The Newtown bee., 1890-01-17
CONN. FRIDAY, JANUARY IF
BRIDGEPORT.

BRIDGEPORT.
 THE ToNIC-CoNsoLIpATED WAR.
 The battle of the railroad octopus and Jack, the Giant Killer, began in the Su- perior court, last Friday, before Judge r. B. Hall, who listened to the fray and reserved his decision as to who licked. The claim of the Consolidated octopus is that, when w. II. Barnum was in charge of the IIousatonic line, each appointed committees to sec about strengthening the tracks from the Bridgeport depot south to South avenue. W. D. Bishops story is that it was agreed that the Consolidat- cd should purchase property and pay all the land damages, build the wharves and keep in repair the sub-structure between the depot and the elevator and eventually fill in all that property. It was further agreed that, when these Improvements were accomplished, the east half should be deeded to the Housatonic and west half to the Consolidated. This property was deeded to the roads jointly, in con- sideration of the Housatonic relinquish- ing the right of way which it already had, q great benefit to the Consolidated, as it provided for a double track. The Housatonic owned the right of way from the elevator to South avenue and the Housatonid was occupying land which the other company owned. At this time, the two cOmpalies purchased triangle north of the depot for the purpose of giv- ing the Housatonic a track running down on the west side of the platform. Prop erty was bought of Giles IS Claneey for the sole purpose of giving the Housaton- ic track room, the Consolidated paying three-iifths and Ilousatonic twO-flfths. The Consolidated was very desirous of securing straight track from the depot to South avenue and to build a freight depot west of the tracks next to Water street, but this point the IiOusatonic would not cOncede, the objection being on the ground that the Housatonic could not spare SO much of it's property. By the agreement, the Consolidated was to be given room for double tracks and sid ing next to Water street. An arrange ment was made to switch the IIOusatonic cars to the elevator without expense. This was all thoroughly understood. The Housatonic was to convey the right of way to the Consolidated for double track and siding from the elevator to South avenue. The Consolidated owned piece of land, 277 feet, on Water street, extending toward the harbor. It also owned another strip of land near the ele- vator, which the IIousatonic wanted. This property was to be conveyed foot for foot and any excess was to be paid for at fair valuation or to be submitted for arbitration.
 The ground on which Jack, the IIousa- tonic Giant Killer, plants himself is that the agreement on which the COnsOliuat- ed rests it's case was talked up, but was not put into writing or other legal Ghape before Col Stevenson succeeded Mir Bar mum in the HousatOnic management. The Consolidated road put in the cross over that now makes all the trouble in 1886, but removed it, next year. The Housatonic attempted to replace it at an hS"A "hSh ie "Ouiu ho1 ihVSIICiS "lth Consolidated traffic and, once in, Col Stevenson did not think that it would be dangerous. The effort of the Housaton- ic to put in this cross-Over, which would give access to the track near Water street, where Bridgeport freight might be easily unloaded brings up the whole question of the disputed ownership of the land and, if it is still the Housaton- ic's, their right to get to it over the Con solidated tracks.