The Press., 1905-04-12
Legislative Notes,

| $500 was reported unfavorably and
was rejected. A favorable report was
made on the bill that when a library
building be erected by the state at the
Connecticut Agricultural college 1T be
named Storrs memorial library, or if
erected by private expense it may be
named as the donor or trustees may
decide.
In the house resolution extending
time for construction of tracks of the
Stafford Springs Street Railway COM
pany was passed. Under suspension
of rules a resolution was unanimously
passed appointing a commission to
procure a monument to the memory
of General Joseph R. Hawley, to be
placed in the state capitol grounds, at
cost not exceeding SO, 900. The
bill authorizing state board of educa-
ton to require school attendance from
children between the age of IA and Is,
who, in its opinion require such
schooling was passed. The bill re-
pealing the law which authorizes
land owners to arrest persons found on
their property in the intent of hunt
ing or fishing was rejected.
On Thursday both houses passed a
bill providing for a joint committee
to investigate salaries and fees of the
employees in the capitol offices.
The house passed the bill prohibit
ting the shipment or sale of deceased
flesh of any animal or flesh of any
calf which was less than four weeks
old when killed.
A large number of Willimantic and
Mansfield citizens attended the hear
ing on Wednesday on the proposition
to annex a part of the town of Mans
field to the town of Windham. The
dividing line is the Natchaug river
and the pumping station, and reservoir
for Willimantic are not in the town of
Windham. The proposition is to get
them into the town, and that means a
shift of about eighty acres. 1t also
town, district and other lines, and, it
was claimed by opponents, is but an
entering wedge for the eventual an
nexation of all the south part of the
town of Mansfield, including Conant.
Vile. Corporation Counsel Kelly
and Judge W. A. Arnold spoke for the
annexation. Huber CLARK of Wilt
mantle and ex-senator Noone of Rock
Vile led the opposition. 1t was main
taiLed that Willimantic had control,
as far as police powers went, for 100
rods back from the pond on all sides,
and so its sanitation was all right
now. 1t was also maintained that all
that would be gained would be a
saving of about $50 in taxes to Wilt
mantle. Many persons spoke in op-
position, including DR.. E. G. Sumner,
one of the selectmen of Mansfield,
Charles A. Capen, ex-Mayor Barrows
of Willimantic, Gilbert w. Chaplin of
the Society for Savings, who owns
property whereabouts, Representative
Willard of Mansfield, Senator Baker,
ex-Representative Savage of Mansfield,
Representative Hall of Wilmington and
Representative Sachse of Vernon. A
long petition of Mansfield people
against the change was given to the
committee. On the face of the hear
ing things look rather blue for the
bill.
A continued hearing was held We'd
nesdsy before the committee on agri-
culture, about two hours, on the var
inus bills dealing with the subject of
forest fires. One bill, introduced by
Senator Whitney, makes the state
forester, now Austin F. Hawkes. of
New Haven, ex-officio state fire war
den, with supervision of town fire
wardens appointed by selectmen. An
other bill introduced by Senator Baker
provides for wardens appointed by
selectmen, with power to compel as
sistance, and prohibits fires being set
in the open between April 1 and Oc-
tober 1 without consent of the war
den. A third bill, presented by Rep
resentative Tilson, provides a heavy
penalty for any person who shall de-
stroy wood growth of any description.
A fourth bill, Representative Larned's,
provides for wardens, defines their
duties and powers and provides for
compensation. H. H. Jenkins of the
agricultural experiment station and
many others urged action, including
Senator Baker, H. A. Bowers of New
Haven, City Attorney Fisk of Rock
vile, F. F. Patten, Representative
Hull of Monroe, Representative Larned
of Stafford, Frank r. jackson of East
ford and Samuel Rockwell of Stafford.
No one opposed the bills. The COM
mittee returned the bills to these in
troduced them, and Senator Baker and
the others, with Forester Hawkes.,
will draft general bill to combine
the good points of the four presented.
The judiciary committee gave a
hearing Wednesday on the bill intro
duced by Representative Patten con-
corning liability of towns for injuries
caused by snow or ice. Representa-
tive Ives of Danbury, also city at
torney, advocated the passage of bill,
which he said is the Rhode Island
statute. 1t provides for written
notice to local authorities of defects
of sidewalk or highway caused by
snow or lee, at least twenty -four hours
prior to the time any person may be
injured thereby, otherwise any town,
city or borough shall not be liable for
injury. City Attorneys Shipman of
Hartford. Kellogg of Waterbury, Dag
getr of New Haven, Hungerford of |
New Britain and Fisk of Rockville