The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-29
SELECTMEN OFFER REWARD
TITO HUNDRED DOLLARS FOE THE
CAPTURE AND CONVICTION

TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE
CAPTURE AND CONVICTION
OF the Person Who Threw the Bomb In
Major Albee's Yard-Hearing ON tho
Blasting at West Rock Park-An Agree
ment Likely to be Reached.
Interest in the dynamite explosion at
Major Albee's residence in Westvilla
last week has revived with the action
of the board of selectmen last evening
In offering reward Of 5000 for the APP
prehension and conviction of the per-
! sons who committed the deed. The
resolution was passed in executive ses-
sion, and was favored by the whole
| board.
| A public hearing of parties interested
in the blasting of rock on the side of
| West Rock park was held in open Ses-
| sion. Henry T. Blake and General r..
e. Bradley represented the park CONF
missioners, who petitioned the board
| to take action looking toward the pro-
hibition Of the blasting, which is claim
| ed by them to be a menace to the lives
and limbs of the frequenters Of the
| park.
Ex-Alderman Blakeslee and Dwight
w. Blakeslee. Of the firm Of C. w.
| Blakeslee & Sons who own two acres
of land, including Little rock, on the
| side of the mountain, were present and
| opposed the claims Of the commission.
They were also represented by Attor-
| ney James Bishop.
William III. Fowler and G. Miller, who
own property on the Rock, but do not
| work the quarries at the present time,
were interested spectators.
The quarries which seem to have been
the cause of the park commissioners
resolution, are those of the Blakeslee
firm, which are situated within 500
rods Of the highway, and are in daily
| operation.
Mr.. Blake, who with General Bradley
composes the subcommittee in .,harge
of West Rock park, told the selectmell
that numerous complaints had been
made to the members of the park COM
mission and that while the commissions
ers were not disposed to antagonize
anyones interests. it was the unani-
nous opinion of the board he repre-
sented that the towns authority should
take cognizance Of the E1atter and
adopt some method by which the dan
ger should be lessened, If 1t found
that the blasting could not be wholly
prohibited.
He said that leaving the question OF
! ownership of the property out OF the
question the selectmen had the power
to say whether the blasting should 10
on in any locality at all, as it had the
right to say under what conditions 1t
should be carried on. He read the
statute regulating the matter. It was
| neither necessary nor desirous that the
question of ownership be raised at this
time. When asked If the park COM
mission had not blasted on top Of the
| rock, Mr.. Blake admitted that it had,
but also said that the board of select
men could prohibit it from so doing.
The park commissioners were satis-
fed that encroachments had been made
on the land belonging to the park and
as the individual members had no au-
thority this vote of the commission was
taken. Complaints had been made to
members repeatedly and the board had
now come to the selectmen for assist
ance.
General E. E. Bradley followed Mr..
Blake for the park board and said that
he was there to represent the commis-
sion, which had been practically unani-
nous in the opinion that the blasting on
West Rock should be prohibited. 1t is
time the park commissioners should
know what rights the board has. Very
few who blast on West Rock have any
right there. The commission thinks
that this land has long since come into
the possession Of the commission.
General Bradley said in answer to a
question from President Beecher
whether it would not be better for the
park commission to establish owner
ship Of the property and then petition
the selectmen that the commission he
represented did make the claim and /,
that investigation would bear out the
claim.
The first speaker for the opposition
was ex-Alderman Blakeslee, who said
that the firm he represented had been
operating these quarries for twenty-five
years and no one outside of their en-
ploy had ever been hurt. Mr.. Blakeslee
said that they owned two acres Of land
including Little Rock and did not in
tend to be dispossessed Of it. He did
not believe that the gentlemen repre-
senting the park commission wanted
to do this. It would be hardship for
them to do all the blasting before
O'Clock in the morning, as suggested by
Mr.. Blake.
All blasts made by his firm were done
under cover, protected by large tins
bers chained together.
Mr.. Blakeslee said that they had
given UP East Rock without m,lr-
mur, but they would be found making
a strong kick if it was attempted to
take West Rock from them.
1t was suggested by the speaker that
if blasting was prohibited on West
Rock the stone crusher would have to
be moved.
In conclusion Mr.. Blakeslee admitted
that all the blasting at their quarry
could be done before 2:30 p. m. and
that such an arrangement would be
satisfactory to his firm.
Mr.. Bishop said that he thought Mr..
Blakeslee had struck the keynote of the
situation when he suggested that the
blasting be regulated and he thought
the whole matter could be arranged.
The hearing closed with Attorney
EichoD,S remarks and the board went