The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-01
LAST OF THE TURNPIKES
THE COURTS CoMMITTEE'S HEAR
ING ON THE DERBY TURNPIKE.

THE COURTS oOMMITTEE'S HEIR
Ing ON THE DERBY TURNPIKE.
The Only Remaining Connecticut Pike
Quite an Array of Lawyers Representing
the Various Towns Interested-Assess-
ments and Benefits t. be Determined.
The hearing on the application of
the town Of New Haven for the abol-
ishment of the Derby Turnpike com-
pany which includes the old toll gate
which is now the only toll gate n the
yesterday morning before Judge Brew
ster of Danbury, F. ]. Eingsbury of
Waterbury and Hon. S. G. Davidson
Of Bethany, who We're appointed by the
superior court. The committee is to de-
termine to what extent the towns d.
reetly concerned in the abolition Of the
Derby turnpike would benefit thereby,
and to assess towns prop octionate1y 10
the benefits
Those who We're made party to the
proceedings are the towns Of New Ha-
ven, Orange, Derby, Ansonia, Hunting
ton, Seymour, Woodbridge, Milford,
Hamden, East Haven, North Haven
and the Fair Haven and Westville Rail-
road company.
All the towns and the Turnpike COM
pany We're represented yesterday morn
ing before the committee by counsel
and among the lawyers were: Judge E,
B. eager of Birmingham for the Turn
pike company, Attorney ]. P. Goodhart
for New Haven, ex-Judge w. B. Stod-
dard for Milford, Attorney c. K. Bush
for Orange, Judge Munger for Ansonia,
Attorney Atwater for Seymour and one
or ,tWo others.
AS soon as the hearing began Attor-
ney Bush called attention to the fact
that the New Haven and Derby Elec-
trio company, which had franchise to
rum over the turnpike, was not party
to the proceeding, having been incor-
porated since the application was made.
1t was deemed very essential that the
upon to bear a portion of the expense
and the committee decided to postpone
any further hearing until the court
should summon them in as parties to
the suit.
Accordingly the hearing was con-
tinued until Friday, October 10. In the
afternoon the committee and lawyers
visited the road over the turnpike in
carriages to familiarize themselves
with the location, and the relation of
the turnpike to the different towns in
terested. Some Of the lawyers accom-
panied the committee.
A map of the turnpike about 35 feet
long, prepared by Engineers Hill and
Ferry, was exhibited in the room to the
committee.
This Derby turnpike question and
abolition of the toll gate has been for
ages, so to speak, debated, and time and
again have efforts been made to have
the turnpike made a free road. These
efforts have covered a long period of
time, and more than once 1t seemed
that the turnpike was certainly to be
made a free road, but the efforts only
resulted in disappointment. Now the
turnpike's days are evidently numbered
as the legislatures edict of '93 is that
it be abolished, though how long or how
much litigation may yet ensue is a
question. 1t would appear, however
that the various towns will somehow
all receive due satisfaction and that
within a few months the case will be
u e
benefits settled. That great advantage
will result to the cities of New Haven
Derby and Ansonia from making this
a free road is unquestionabIe. New
Haven is spreading out westward
greatly and the only bar to continued
great and rapid growth of the town il
| that direction is the need of a new ant
| larger bridge over West river, thu
present bridge being inadequate anC
no extension of the electric road to Yal,
Field being feasible until a bette1
bridge is provided making travel safe
| beyond peradventure.s All the othel
outlets on New Haven's western border
over West river have good bridges
| There is a great and growing demand
for homes on the suburbs of the city
now that the electric roads bring the
suburbs in quick connection with the
center of the city. Thousands of PEG
pie go to Yale Field every season t.
whom an extension of the electric cal
service to Yale Field gates will be {
great accommodation. There is also q
large settlement springing up on the
level and slightly lands opposite Yale
Field, which in few years will bt
dotted with neat, attractive and sub
stantail homes, which will furnish much
patronage to the electric road, which
reaches that section and add much t.
the taxable wealth of New Haven. Ar
important matter also is the increased
travel over this road in question tina
will occur when it becomes a free roat
and put in excellent condition. Thi:
road from New Haven TO Derby is bu
little used for driving purposes and but
little for traffic. Those who ought Il
know say that New Haven merchant!