not pay over five mills in taxes, was eminently just.
 MT. filling asked Ar. Fowler if he thought the 637 voters in the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth districts should control the 1S,000 voters of the city and town.
 Witness said that he believed all the peo. pie should have the right to decide by veto power how they were to be governed.
 MT. Alling called his attention to the fact that the people in the outside districts were now part of the town just the same as the | people of the city, and asked if 1000 people of a town should, in his judgme ent, rule | 17,O0O.
 Witness replied that they should give an account of the sacred agreement made when I the "Annex" was annexed.
 Alfred Hughes, who served last year as | selectman, testified that the town of East | Haven never made any overtures for annexa- tion, but all the movement was made by the ] city and borough people, who said that if ! they would agree to be annexed they should | have free Tomlnson's bridge.
 "Whet, |" asked MT. Alling, "was your ob- jection to coming into the citya"
 Afraid of it, replied the witness.
 Wm. Woodward of the Annex corroborated \ the previous witnesses in regard to the agree ment alleged to have been made in 1881. Mr. | Woodward said that he had examined the |
  in favor of annexation and 27 out of the 91 | were not residents of the ward and only 24 | were taxpayers. He wanted the town gov ernment perpetuated as tAe only form of gov ernment convenient for farmers to live under | He had not read the bill.
 Hon. H. M. Welch, town and city treasur- CT, said in reply to MT. Case that he was al- | ways opposed to consolidation. He thought | the selectmen better able to manage affairs than any corporation. The selectmen have nlr h4ay, ' cal. He did not think that the present way 1 was the proper one to bring about the result. When people of New Haven wanted a change l they had sense enough to have town meet | ing and bring it about. The Chamber of Commerce had stimulated this excitement ! and formulated the bill He paid his dues to the Chamber of Commerce, but did not attend the meetings, for he didn't think much of the Chamber. When the Chamber ! started it thought it would do a very big thing, and was going to abolish the school district, but they soon found that this was too big load and they backed out, elimi- ! hating the school district provision from the pill: MT. Welch objected to allowing one | 'et of men to come in and pay five mills ! while another paid fifteen. He thought 1t would be As we'll to abolish the city govern nent and let the town government do t all. Ex-Senator Joseph D. Plunkett, member | of the board of education, said that there was DO general emand for the measure by the ! people of the city. The order of proceeding was interrupted somewhat to allow the fa- 7orers of the bill to put William M. Geary ! ,n the stand. MT. Geary, who was clerk of the town 'gent and selectmen for twelve years, testi- jed that he had charge of the relief of the l outside poor of New Haven Investigating ap- ,lications for relief, etc. In his judgment , he poor could much better be taken care of ] y commission appointed by the mayor han by the selectmen or town agent. He believed that pauperism is increased by the I ,iVing of aims by an officer whose political interests are surrounded by the friends of | he class of people who apply for relief, es- 'ecially as elections are held every year. In SIT over 1000 able-bodied men were em- ,loyed by the town on work tickets. MT. aeary gave reasons at length for his opin- on. { Hon: N. D. Sperry followed in opposition 1 ] 0 the bill and made one of his characteristic