New-York tribune., 1901-11-24
CONNECTICUT TOPICS.
INTEREST IN CONSTITUTIONAL CONvEN-
TION AT THARTFORD-LIQUOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT

ENFORCEMENT
Hartford, Conn, Nov % (SpeciaD.-The State
Library is just now the centre Of interest on the
part OF delegates to the constitutional conven-
ton and lawyers Of note who expect to be re-
tained in behalf of corporate interests. The
literature of constitution making is earnestly
sought for, and it happens that the library
has a fairly good supply Of 1t. The revised rec
ord Of the Constitutional Convention Of New
York is much sought for and the annotated
constitution of that State, of which the library
has a single copy. has been ordered from the
State Librarian of New-York by many dele
gates. The discussion Of the coming convention
has also brought out reprint Of the journal OF
the constitutional convention of 1878, when the
present constitution of this State was adopted.
There is certain to be no lack of interest in the
remakng of the fundamental law, and ad-
dresses before clubs in various parts Of the
State are frequent. Speaking Of the State Ii
brary, it is just now in a state Of upheaval Incl
dent to the installation of a new and modern
system of shelving and catalogung. The old
shelves, made of oak and massive, to be
taken out, and metal shelving put in, saving
nearly one-thrd Of the space and afford1ng room
for many more books. The portrait gallery Of
Governors, which has long been feature OF
the library. will be wholly rearranged and the
faces of the Governors from John Winthrop
down will no longer serve decorative trfeze
to the room, so high as scarcely to be IN the
comfortable line Of vision, but Will be grouped
on either side in the large spaces that are maze
possible by the reduction of the book shelves to
a reasonable height.
The strict enforcement Of the letter of the law
on LIQUOR licenses by the prosecuting attorney FOR
the county. George B. Thayer. has caused much
inconvenience to the druggists Of the city ana
has been the occasion of much wrath on tnelr
part, well as the payment of costs to the
court. where they have been arraigned FOR not
displaying their licenses in a conspicuous man.
ner framed, as the law directs. The druggists
were visited by the officials. and II the license
was not found in evidence they We're summoned
into the police court for violation OF the law
and their cases nolled, the druggists getting Off
with the payment of costs. AS the fee for bring
ing case under the liquor law is SO, no mat
ter what the result of the prosecution Of the
case amounts to- Mr.. Thayer has been accused
of going into this techncality for the purpose OF
revenue only. This he stoutly denies, and says
he is enforcing the law. He has not yet oesun
the serious work of his office In prosecuting
violators of the Sunday section, or of the MID
night section. but 1t is certain that the lawless
element will hear from him emphatically in the
end Meanwhile he has made himself decidedly
unpopular with the druggists.
The Railroad Commissioners have had busy
week and the steam roads and electr1c roaoS
have each had decisions handed Gown In resaro
to matters affecting their interests. The most
important action taken has been that referring
to the proposed treste crossover for the electric
ROAD IN East Hartford. which was asked for by
the Hartford Street Railway Company. in order
- clrG of he " H.
land Division of the New York. New Haven and
Hartford Railroad. This crossing is at grade
in the main street Of East Hartford. and at
present passengers for South Windsor are OBJ
liged to leave the electric cars and walk across
the tracks to the line beyond. It was sought TO
obviate this. partly because of existing cordi-
tions, but more because OF the certainty or the
completion of the electric road link from this
city to Springfield, which contemplates using
the company's line in East Hartford and South
Windsor. The Railroad Commissioners decline
to grant permission for the trestle, supporting
the seectmen OF the town in their declination
to have the trestle built. The reasons are that
such a trestle with its foundations and ap
proaches. would be in the highway and cause
obstruction. and that IN permission was
given to build it, there would be a series OF
bridges in like circumstances asked in various
parts of the State, to the detriment of the high
ways II is the general impression tnat the
Hartford Street Railway supported in its
requests for the trestIe by the electric railway
syndicate which controls large amount of the
mileage of electric roads in the State The COM
missioners have also granted permission to the
East Granny and SuffieId Railroad stem to
shorten the loop around the famous Montague
farm the Springfield extension OF the Con-
necticut Western road, and there oppo-
sition to the request. 1t looks very much II
the extension would finally be completed.
through this Intervention of a company.
although ii will be far from ideal route.
The commissioners have also granted to the
Hartford and Springfield Street Railway GER
tain changes in 1ayouts in the town of Enfield.
over which there has been contests between the
town officials and the railway company There
Is likelihood of these matters going
through the courts, but nothing definite has
been done. yet.
The city of New-Britain is in the centre of
municipal disturbance in which Mayor Bassett
to be the objective point. At meeting
of the Common Council Wednesday even
ing a petition was brought in asking that the
aI;o;bilifv Of Street Commissioner pevpoJds ha