Connecticut western news., 1901-04-11
TARIFFyILLE EXTENSION,
Hearing Begun Before Railroad Com
mittee Last Thursday.

Hearing Begun Before Railroad COM
mittee Last Thursday.
The first session of the railroad COM
mittee to hear the petition of the Hart
ford & Connecticut Western Railway
Company in regard to the Tariffville ex-
tension was held in the House of Repre-
sentatives at Hartford last Thursday.
There was q very large attendance;
every seat in the Chamber was occupied
and the vacant space was filled by those
who watched the proceedings. Sixty
or more business men. from Winsted,
about twenty from Norfolk, about
twenty from North Canaan, aud large
delegations from Lakegille, Salisbury,
Torrington, and from towns on the
eastern end of the line-all friends OF
the H. & O. w. road-were present.
The 81 4 @. w road was represented
by Charles E Perkins, William Waldo
hyde and Arthur L. Shipmsn as
counsel. William O. Case and E. d.
Robbins we're counsel for the "Consoli-
dated" road. Judge MoConville ap-
peared for the city OF. Hartford, and
Judge William F. Henney represented
the citizens of Hartford who remon-
strated against the building of the ex-
tension.
The lawyers submitted the petition
of the e. & O. w. road to take the 313
feet of land in CRANKY belonging to
Fred O. Wagner, the resolution passed
by the common council of the city of
Hartford, the charter granted the FL. &
O. W. road, and other documents in
regard to the proceedings to date. in
Guiding records of the supreme court in
the matter.
Charles n. Ewing of Hartford, chief
engineer of the Central New England
road, was the 6rst witness called By
means of q large map hung back of the
speakers desk he described the branch
line construc ted from Tariffville to the
Msssach usetts state line. He recount.
ed the history OF the progress of the
work and the cost of construction.
He said the entire line had cost S407, 900
and it would cost only $3.50 to con-
struct the link across Wagner's land.
Charles E Gross. counsel for the
n. & @. w. road. said he had been
employed by the corporation since
April 1889 aud was retained with
special reference to the construction of
the Tariffville branch and had drafted
the votes of the stock holders and
directors in relation to the extension.
He had attended the meetings of the
directors and had paid out the money
for the acquisition of the land required
for the extension. He related the de-
tails Of the negotiations with Martin a.
Smith for the land now owned by Mr.
Wagner. Mr. Smiths wife owned the
property at that time. Mr. Smith said
he was willing to sell the land and Mr.
Gross referred the m after to Mr. Emo,
the real estate agent of the road. Soon
afterward proceedings were begun for
the acquisition of that piece of land.
The case was taken to the United States
court. A transfer from Montague to
Wagner was made when the condemn
aiion proceedings were begun.
George @. Emo Of Simsbury testified
that he acted as real estate agent for the
81. & G. w. road in purchasing land
for the extension. On May 90, 1898,
he met Martin 81. Smith and the latter
agreed to sell his land to him on June
1. In the meantime Smith sold the
land to Charles @. Montague of Am
herst, Mass. The sale was made
through E. B. Dellingham of Hartford.
Mr. Emo also said that he went to Am
herst on June 2 and saw Mr. Montague.
The latter told him that he had not
purchased the land and knew nothing
about it. A few weeks later Mr. Emo
called on Mr. Montague again and while
Mr. Montague admitted that he then
owned the land he refused to put any
price upon it.
Harvey l.. Roberts, treasurer of the
Gilbert School at Winsted. said the
construction of the Tariffville extension
would be Of advantage to the manu-.
facturers of Winsted and vicinity.
Ex-Governor Lorrin A. Cooke said
that he lived in Winsted and was the
president of savings bank. He said
that he would consider it moral.
political and indefensible condition oil
affairs il the extension was not allowed
to be built. The road was all buils ex
cept 800 feet and it would be grievous
mistake il the road was not granted per.
mission to complete its line he could
see no good reason for refusal by the
legislature. Over $4,000 people were
interested in the completion of the line
and it would be most unjust not &c
grant the petition.
Charles 8. Dykeman of Torrington
secretary of the Eagle Bicycle Com
pany; Herman W. Huke, president oil
the Excelsior Needle Company of Tor
ripgton: Charles 81. Parker OF the
Union Hardware Company of Torring
ten; Henry j. Hendrie. president Of
the Hendrie Machine Company, al
spoke strongly in favor of the extension
and gave reasons why the extension
would benefit Torrington and people o
that section. In response to a cal
from Mr. Shipman dozen other promi
nent men of Torrington arose aud were
counted as in favor of the extension.
Many business men from Winsted
Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury an6
Lakeville also spoke in favor of the ex
tension, or arose and were counted a
in its favor.
Thomas L. Norton of Lakeville sal,
that the town of Salisbury had take,