Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-09-27

In one Of it's campaign documents,
the Republican of this morning asks
why the democrats who built the Null
cahy school didn't provide approaches
to 1t and answers Its own query by
stating that it was largely due to the
opposition of one of the property OWL
ers, who was determined that the
school should have no street leading to-
1t unless it was laid out across his
land. There's about as much truth
in this imputation. as there is in the
rest Of the article and nobody knows
this better than Ralph Blakeslee, the
republican candidate for mayor, who
was member of the department of
public works when the Mulcahy school
was built and knows more about 1t
than the editor does. The work was
not done by any democratic board, but
by one individual for whose conduct
the democratic party is not and never
has been in any way responsible. The
inference that the plan of streets was
opposed by anyone for personal mo-
tives Is not true. 1t was assailed by
every property owner in the district
as soon as he saw 1t, was combatted
by DR. Rodman, one Of the principal
sufferers and was turned down un-
tremendously by the board of public
works, every one of whom, Mr. Blakes-
lee included, held that somebody had
hlundered. This was towards the
close of the Kilduff administration.
COMPELLED TO DO IT.
The business administration has been
at the helm almost two years and
what has 1t done towards improving
things at the Mulcahy school? 1t new
err made move in that direction until
the property owner whose offer to do
nate land for a street is now sneered
at. with some of his neighbors, called
upon the department of education
few weeks ago and demanded that
suitable approaches be provided to the
building. Mayor Elton, who presided,
said 1t was difficult to get In there on
account Of the enormous land damages
which would naturally be claimed by
parties whose land would be taken. 1t
was at this session that mention was
made Of a street at another point
Nothing ever was said about such
thing before. Why, then, We're not
these streets taken In hand for the
past two years when nobody had even
limited that one be made any place
else? We should be pleased to hear
what Mr. Blakeslee thinks Of that Null
cahy school middle. He went down
there with other members of the
board, considered what had been done
a mistake, has said so repeatedly since
and unless he has degenerated since
he got the nomination for mayor, he Is
candid enough to f,epeat it now. Sena-
tor Tracy Is gootl authority on this
question. He owns considerable prop
erty there and yShen askedyat a board
meeting what he knew about this
matter. said fyhat the transfer of the
property for the school was made
through the school board and that the
grades wete furnished by the engl-
neer. Moody i'm authority to act in
that capeity ordered these streets
laid out nobody authorized the con-
structifn of sewers and oWAfefss fnrtaG,IIps
in on Iof these approaches, but all
this work was done. Who did 1t? Mr.
I,owndes of the bureau Of engineering
ran the lines and gave the levels for
the sewer and water main. Who iu-
structed Mr. Lowndes to do this? The
board of public works never passed.
such an order and the aldermen were
not consulted about It. either.
TELL THE TRUTH, RALPH.
Come, now, Ralph, bear witness to
the truth. Wasn't the condition created
at the Mulcahy school revelation to
you and to every other member OF tue
board? Didn't the engineer deny en-
phatically, even up to the last meet
ing Of the former board, that anything
had been done which would necessf
tate the laying out of streets In GER
tain places, although It later developed
that at the time water main and
sewer had been constructed through
grass patch and an understanding en-
tered into with Mr. Tracy that in time
this would be a public street? Ralph,
don't you remember going down there
with the board and ordering Mr. Tracy
TO discontinue making the street In
question: Don't you recollect Mr.
Whiting inquiring who owned the wa
ter main and who set the hydrant
there? Why, every member of the
city government is familiar with the
sharp deal played not only on one
property owner. but on the whole dis
trict In the Mulcahy school street mat
ter. We suggest that the Republican
ask Ralph Biakeslee II he knew what
was being done there on the street
question. II Ralph does not care to
talk, J. G. whiting. F. W. Chesson,
Daniel Mahaney and the city records
can be consulted and the facts put be-
fore the public in such way that
even the blind may see.
BALDWIN STREET GRADE.
In their campaigning tour the re-
publicans have seen ell they want
sIono fha Watorfou-n road and ont