Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-01-22
PETITION FOR FORMING
TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT

has been stirred up over that petition
and it is given herewith:
The Petition.
To the Honorable General Assembly of
the State of Connecticut to be holden
at Hartford on the first Wednesday
of May, A D. 1927:
The petition of Nathan Champlin
and others humhly sheweth that your
petitioners reside in the west part of
the town of Norwich, that they are
separated from the other part of said
town by the river Thames and the
Yantic above it's junction with the
Thames, that the public meetings of
said town are holden and their public
business all done on the east side of
said rivers, that said Yantic river is a
violent and rapid stream, that the
waters of said river frequently rise so
high that all Intercourse between your
petitioners and the other part of said
town is interrupted and the passage of
said river is at times rendered highly
dangerous. The only passage across
said river Thames is by a bridge upon
which stood the celebrated Methodist
meeting house which was some years
since a subject of discussion before
your honorable body. The fate of that
building must convince your honors of
the danger to which your petitioners
are frequently exposed.
Place of Extensive Business.
Your petitioners further show that
West Chelsea is now a place Of quite
extensive business. Shipbuilding and
the various branches Of mechanical
business are carried on to great eX-
extent, a large wooden mandatory. a
dyeWOod do, morocco do, a pottery,
foundry, a brewery. a distillery and
ropewalk are located among your pc
titionors. The inhabitants Of the west
side Of said rivers are mostly farmers
and mechanics, who rigidly practice
these principles Of economy and indus
try which are the foundations of pub
lie happiness. They have among them
no eXtortiOus overgrown money lend
ers. They support neither lawyer
nor a ply stefan. but the pursuits of the
Inhabitants on the east side of said
rivers are essentially different from
those OF your petitioners. great
portion of them, having inherited or IN
some other way got large estates, are
either idle or are continuing schemes
inconsistent with the wishes OF your
petitioners. They have now two banks
and are anxious for another. They
have one market completed and have
issued proposals for another. They
have now one court house and are de-
termined to build another. They have
got an academy on Bean Hill. Yet
they are anxious for college.
Taxation Without Representation.
Your petitioners have in separate in
stances proposed a candidate for the
assembly but the majority in an OPP
pressive and outrageous manner have
sent the man of their choice and have
not regarded the voice of your petit
TONERS. The continuance of the city
government over your petitioners is a
source of great oppression. There are
in said city six engines, nearly two
hundred men exempted from military
duty to manage them. and although
West Chelsea is a village Of nearly two
hundred buildings, yet neither OF sald
engines are located among your petit
toners. which engines are established
on Bean Hill and other parts of the
east side of said rivers, much less pop
ulous and much less exposed to fire
than the village on the west side of
said rivers.
Habits and Interests Different.
Your petitioners have been heavily
taxed for the support of said engines,
hut are not permitted to participate in
any of their benefits, as it is at all
times particularly unpleasant and at
many times extremely dangerous tor
your petitioners to cross said rivers,
and as by the waters Of said rivers a
a y
your petitioners and those on the east
of said river, and as their pursuits,
their feelings, their habits and their
interests are so essentially different
from those of the rest Of the town,
they think it reasonable they shouIu Dc
separated from those who thus differ
from them. The prayer of your petit
TONERS therefore is that that part of
the town Of Norwich which is on the
west side of said rivers be incor-
porated into a new town by the name
Of Mount Pleasant. with the privilege
of sending one representative to the
general assembly, that they may be
city and your petitioners as in duty
bound will ever pray.
Dated at Norwich, this 9Th day OF
April. A. d. 1927.
Nathan Champlin in behalf of him
self and the rest Of the inhabitants of
Norwich living west Of the Thames and
Yantic.
At a public meeting of the inhab-
itants of the town Of Norwich who
live on the west side of the rivers
Thames and Yantic, held on the 7th
day Of April A. D. 1927, it was unani-
mously resolved that it Is expedient to
petition the general assembly to in
corporate the inhabitants who live on
the west side of the rivers Thames and
Yantic into a new town and that Ma
than Champlin be and he is appointed
agent for said inhabitants to prosecute
said petition.
JOHN NICHOLS,
Clerk of Said Meeting.