The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-25
Introduced Bill to Mako Bridgeport Pay Damages by Request of Another. Tells Committee He Has Looked Measure Over and Will Have Nothing to
 Do With It.
Boardman. Chamberlain and Mayor Lee Make Argu- ments Helpful to Grab Morris and Wilson Oppose It.
(By Our Staff Correspondent.)

(By Our Staff Correspondent)
 Hartford. March 25.-Rudely strip ped of it's disguise as a measure to grant hearings, the Little Joker" amendment. was shown in it's true light. before the Committee on Cities and 'Boroughs. yesterday afternoon, as an inpudent attempt to make Bridge port, through it's own servants, liable to pay damages to the New Haven Railroad whenever it shall lay harbor lines
 Fayette c. Clark, the representative who introduced the bill, repudiated it. A week ago MT. Clark appeared be- fore the committee, when the bill was about to be heard, and asked for postponment. He said that his intro duction of the bill had been greeted with severe criticism. and that he de- sired, an opportunity to speak in his own vindication.
 This he did, yesterday. saying that ne had merely introduced the bill by request of somebody else. not under standing its meaning He had now read the bill, and he did not desire to speak for it, or to give it his approval in any way.
 nlent in favor of the passage of the
 Little Joker. although he concluded his remarks with the request that the matter be laid over until he 'cen con- suit the city attorney of Bridgeport.
 W.B- BoaTdman, counsel for the New Haven Railroad. appeared in favor of the bill, with John c. Chamberlain. Both represented it as measure to grant hearings to interested persons before harhor lines are laid. Neither of them took the trouble to inform the committee that the real purpose was 10 make the City of Bridgeport should aF- f frYn fov- I
 Lynn ". Wilson and Harbor Master Charles H. Morris appeared against the bill They were not especially timid lsi- their characterize tions of the meas ure-
 MT Wilson said: '1 have listened to MT. Chamberlain's theory that the au- thortty which IS delegated in the pres ent Bridgeport charter to make harbor lines as the State of Connecticut may make them, is a clerical error made by the charter amendment committee of two years ago. of which he was a member. I have seen charter amend ment committees come and go in Bridgeport for many years. So far as know all of these committees, like MT. Chamberlain, have 1abored under the delusion that they made charter of such a committee come out of this general assembly in the form that it -hn<a- when it came in-
 oo not believe that this proper,
 
 Bridgeport upon the recommendation of the predecessors of the committee sitting here. was a clerical error. But whether it was CT not. is of little con- sequence in the case before you.
 .'The question is not how Bridgeport came by the power it has, but whether 1t ought to continue to have it, and whether that power ought to be wiped put, if it is to be wiped out. by a. sur reptitious piece of legislation, which is masquerading here as an act to grant hearings. when it is really an act to make the taxpayers of Bridgeport pay damages for exercising what is in every state in the union, a. public right.
 @If these gentlemen want a hearing to be held before harbor lines are laid by the City of Bridgeport. nobody has any objection It is a simple matter to frame an amendment that will grant hearings without requiring dam ages. The truth is that these gentle hearings and very much concerneS about damages.
 Let me tell you something about this matter. There was formerly a mean line laid by the Federal gov srnment. which had existed for many years This line was moved outward Into the harbor. It was moved upon the petition of a single person. the railroad company in this case. The re- naoval had the effect of permitting this single petitioner to fill in the harbor to make land for it's private use at the expense of the harbor. This with out compensation to the public, or to anybody.
 .fThe Federal government has power over naviGable waters, to protect navi- gation. When this power has been exercised, private persons have the right of wharfing out to the harbor line that may. have been established.
 .But the state of Connecticut has the
 &I,of NnIC ment has to establish harbor lines to protect navigation. The state has dele gated this power to the city of Bridge port and the city of Bridgeport wishes to exercise this power.
 'HThe bill before you, the bill mas uuerading as ali act to grant hearings, and which actually is a bill to compel the City of Bridgeport to pay a sum of money limits the power granted by the state in the city in it's charter.
 Under the charter the city can do what the United States can do and what the state of Connecticut can do. It can exercise the right to protect in it's harbor, without be- ing held to pay damages to persons whose rights do not come into being until the rights of the public have been exhausted.
 'HThe United States government does not will not and cannot pay damages when 1t lays harbor lines. for wharfing rights The state does not. Why should you compel Bridgeport. which IS one-n1nth of the state to do so?
 why should you entertain this 1 amendment so thoroughly exposed by | the newspapers of Bridgeport, and uesHoy the power of the city to pro- | tect It's own harbor in the same way in which it is now protected
 IT these people want hearings give | mem the hearings. but don't give them | the right to demand money of the pub lie for the privilege of exercising a l public right Private property is en- titled 70 orotection. but it is not en- titled to public property"
 HArb0r Master Morris said that he agreed Thoroughly in what MT. wilson