The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-03-27
AN INTERESTING HEARING
THE PROPOSED ABOLITION OF THE
OLD DERBP TURNPIKE.

/
OLD DERBR TURNPIKE.
A Committee of Prominent Men Soon to Sit
in the Matter by Appointment of the SUI
perior Court-A Big Array of Legal Talent
Representing Half Dozen Towns.
A hearing of special interest in which
half dozen Connecticut towns have a
decided interest is about to come up,
and the array of legal talent engaged
in the case by the different interested
parties is formidable. This is the
hearing regarding the abolition of the
Derby turnpike and its conversion into
free public highway, a matter which
has been talked Of at times for many
years, but which is now probably to
come to a head. The Derby turnpike is
one Of the few Of these relics of TIE
past now remaining in the New Eng
land states, and one which some au-
thorities say is the last remaining toll
road in the state of Connecticut. The
turnpike company, which controls this
road, which is about ten miles long,
has had long and honorable record
and has been and is to-day a. corpora
tton which never resorted to stock
watering, nor proved a source of vexa-
tion and indignation for the stakeholder.
1t has paid good, yet never immoderate
dividends, on the capital stock for
great many years, and has never been
in the hands of a receiver, nor assessed
it's stockholders. Now the growth and
Importance of New Haven and its sister
cities of Ansonia and Derby calls, in the
opinion Of many people of note, for the
abolition Of this relic of olden times and
at any rate the superior court has APP
pointed a committee of prominent citi-
zens of Connecticut to decide upon the
question of its abolition, and what shall
be a fair and equitable payment to the
turnpike company for its property, and
how much the several towns interested
are to pay in the case. The committee
is composed Of men of honored names
and reputation, The committeeman are
Judge L. D. Brewster of Danbury, Hon.
Fred ]. Kingsbury of Waterbury and
s. G. Davidson of Bethany. The various
towns to have their respective interests
in the matter guarded have each en-
ployed counsel and, as stated, the array
of legal talent is quite formidable The
city of New Haven will be represented
by ex-Town Counsel w. s. Pardee, the
Derby Turnpike company by Wooster,
Williams e. eager, the town of Orange
by Charles X. Bush, the city of Anso-
MIA by Judge Munger the city of Derby
by Judge Mcmahon. the town of Sey-
mour by Lawyer 'Atwater, the town of
Milford by William B. Stoddard and the
town of Hamden by Alling, Morehouse
& Webb
Mr.. John r. Bassett of this city, who
has for so many years been treasurer
of the company, and practically its
says the company will make
no fight in the case other than to secure
a just and equitable return for its
1t will not oppose the effort |
to abolish the old turnpike and make |
the road a free highway. as if the pub |
lie are satisfied that the days of the !
toll gates are over, the company has |
no objection to make on that score |
New Haven will contend before the |
committee for the abolition Of the old |
pike setting forth that the days of |
pixies leading out Of a big city have long
since gone by and that the constant |
growth and extension of New Haven |
westward, as well as in other direc-
TONS and the large amount OF trade
and traffic interests of the cities of
New Haven, Derby and Ansonia, call
'or free highway between those cities.
New Haven is rapidly growing west
ward, as is seen in the rapid building
up of that part Of the city which is
n progress and the advocates Of the
abolition OF the old pike point to this
extension of the city and to the need
If new and modern bridge over West
liver at Derby avenue that shall be as
good at least as the other New Haven
bridges that cross that river at other
points They say there should be a
bridge there worthy OF a city Of 100000
inhabitants. They argue that with a
rec highway and a better bridge the
electric cars can run to the gates of
Yale Field and not stop at the bridge
is now it not being considered safe
or electric cars to cross it. The city
S tapping over into the territory across
he river, where are fine tracts for
esidences which will doubtless be built
lpon rapidly as soon as needed trans
facilities are assured An
onia and Derby people seem to want
he turnpike abolished, as the An
onia Sentinel said recently on the sub
ect, as follows:
Derby people were, according to one
mans statement, the first to begin the
citation for the adjustment Of the
and 1T Is known that several
we're prominent i'm the effort to get the
ill which made abolition possible
Trough the last legislature. Derby
eople use the turnpike fully as much,
not more, than any of the residents
f the surrounding towns, unless it be
hose of Orange and West Haven, and !,
HE complaint from them about the mis- ,
rable condition of the turnpike has al
rays been loudest.
''There are many people here who
hink that the turnpike has got to go,
nyway, and that the sooner it lis abol-
she'd the better it will be-