The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-27
NEW HAVENERS IN FORCE.
1T THE CITY CHARTER HEARING
 AT H4RIFORD.


 guments on the Consolidation Question
 Made by Professor WatrOus, Ex-Mayor
 York, II. E. Benton, Rev. Dr. Newman
 Smyth-Vigorous Remarks Pro and Con-
 Other Doings by the General Assembly | Yesterday. Hartford, Feb 26--A hearing In the
 matter of the proposed revision of the l charter of the city of New Haven was
 held before the committee on cities and
 boroughs, Senator Marigold chairman,
 this afternoon. There was large at-
 tendance of New Haven people, includ-
 ing the following named; Herbert E.
 Benton, Street Commissioner ]. N. | States, Professor George D. Watrous,
 Corporation Counsel Ely, Town Counsel
 Goodhart, ex-Mayor s. A. York, Adver- l Using Manager Isaac Bromley of the
 Townsend, Major T. Attwater Barnes.
 Rev. Dr. Smyth, ex-Mayor Sargent,
 Rev E. S. Lines, Selectman Ludihgton, Police Commissioner Doolittle, Colonel N. G, Osborn, George BeRrn. John w
 filling, Chairman James Macdonald
 Hon. James M. Townsend, Selectman Bretzfelder Senator Johnson, Assistant City Attorney c. B. Matthewman, Judge Hotchkiss, Henry c. White, ex- Town Counsel William B. Pardee, President M. F. Tyler of the Southern New England Telephone company, AL derman Veil, Charles Havey, ex-Select- man L. w. Beecher, Charles Kleiner, President Eli Whitney. jr., of the Water company, Attorney Morehouse, Health Officer Wright, F. H. Hart, J. T. Ben ham and Captain John Lowe.
 The chairman announced that there were ten bills pending concerning New Haven. John w. Alling, appearing for the commission having the revision in hand, said he would like to have all the bills heard together Corporation Counsel Ely opposed such presenta- ton. Counsel Goodhart, representing the town, said the charter measure should be taken up first
 Mr Alling said the general assembly had created a commission to report concerning revision of the New Haven charter, It would be impossible to get all these witnesses before the com mittee again. MT Alling said he was representing a citizens committee,
 Ely-A self-ordained committed
 Allng-We shall find out by to-mor- row whether we are in the majority
 Goodhart-The commission proposes to incorporate a large amount of ter ritory into the city Logically the whole matter should be taken in order We want to hear the charter plan.
 Judge Hotehkiss-Out in Westvllle we have always opposed consolidation Whether we continue to oppose will depend upon the provisions of the new charter. We should take up the charter matter first of all
 Ely~It Is true of the last common council that they favored the proposed amendment. The present court of common council are, however, not in l accord with this plan, but I am here to favor consolidation. In the two | charter and consolida- tion-the interests are entirely different and they should come up separately.
 Alling-I say to the committee in | all candor that these witnesses cannot be brought here again and they should ! be heard on all the measures to-day
 Chairman Marigold thought 1t would l be better to take up the bills in their | order.
 Professor Watrous-In my opinion the committee would get better com prehension of the general plan by talk | ing up the subject as a whole.
 Chairman Marigold after a confer snce with the committee, said they l would hear the witnesses to-day on -he matter as a whole and then on another day matters in detail would be heard.
 The first witness was Attorney John ] w. filling He explained how the. com mission was raised by the legislature. One of the members, J. N States, had | been in the service of the city of New | Haven since 1876. Postmaster Beach, Henry C. White Prof. George D. Wat 'ous and Eli Whitney, ir., were well Ind favorably known. Better men to | 'onfer regarding the charter amend nent could not De found, and there lad been no opposition to them. The bject of the new charter was to get public business done on business prin- iples, This charter plan was approved " the common council in 1894 Exten- i've hearings had been had on the mat CT. The new board of councilmen. bv themselves, passed a resolution oppos- ng the charter amendments, but under he circumstances it had but little sig ] ificance. But seventeen out of the resent twenty-four aldermen were in avor of tle amendment Prof. George D. Watrous of the com ission-Our present charter was adopt d in 1881. It gave fair satisfaction un- Il 1887, when Mayor Peck was elected.
 republican. Professor Townsend | yas elected corporation counsel. Iany questions arose regarding the leaning of certain parts of the charter, otably. who had the right to appoint l janitor of the city hall and a lamp in- oector. When the administration c hanged the old questions again 1me to the surface. It be- J ame apparent that the charter could ot stand the strain; that it was am J guous and uncertain. I doubt if there l ' re a dozen gentlemen in New Haven l V ho would not say that the charter t aeded revising. This movement ema- e ltes from the court of common council. March. 1893, the court of common ,uncil asked for bill for amendment
 the charter The matter was disr11s- :