Waterbury Democrat., 1902-11-26
BOARD or PUBLIC WORKS.
Property Owners Protest Against Lay ont of Fairmount Street.

Property Owners Protest Agal4SL Lay
 out of Fairmount Street.
 The board of public works held an interesting session last night. All the members were present.
 The first matter considered was the proposed layout of Fairmount street, from Luke street southerly to the new school lot on the Tracy property. Ev- erybody who appeared with the excep- tion of Colonel Burpee, who represent ed Dr c. s. Rodman and the estate of Cornelia Rodman, made vigorous pro, test against the layout There was golden opportunity to lay out straight street there for nearly half mile through undeyeloped property without hitting even a chicken coop or a rail fence. but it seems when the school board purchased the lot it committed itself to an old layout of streets on the Tracy tract, which is all right for that particular spot, but black eye and serious detriment to all other interests in that district. The new street forms almost half circle at one point and reminded one of the property owners of merry y-go-round.
 Colonel Burpee said his clients were indifferent about the project. but re minded the board that Charles B. Rod- man had not been notified and that be was not authorized to represent him. Vshape of Charles B. Rodman's land is left between that of Martin Scully's and the proposed street.
 F. J. Coogan said he regarded such a layout a great detriment to neigh boring property and wanted to go on record as being very much opposed to it. He said he didn't take much notice of what was going on there for fhe reason that he believed the district had a man on the board Of public works that knew enough to look out for the interests of all parties con- cerned. and asked Commissioner Scully what he had to say about the matter.
 MT Scully said he was not aware of the conditions that obtain there until the past few days. and that he was in no way responsible for them. He ad- mitted that it looked like a vicious piece of ministerial work, but thought that it would not be fair to say too much about it until those who are re- snnnsible for it had been given a chance to be heard in the premises. If wrong had been done, he said. he was tue principal sufferer. as anyone could see by the man. which gave him no frontage upon 204 feet of land
 Patrick F. O'Reil1v desired to be in- formed why the street was not made straight instead of crooked. He de- clared that he never should consent to see such street as that laid out there becanse it was not only an injury to him but to nearly everybody else who owns anything in the neighbnrhood It might be right he said for one or two parties. but there are others.
 Martin Sc1il1v was called but the map showed that he is off the proposed street altogether.
 Sheriff McDona1d: q got your name with the othars''
 Engineer Cairns: ssYou didn't get it from me-"
 Sheriff McDnna1d: tsThe city clerk gave if to me"
 MT Ryan: sstT thoueht it touched YOU at the noint where it branches off,
 MT Scullv: .sThe engineer says it doesn't toue1' me at all"
 It was voted to adjourn the hearing for two weeks. and in the meantime Charles B. Rodman and the school board will be cited to appear and be heard H
 The next hearing was on pronosed street from Baldwin stret easterIv to the new school and thence to Sylvan avenue. The opposition to this project was more pronounced if such a thing cnnld be than that shown towards Fairmonnt street. Attorney Phelan renresented Mrs Kilhrida. who owns a nortion Of the Finton Phelan estate He thought the school site -WaS DIT. chased and the pronosed streets laid out for the accommodation of one or two land sDeculators without regard te i other interests The idea of Dut+ino l such a building on the edge of 2 swamp and starting to make streets through land that wouldn't feed a goat ] and compel the owners to pay for then didn't appeal to him as just the righ1 thing to do. Mrs Egan and Edward Bowling. the other owners of the Phe Ian estate, were opposed to the layout but they might be reconcilpd to it ii ] the lines were made a. tri1e different l Edward Brennan said he was opposed l to the proposed street. Timothy Me 1 Sweeney didn't know what was going on about his place. A street is beine l made in front of his property that is : i det1.ment to him and he'd like to have the lines changed or the work s+onnad i Owing to an oversight the Tracys wer. not cited in and on this account tht hearing went over for two weeks. ,. It looks now as if the school board made just such a blunder as priyat. individuals freauently make whe1 they buy building lots where there ar. no streets. Fairmount street and th, 4 other streets that are to be oDenef there should have been laid OH I straight. if at all, and then let the diff ferent DroDerty owners take things a, they hapnenad to come. The troubl, can be remedied on the proposed stree from Baldwin street to Sylvan avenue but there is no hope for the Fairmorn street people. A portion of the scboo foundation is located where the stree should have passed through and tn work has progressed so far that no body would think of changing it a this time. Evidently the school com mittee intended that the work shoult have reached a stage where it col1lr not he blocked before apprisino th hoard of public works of the s't,latioh The streets in uuestion are the frs which the present. board of puhli
 works neglacted to Investigate befar recommending that they hp laid out and thav are likely to he tho last. r. Bids for the construction of sewers i,