The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-10-07
OPPOSED TO DRAWBRIDGE
HE4RING BEFORE M.4J. LEACH ON
KIMBERLY AYE. STRUCTURE.

Statements from Prominent Citizens Fa-
vorIng the Bridge-Boat Captain Says 1t
VIII Mean 20 Per Cent. Decrease in
Freight Rates-Another Hearing on
Oct ODER &c.
The hearing on the proposed build
ing of a drawbridge over West river,
at Kimberly avenue held by Ma
ior Leach of the United States engineer
corps, yesterday, was attended by
about 100 Orange and New Haven cit
liens, including a number of lawyers,
who appeared in the interest of various
resented the city, Town Counsel Good
hart, the town of New Haven; Alling,
Webb & Morehouse, the town of Or
ange, and the Winchester Avenue Rail
road company, Herbert E. Benton and
ex-Judge Pickett for the E. A. Chat
Held Co., and James Gardner Clark for
Lucien Sanderson.
The hearing was held in room 10 and
II city hall and was opened by Major
Leach stating the case and the facts
in relation to it brought out in the pre-
vious hearings held by Colonel Roberts
and reading letters from attorneys in
the case.
About three years ago a petition was
presented to the secretary of war ask
ing that a drawbridge be built at the
point mentioned. The petition was re-
ferred to Colonel Robert who, on in
vestigation, reported that the bridge
now standing was an unreasonable OBJ
struction to navigation and that the
building of a draw forty feet in width
would facilitate navigation. This re-
port was approved by the secretary of
war, who referred the case back to
Colonel Roberts.
Among the letters from counsel to
Colonel Roberts read by Major Leach
yesterday was one from Alling, Webb
Il Morehouse, stating that the town of
Orange got an act passed in the legisla-
ture changing the boundary line be-
tween the towns of New Haven and Or
ange so that New Haven would be
obliged to pay one half the cost of
building a draw. Colonel Roberts, in a
later recommendation to the secretary
of war stated that the plan to have one
half the expense of building a draw
borne by Orange was more liberal to
New Haven than he would have pro-
posed.
Major Leach read another letter from
James Gardner Clark, representing Lu-
Glen Sanderson, it which it was stated
that a barge had gone under the pres
ent bridge and would have been
wrecked had not it's owner been bribed
to allow his boat to settle.
After stating the case Major Leach
said that the secretary or war had an
nounced for the second time that in
his opinion the present bridge is an
unreasonable obstruction to navigation
and that a draw must be built before
July, 1898. Major Leach stated that
this hearing was for the purpose of get
ting additional evidence in the matter
by which the secretary Of war might
be confirmed in his opinion or induced
to change it.
Attorney John W. Alling proposed a
three weeks adjournment of the hear
ing, but Judge Pickett objected. Mr.
Alling proposed that statements il
writing De SuDllltteu ny Tie parties IC
the controversy. Judge Pickett desired
the hearing to be public that all partie:
might be heard and all statements dis
cussed, Major Leach decided agains
Mr.. Alling's proposal Mr.. Alling stated
that he was not prepared to submit ora
testimony as his witnesses were no
present.
Major Leach, however, notified tn
parties favoring the bridge, that he wa
ready to hear them.
Judge Pickett began by reading from