Norwich bulletin., 1909-04-21
FREE FERRY BETWEEN
NEW LONDON AND GRoToN
In Hearing at Hartford Speakers Rec
ommend Commission to Consider
the Matter-Mayor Armstrong Heard
Especial to The Bulletin }

Especial to The Bulletin.)
Hartford, April 90 - Chairman
! Charles w. Comstock of the demo-
cratic state committee appeared before
| the committee on roads, bridges and
rivers this afternoon as the first speak
| er in favor of a free ferry between
| New London and Groton. He asked
| the committee to recommend a COM
| mission to consider the matter of
| free ferry and report to the next gem
eral assembly. He desired to see a
free ferry, but doubted if the state was
! ready to go further in this line of-ex-
| pense when it faces the expenditure of
a million dollars for the bridge between
| Old Lyme and Old Saybrook To free
this ferry would cost upwards of $780,
| 600 and. while he wanted it, two years
| from now seemed to be ample time to
/ take this up.
So far as making the railroad bridge
| a highway bridge is concerned. he is
| in favor of that if the state feels like
| putting the expense of that on to the
| towns affected. and the towns can
stand it. but didn't believe the state
| could afford it now
Capt Thomas Hamilton favored the
| commission to take up the matter of
| free bridge or free ferry-he didn't
| expect bOth-but thought the next ses-
| sion time enough to take that up. The
| five years yet and won't be giving it
| to anybody.
The point was made that the rail-
| road desired to know what was to be
| done in order to know where to place
| its new bridge, which would have to go
| farther up stream unless the present
| bridge is to be removed. Captain Ham
1 ilton said he doubted if there was any
| thing in this, for the New Haven road
1 is now building not drawbridges but
| bridges of the roller lift type, had built
several and would build that kind
| here. So that there wouldn't be the
need for great distance between
bridges.
I'm one of those people who have
| lost all they expect to in speculating
| in futures" remarked Mr.. Comstock
! rising at this juncture. IF the legis-
\ Iature is TO do anyirg about a commits
| sion to report on free ferry or free
| bridge it ought to be done now and
| not deferred so that the report would
come four years from now at the
| earliest. We want this in our lifetime.
! if possible"
! Senator Alsop informed the gentle
| men present that there was in prepara-
| ton a scheme for a commission to go
| into all the ferry matters and Mr..
| Comstock felt that this ferry matter
! ought to be included in it's work.
| Representative Wilton of New Lon
| don said that the great interest soUth-
! eastern Connecticut has in the Con-
! necticur river bridge project made it
| advisable not to complicate the mat
| ter at this time and he agreed with
| Captain Hamilton as to the propriety
| of deferring the matter
| Mayor Armstrong of New London IN
! sisted that now was the time for ac-
| ton and quoted President Mellen as to
| the fortunate circumstance of his hav-
/ ing brought up the matter with him
/ when he did some months ago, for it
| would be necessary to change the rail.
| roads plans if the present bridge was
/ to stay where it is, and those plans
| filed with the treasury department
/ calls for new bridge just 110 feet
north of the present bridge.
/ This had all been concerning the
| free bridge. and the committee took
\ up the ferry matter now. p. S. Schel-
| :ens of GrotOn stated to the committee
| that he had concluded to offer the
J committee to himself take over the
| ferry and operate it in every way Just
| as at present and at a reduction of
| one-third in the present rates This
| proposition IS to cover the period until
! there is highway bridge and Mr..
! Schellens offered to deposit a guaran-
| tee. He stated that he did this for the
| advantage OF the people of Groton.
Senator Alsop asked how he could
| acquire. the ferry and Mayor Arm
| strong stated that doubtless the ferry
company would be glad to be rid of
! proposition which their testimony had
| shown to be profitless since 1901.
| A. H. Chappell answered the chair
/ mans question as to the concerns cap
! ital to the effect that at was $4,000.
! Mr.. Schellens said he didn't contem-
| plate buying this.
| Mayor Armstrong prefaced his re-
/ ma ri Wit fa bA Col
| of the ferry company to make any
| substantial effort to carry out it's
| promise to do anything possible tow
! ard building a subway on the New
! London end.
| c. B.. Whittlesey explained for the
| Thames Ferry company that the COM
| pany's letter to the city authorities
| endeavoring to open this matter, in
! the carrying out of which the city and
/ the New Haven road must necessarily
! participate, produced no response from
l the city.
Mayor Armstrong also corrected his
! statement of a week ago that over
| 100000 transfers passed between ferry
| and trolley on the Groton end in 1908
| by saying that the actual figures are
! over 100000 and the net return to the
| ferry company $4,000. He went on to
| denote the interest in the matter on
| the side Of the ferry company held by
most Of the witnesses at the first hear
| ing, saying he was sorry he wasn't
4 present.
! He went over the various testimony
| given then and said nobody who ap-
| peared in favor of the present rates
was a resident of Groton or frequent
user of the ferry.
The mayor went on to discuss the
| profits made by the Thames Ferry
( company The city auditor had been
! refused sight of the books Of the
| company to compile a statement for
| Mayor Armstrong and after c. F.
| Washburn, the auditor, had been given
written authorization by the ferry
committee the company had written
| the committee an offer to show its re-
ceipts. but refused to show its expen-
| ditures.
#. v. Chanpell Immediately offared