The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-04
THE OTHER SIDE Of the Much Discussed Red ding Conservation
 Scheme.
A "Tax Payer" Who Does Not Believe it to be Prac- ticable - Fears it Will Check Normal Growth and Result in Legal Com plications.

Editor, Bridgeport Farmer:-I have been much interested in the accounts you published in the Farmer of the plans and scope of the Bedding Pre- servation Company. I believe you gre doing a good work in publishing the gist of the proposed contract between the land owners and the myth cal somebody, who it is hoped will come forward and perform the wonderful feats in selling Bedding real estate.
 In the interest of those same land owners will you permit me to call ar- tention to what appear to me to be the unreasonable features of the whole plan.
 Land situated in Bedding intrinsical- ly is certainly no more valuable than land of the same general character any other town in Fairfield County. This is shown by the prices paid in the past It is true, however, that during the last few years there has been quite an increase in the demand for land in Bedding. In that section of the town known as the Ridge. this demand can be traced in almost every instance to the influence of one woman who lives there. Many of her friends have shown an appreciation of her rare character and delightful qualities by purchasing homes in her neighborhood, where they could see her and visit with her during the vacation months. This growth. however. can in no sense be called boom, even taking into consideration the increased demand for land in other parts of the town as in almost every instance 1t is due to the personal influence of some one person who has settled there.
 This growth is desirable and wholly normal and. unless it is checked by some such movement as is now under way, will continue; thus affording a market in time for all land offered for sale and at increased prices, for the inevitable law of supply and demand will apply in this case as it has in every other locality. Whenever a resi- dent sells portion of his unused land and this land is improved for resi- neighboring property is at once in- creased because the newcomer has friends who will visit him from time to time and ultimately one, or more, will find just the right place. will pur- chase and then will begin the work of improving the old buildings or erecting new ones, thus enriching the whole community, spending money for labor and the necessities of l'fe and adding to the taxable values of the town. This new resident and property owner in turn brings more friends and visitors who in turn become purchasers until the whole town becomes settled. This is healthy. natural growth and is as it should be.
 The fact that there is now so much unoccupied land in Bedding and the neighboring towns to-day is proof that this plan of development up to the present time has not been overdone. 11-r, >Ao 4Tk l. L recently secured summer homes in Bedding is positive proof also that there is no chance that the town will be taken up by undesirable citizens.
 So far then there does not sem to be any good reason for checking this natural and normal growth in Redd ng. I assume that the proposed plan of the Bedding Preservation Company seeks to enhance the growth of Red ding and not retard it. but I maintain that it is unreasonable. visionary and, if carried out, will result in disaster and in it's effect will retard the growth of the town more than a widespread epidemic of small pox would.
 The whole plan. as outlined in the proposed contract, is based on unsound business principles. For instance: In the preamble of the contract it is stated that the land set apart for sale is to be held subject to sale by the mysterious "C. D." flor twice the fair present value," thus ignoring at the outset the law of supply and demand. The value of real or personal property cannot be doubled in any such way. If it could. some of us would soon be millionaires. Prospective purchasers will soon know of this fact and will refuse to be arbitrarily robbed and will go elsewhere for their summer homes outside the limits of the fairy land of RQd0in0 The rpSuIt will be that many property owners in Red- ding. who would be glad to sell their property at tits fair present va'ue" will not have the opportun ty to do it.
 1t is very plain what A. B.. the prop erty owner, is asked to agree to in the