Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-08
THE DIAMOND
MERIDEN HAS
NO MONEY
Lot Of Hot Air Wasted Over the
Norwich Franchise Result
Of Meeting.

their efforts to transfer the Norwich
franchise to Meriden, the directors
of the Connecticut Base Ball league
yesterday afternoon were forced to
adjourn after their special meeting
at the Hotel Garde. Their formal
session was practically entirely con-
sumed in short hearing of Charles
Smart and Charles H. Cheney OF
Meriden, who are at the business
end of the transfer of the Norwich
team to the Silver city, but whose
report that they could not raise the
cash needed to make the transfer,
has checked the deal temporarily.
After hearing their story the
league directors voted to ask the
special circuit committee to meet the
pair in Meriden next Tuesday night
to try to fix up another arrangement
for transferring the team. The COM
mittee will report to a special meet
ing of the league next Friday after
noon which will be held at the Hotel
Garde in this city.
The committee consists of Daniel
O'Neil of Springfield, Cornelius J.
Danaher of New Haven, Harold r.
Durant Of Waterbury and James H.
O'Rourke of Bridgeport.
Aside from the Norwich transfer
the only matter which came before
the league meeting was the gallant
proposal to rescind the rule which
compels women to pay for admission
to the Saturday games. The rule
was unanimously withdrawn and 1t
was voted to permit ladies to attend
free all Saturday games, except those
played on holidays. AS both Memo
rial day and July fall on Saturday
this year the resembling of the rule
is not sweeping concession.
President w. J. Tracy of the
league was not present and as Vice
President Edward Taylor of Chico
pee was also away. Manager James
H. CIarkin of the Hartfords was
elected chairman of the meeting.
Although suffering from heavy
cold, Secretary James H. O'Rourke
OBLIGATED as usual with the league
records.
The directors present were: James
H. O'Neil Springfield; Fred Wink
Ter. Holyoke; j. H. Clarkin, Hart
ford; H. r. Durant, Waterbury; c.
j. Danaher, New Haven; DR. George
F. Thompson. Norwich; James II.
Rourke, Bridgeport, and Charles II.
Humphrey, New London.
Smart and Cheney of Meriden
were the center of the meeting.
They ran down from Meriden early
in the morning and held an extend
ed conference with the officials of
the Consolidated Railway Co relative
to aid for their scheme. They espe-
cially requested that aid be given
them relative to erecting bleachers
at Hanover park, Meriden, where
they will make the headquarters of
their team The old bleachers are
rotting and new set must be built.
II will cost some $500 and this
amount Smart and Cheney say that
they cannot raise. They were re-
fused help at the railroad offices and
when they were asked to come be-
fore the league meeting yesterday
afternoon they told the same story.
Mr. Smart said:
1T was discussed in Meriden to
have the Norwich franchise bought
by people who subscribed blocks of
from s25 to $50 each. This fell
through and Mr. Cheney and | said
that we would be two of five people
to subscribe $500 each to raise s2.-
500, of which 81 500 was to go to-
ward buying the team and the rest
for other expenses. We have proved
to be the only people who came up
with a $500 block. This won't do
everything. To-day Mr. Cheney and
stand ready to pay $500 for the
nine. but we haven't money enough
to pay for the bleachers. the uni
forms and other pressing expenses at
the start"
In the league meeting they asked
each team to contribute 500 for the
erection Of the bleachers. Manager
O'Neil Of Springfield pledged that
amount and Managers DuTant of
Waterbury and Danaher of New Ha-
ven followed suit. but no others
would do so. Mr. Smart then said:
This won't give us the sum We
need. We can't take the team un-
less help is given us from some
source"
The circuit committee is hopeful
ofbeing able to get a few hundred
dollars more money in Meriden and
there is still a possibility that help
from the railroad company and the
league may be forthcoming to swing
the deal.
Harmony reigned all through the
meeting. Managers Danaher of New
Haven and o'Rourke OF Bridgeport
shaking hands and chatting pleasant
ly. burying the Ratchet for good.
They have stood together on most
league matters for some tine.
Only two players were in the cor
ridOr-Bili Yale and Jimmy Burns.
both Of the SprinEields- They came
here 10 talk the salary question with
Manager Dan O'Neil. IL seems that
he sent them out contracts last Mon
day which did not contain quite the
most approved figure for the e0miaz
season and after a conference ycs-
terday II was agreed that the natter
might be adjusted later
RETWIJ.N LOVE AND DTTY.