The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-11-05
TO TAX STREET RAILROADS
IMPORTANT ACTION TAKEN, BY
ALDERMEN LIST NIGHT.

Single Track-Other Business.
Twenty-Five of the twenty-four men,
bers of the board of aldermen were
present at the November meeting of
that body last evening and considera-
BILE business was transacted. The most
important business considered was the
report of the committee on railroads
and bridges recommending that the
Winchester Avenue Railway company
be compelled to pay to the city an
nually in the month of December the
sum of $500 for each and every mile
of a mile of track. The reading of the
report was followed by lengthy de-
bate upon the subject, after which the
report was adopted.
A motion was made to table the re-
port for printing, but Alderman Mac.
donald explained that unless action was
taken at the present time the city
would lose all its rights in the mat
ter in consequence of law to that
effect passed by the general assembly
of 1885, The motion to table was then
withdrawn. The petition in question
was that of the Winchester Avenue
Railway company for permission to run
through Washington and other streets
in the city. The report of the COM
mittee grants the petition under the
usual restrictions and provides further
that the railroad company enter into
an agreement with the city to pay to
the city the sum of $500 per year for
each mile of single track and pro rata
for all fractional parts of mile of
track in return for the franchise and
privileges granted to the company.
After the report had been amended,
making the weight of the rail to be
used seventy pounds instead of fifty
pounds, Alderman Blakeslee stated that
The was not prepared at this juncture
to vote to compel the company to pay
any such amount for the privilege of
operating its cars through certain
streets in this city, especially as it was
a radical departure from the usual
methods of the court of common coun-
Gil. He also argued that more time
should be allowed for the consideration
of this question which was, in his opin-
ion, very broad one.
Alderman Macdonald claimed in reply
that the matter under discussion was
no new matter. 81 decry," he said, "the
action of these railroad companies going
to Hartford and securing the passage
of any such law in the face of the fair
treatment received in the past at the
hands of the city of New Haven The
judge of the superior court has right
ITO give away every street of the city
and the court of common council is
of this law and must say that I con-
slider the action of the railroad COM
panies an injustice and an outrage
practically a nonentity in consequence
to the citizens. / have always claimed
that the people of this city know bet
ter what streets railroads should go
through than any legislature in ses-
sion at Hartford. The legislature has
given them the right to go through
those streets. You have no rights or
privileges in the matter, as the judge of
the superior court can override any ac-
tion that may be taken by the court
Of common council"
Alderman Connor explained that the
report of the committee was simply of
a prohibitory nature, as it was in fact
the only thing the city could do to pre-
vent railroad company from laying
tracks through the streets of the city
by imposing such regulations that the
companies could not or would not COM
ply with them. After these explana-
tons the report of the committee was
accepted, Alderman Blakeslee voting in
the negative.
Another report from the same COM
mittee was accepted compelling the
Fair Haven and Westville Railroad
company to run it's cars out West
Chapel street to Norton street every
five minutes and to the Yale field every
ten minutes between $50 a. m. and
8 p. m.
A petition from e. F. Mersick and
other residents of West Chapel street
asking that that thoroughfare be wild
ened between York and Howe streets
was referred to the committee on streets
in concurrence with the action of the
board of councilmen at it's last meet
ing.
Lee & Hoyt and others also sent in
petition for damages incurred by
reason of the change of grade of Union
street and the petition with others of a
like nature were referred to the board
of compensation for action.
The petition of the 500 citizens of Fair
Haven for the establishment of a.
fire alarm tower at No. SIS engine house
was unanimously referred to the COM
mittee on fire department of the court
of common council.
In consequence of the death Of James
G.. English, a member of the sewer
sinking fund commission, and the con-
sequent vacancy existing in thal COM
mission, Mayor Hendrick nominated
General Samuel E. Merwin as s. MEM
Der of the commission to fill the va
cancy and the nomination was unani-
mously confirmed.
A communication was received from
William ]. Bartlett of the Union Trust
company resigning his membership on
account of impaired health and the
press of other business. The resigna-
ton was unanimously accepted ard on
nomination of the mayor, Eugene S.
Bristol was elected a. member of the
commission to fill the vacancy caused
by the resignation of Mr.. Bartlett.
The following were unanimously elect
ed special constab bles to serve until May
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