The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-10-18
EAST HAVEN DRAwBBrDeE.
Arguments Pro and Con. Heard by Ma-
 for LeRch-Mr. Johnson,s Scheme,

Arguments Pro and Con. Heard by Ma-
 JOr Leach-Mr. Johnson's Scheme.
 The good people of East Haven are a good deal wrought up over the effort on the part of Frank P. Johnson to get the war department to order the towns of East Haven and Branford to replace the present bridge over the East Haven river at Short Beach by a drawbridge The change would cost the towns the snug little sum of $2O,0OO, and as the dike gates under the present bridge would have to be removed it would af- feet, so it is set forth, the property of from sixty to seventy land owners above the bridge.
 Two largely attended hearings have been held by Major Leach of the war department in the town hall of East Haven, at which testimony on both sides of the question was given. Mr. Johnson is represented by Attorney William A. Wright, the town of Bran ford by Attorney Zacher and the town of East Haven by Attorneys Dwight and Grove Futile and Henry Stoddard MT. Stoddard also represents the in- terests of the Dike company, the mem- bers of which own the meadow lands protected by the dike.
 The facts in the case are represented to be as follows: MT. Johnson, who is a resident of Waltham, Mass, some time ago purchased a large tract of land on Roses Hill near Farm or Stony river at comparatively low figure. On this land there is a large amount of trap rock, W lc MT. Johnson proposes to crush and sell in New York and Boston for ballasting railroads and macadam- izing streets and roads. He desires to utilize the waterway to get his stone to market.
 At the hearing he represented that the stream on which his quarry Is situ- ated Is navigable and that he is the owner of valuable trap rock quarry which would be within seven hours of New York should the waterway be open but otherwise is inaccessible. He claims that the stream is a public highway no matter how long 1t may have been ObSll tu lO pidCetlC lIlC ONhSlo Ol tLe dke lands he offers to construct a Gike at a cost of s2,0~o or s3,00O further up the stream, but protecting all the meadows and some of the lower ones e no value. Moreover, he urges that the location of his stone crushing plant would be of especial benefit to the town of B, St Haven, as it would employ from fifty to one hundred hands. He claims that the water in the river is deep enough to admit of the passage of large scows.
 The towns deny that the river is nav igable; that the change would be for the benefit of one person, and that the towns should not be put to so grs at expense. They say that in a period of nearly one hundred years no one has claimed that the river was navigable. The dike was built in 1912 and has re- mained ever since without protest from any one. William H. Chidsey testified that he had waded the river at Denis Island at low water.
 The members of the Dike company, while they are jealous of their rights, held meeting and appointed Lyman A. Granniss, Leonard F. Richardson illl Eulllullu D. WObuWdlu d SpcClcil committee to confer and contract with MT. Johnson relative to the building of new dike. But the Dike company does not propose to relinquish any claim granted them by the state of Connecti- cut and desired Mr. Johnson to give a bond with sureties that the new dike shall be built to replace the old. Some claim that the state law is subordinate to the national government and this still further complicates matters.
 MT. Johnson says it may be necessary to dredge some portions of the channel and this has alarmed the oyster and clam fishermen on the river for fear their beds may be injured. The river is one of the best oyster grounds between New Haven and Stony Creek.
 At the time the present bridge was built, some twenty years ago, for the accommodation of Short Beach people, it was proposed to build road to Short Beach under Roses Hill and on the east side of the river, thus avoiding the building of a bridge. This plan is now being urged by some. If this road should be built it would be within the town of Branford, whereas the present road is in the town of East Haven. The last hearing was held last Friday even ing.