Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-10-20

meeting last night and heard parties interested in proposed public improve ments in Fairmount, Waterville and Division streets. 1t was an interesting session and to disinterested folks it was amusing to hear the board tell citizens who, as one of them said, had been held up and robbed, that the situation had reached a state where they had no redress except in the courts or with the board of aldermen. l Tlse Fairm0unt street matter is old now, but it is fresh in some peoples minds just the same. It came ub 1 three years ago under the former ad- ministration and got such a drubbing by the property owners and the boarG of public works that it was supposed to be as dead as a smoked herring, but the men back of it were equal to the game, hazardous as it might ap- pear to the uninftiated, and while pushing things along covertly and as, surfing the board that nothing was be- ing done which necessitated any lay out of streets which would not prop erly safeguard every interest, man. aged to keep things under cover until the sum of something in the neighbor- hood of $12,O00 had been expended on the Mulcahy school building, and even then when the cat got out of the bag and the board made a fuss about it they were placated by the assurance that the injury was more apparent than real, that the plans were still in unfinished form and that when the full scope of what the committee had in I mind became known, nobody would have fault to find with what was done. Interested parties were jollied along in this way until things were clinched
 by the completion of the school and then, in the language of the footpad. the aggrieved parties were told that
 things had reached point where they
 couldn't help themselves and all they
 could do was kick. The wrangle has
 been on since and the end is not vet. I The first gun fired last night was
 discharged by Dr Rodman in the form of a communication to the clerk,
 which read as follows:
 4 George H. Nettleton, Clerk of the Bu- II reau of Assessment. W rgs ~L
 Dear Sir-PerInit me to acknowl-
 edge receipt of notice of hearing to,
 day "on the question of benefits and
 damages arising from the layout, es,
 tablishment of grade on Fairmount
 street from Luke street to Lounsbury
 street" The land between Luke and Lounsbury streets referred to as 'Fairmount street" belongs for the
 most part to my children, having been
 distributed to them from the estate of
 their grandfather on June r, 1899
 The city has since erected a school
 house at the southeasterly corner ot
 our property. which it faces diagonal ly, effectively blocking the expected
 extension or opening of Fairmount
 street so-called.
 If it is now proposed to cut through the easterly portion of our property opening serpealtine street, confiscat ing the land for public uses and mak ing us liable hereafter for assessment,
 on its two sides, 1t only becomes my
 duty to oppose and to claim heav!
 dalnageS4NA ASSsA | yIs -zszJN 7
 Some three years ago I was ap
 preached by members of the board o
 education who desired price for lant
 on Baldwin street for proposed
 school house. The committee did no know what part or how much they
 might want and appeared chiefly de
 sirous of obtaining prices for compar
 ison. When afterwards 1t transpiref
 that the school committee had secured
 an unimproyed and inaccessible sitt fronting, as above stated, on our prop erty, the city engineer proceeded tC
 stake off a circuitous course thrOugl our land. Contractors tore down oul ] division wall and fences as fast al ] erected. By teaming over our prop
 erty the school was built, the property has since served as the playground ol atheltic field for the school.
 While observing this development of the city's thrift and enterprise al ! our expense, venit1red to remark tt member of the educational board that it would have been cheaper tt have purchased improved land or Baldwin street rather than to hay,
 blasted out site, streets. sewers
 and sidewalks, etc, and was told tha
 1t was true enough, but that the in creased expense would fall elsewher, than on the appropriation of the boarC
 of education. This appears to be th, case.
 l Some eight months ago the bOarL of public works appointed a commit
 tee. the mayor and city engineer, tt 1 confer with me and others injured fl
 the location and construction of th, school house. relative to the acqulsi ) ton by the city of the land for the de velopment of the school property.
 Never having been approached b. the committee for the above purpose . having only an indefinite inquiry at { . momentary and casual meeting. hay
 ing no intimation as to what or how much the city desired-I have neve ; had opportunity to submit any propO : sition relative to this matter alt-Dugl
 quite ready to do anything consisten with my duty as administrator, etc. At the present time negotiations ar in progress looking to the sale O rental of our entire holdings on Bald
 win street The opening of the Fair ! mount street will destroy wholly tn value of our property for the purpos for which 1t s desired by resPonslbl
 parties.
 The street as proposed Is desired b, [ no one whose iani is to be taken b,
 the city. The scheme was ingeniOusl contrived by the city engineer to ben . eft certain real estate speculatOrs rt gariless of the injury to others. H [ is apparently determined to complet : this Iniquity before the close of th present administration. If 90. 1 cal only say Good Lord. deliver us fro1 our frieuds.- and tO hope that thing will be different fin my mtive tow !. ] h.sfnrn ff,e f...rltrrr-,r arllla fhaf rn mn