The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-10-06
Pub icImproyements.


To the Editor Of the Journal and Courier:
The striking over the head and hold
ing back methods of some Of our pres
ent City Fathers and papers in relation
to certain public matters is some
thing to be proud of.
They talk as though the public" was
not made up of individuals, and an
Improvement must be of direct benefit
to everybody within the city limits in
order to be considered of value and
use to the city as a city. This is large
ly the essence of our city being retard
ed in its growth and wealth in the
past, and will in the future as long
as such methods are allowed to rule.
The cry of Poverty would in bust
ness concern be considered mismanage-
ment, and it now smacks of that more
than attempted economy and able
hnanciering. Some of the ancient
fathers called aldermen, attempt to
scare the public by fear of large eX-
penditures for public good. It Is all
bosh and only an attempt to call at
tention to one thing while pushing TO
have more hardening" done where
some own building lots that will !le IN
creased in value for public benefit
All of our improvements must be for
public good and that means Increased
wealth eventually to the city. To bond
the city is, if done consarvd, Nely, Il
benefit to the future population of the
city and is it not fair they should pay
fer it or a portion of it? TIL, matter
of & drawbridge over West river at
Kimberly avenue pending at the pres
ent time, has been opposed SO vigor-
ousiv by the town of Orange and their
cohorts that it seems as though they
Wee willing to spend mo"A money 70
defeat 1t than 1T would cost to huili
II Such action is a direct blow Mt the
progress of New Haven rs G, seAooarl
city Hundreds Of thousands have
been spent to improve OUT harbor.
DIawblidges are being built yer all
our waterways except the one in ques-
ton, and commerce is getting great
benefits therefrom. Looking at the
situation squarely not one of the rivers
emptying into the sound at this port
furnishes as convenient privileges With
out great expense as the expanse that
will be opened for wharf purposes be-
tween Kimberly avenue and the N. Y,
N. II. G. H. r. r, tracks. Wharves OF
several miles IN extent can be built
along the banks and inland to the
switch tracks on both banks of the
river, thus affording unexcelled water
|.and rail communications for reaching
all parts of this and other states.
Now a word about New Haven as q
commercial railroad and seaboard city
Few cities can boast Of SO many facili-
| ties, the like of which would cause q
! western or southern city to come into
great prominence at once. The
branches and trunk Of one of the finest
| railroad systems in the world reach al
of New England from this point, ant
furnish transportation and travelling
| facilities not fully appreciated or real
lied The native water communica
lions transcend almost any eastern por'
except New York or Boston, and these
are capable of vast improvements, thus
preparing the way for exporting as wei
as importing.
| To keen observer and student OF the
| public welfare the policy of smother
ing our resources and hindering the es
tablishing of large industries such al
would gladly locate here IL treated al
other cities would be glad to treat then
to get them is the rankest sort OF shor
sightedness and peanut policy. Let ou
| young city fathers pocket their preju
dices and shoot the scarecrows set .ul
by those who go about chilly and for
| lorn and take broader views of tn
needs of the hour listening only to TIN
onward march of our good old city
and we shall hear less of the cry o
poverty and more of the greater city
the greater New Haven, not a subur
to New York but rival
AS to the expense of building tn
bridge in question to open when divide
equally between the towns it will nc
be heavy for the new lift bridges nov
approved by the War department an
in use in many western cities with per
feet satisfaction, cost little If any NOR
than erecting a high bridge, paying fo
the approaches and extra land dan
ages caused by raising the shutting O
eonveniences alongside. New Have
has anticipated her share of this bridg
already in the authorized bond issu,
Not only this but met the matte
squarely in 1895 by approving Of la
that demanded the bridge to be dra
when built and the expense born
equally. Such shifting from side t
side by many. shows how tickle the
opinions are, and leaves the paramount
right to free and unobstructed naviga
ton of any and all waterways of tn
United States to oil it's citizens jus