The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-05-25
CITY'S "CUT" PETITION
 DISCUSSED AT CAPITOL
LIVELY HEARING BEFORE THE
 RAILROAD COMMISSION.

President MeIIen and Other Railroad
 OmciaIs and Number of New Ha-
 ven Citizens Reinstatement Ford
 Takes Commissioners to Tasl-Judge
 aIattbewson Submits an Unauthorized
 Plan--lIellen Humorous.
 Hartford, May 24.-There was lively hearing before the railroad committee of the general assembly this afternoon on the petition of the city of New Ha- ven for legislation in regard to the manner in which the New York. New Haven and Hartford railroad contern- plates changing the layout of the tracks in the present "cut, which runs through the heart, of the city. The plans of the railroad company are to widen the cut at the same time raising the grade through Union street, be- tween Wooster and Court streets so that in reality the street would be on a sort of a bridge supported by pillars, two of the tracks being located under this so called bridge. That this plan, which has been accepted by the rail- road commissioners and against which injunction proceedings have been brought will meet with strenuous oppo- sition was evident at the hearing this afternoon.
 President c. S. Mellen. Secretary John G. Parker, Director Miller and Attor- neys Buckland and Robbins of the New York, New Haven and Hartford road and Civil Engineer Hart represented the road while the city was official ly represented by Corporation Counsel Leonard M. Daggett, General George H. Ford, John T. Sloan. Judge A. McC. Mathewson. Senator Chatfield, City En- gineer Kelly and others came up from New Haven and were heard during the course of the afternoon. MT. Kelly submitted a layout providing for the pushing back of the cut, saying that by it the road would save S432,000. He spoke for thirty minutes. General Ford read a long manuscript in which he scored the railroad commissioners for approving the plans of the road when all the influential" citizens were away on their vacations. He said that the commissioners could "be no more zealous had they been on President Mellen's own board
 Corporation Counsel Daggett fully ex- plained the objections that the New Haven citizens had to the plans of the railroad in regard to the cut, particu- larly to the increasing of the grade at Union street, which he said was high enough at the present time.
 John T. Sloan and General Bradley spoke briefly on the nitv's objections and Judge Mathewson submitted a plan. known as the "viaduct" plan, which calls for an entirely different proposition, that of form of elevated road President Mellen asked Judge Mathewson if he was authorized by 1 the city os New Haven to submit any plan, and he replied that he was not.
 Senator M. E. Chatneid said that he 1 favored MT. Kelly's plan and said that the cut was looked upon as a natural barrier which kept undesirable ''per- sons" from moving up town. He said l he had no sympathy for Judge Mathew- sons plan.
 After Senator Chatfield concluded the railroads representatives took their Turn, Attorney D. B. Robbins leading off for the corporation. He said during l his remarks that the committee was not the proper tribunal to air the mat ter and was followed by President Mel len who spoke at length on the road s position. President Mellen said that the city of New Haven didn't know what it wanted in regard to the cut and that this has been proven several times. He said that he would agree to any thing the city would agree upon and that the road would adopt any plan ac- eeptable to the, city.
 He spoke humorously as we'll as ser iously and said that he wished to sug- gest title for the present petition be- l fore the committee. That was "An act I to benefit certain real estate owners of the city of New Haven by supplying l the market with property which is not
 productive" The remark caused con
 siderable laughter. @
 Mr. Daggett took offense at the re-
 mark of President Mellen, who in turn replied that that was his privilege and
 that it was his (Mr. Mellen's) privilege to make it. @s l In conclusion MT. Melien urged the l committee to make a speedy report in order to have the matter strengthened out ''t' -t#s