Norwich bulletin., 1909-10-16

Property owners along the shore of that section of Shaw's cove east of Howard street and for years designat- ed as the Gashouse cove are planning to have the cove dredged and made available for commercial purpose and one of the first things along that line that they seek to, accomplish is the substitution of drawbridge for the stone arch bridge in Howard street, which divides Shaw's cove. This done, effort will be made to have dredging done by the government. on the grounds that this section of the cove as well as the other. which is now used as a yacht basin, was formerly navi- gable waters and that before the foot bridge was put in on what Is now Howard street large vessels went into this cove and up to wharves that lined Shaw street. Vessels of large propor- tiops were built in this cove and it is urged that there is now need for an increased water frontage for conner cial purpose in the cove
 The Hyde Wise works and the new brass tubing factory are now located on the shore of the cove and if it is properly dredged and the stone bridge obstacle in Howard street removed it is believed that within a short time thereafter there will be many factories located there, as vessels could then come right to the yard of the manu-' featuring plants, an advantage that would be appreciated by those seeking desirable sites. This is a matter wor- thy the attention of the Board of Trade and the Business Mems associa- tion.| as it would mean much for the prosperity of New London.
 
 It is evident that the property swn- CTS bordering on Shsw's cove were not rnnGlHepaH u,han of ha Off. fo thers recommended the filling in of this cove and build a new road from the in- tersection of Howard and Shaw street through to Digision street and then on through properly in Bank street to Truman street, to give a better drive way from Pequot avenue and avoid the frequently crowded Bank street.
 This cove is of too much value, by reason of its facilities for manufactur- ing sites. to be converted into any such purpose and there are other avail able routes that would relieve the con- gestion of traffic in Bank street.
 Besides being made available for fac tory sites, it would be well adapted as a winter berth for pleasure and other craft and thereby be of incalculable benefit to the city and incidentally put dollar or two into the wallets of the property owners along the shore. Some of the owners have expressed willing ness to chip in and pay for the initial dredging, provided the city will substi- ute a drawbridge for the old stone arch structure that is altogether too small to aecommodate the present traffic in the cove. There are many who believe that if the city and the owners of property on the cove would commence this work of improvement that then the. general government could be induced to complete the work for the good of the public. E
 It is argued that the cove has been used for commercial purposes in the long ago and with a proper supply of energy in the right direction and a display of public spiritedpess that once again there wilf be vessels Of good size seen in the section of Shaw's cove west of Howard street. There is now a large water area in this section of the. cove and when filling in is referred to it would be well not to take in Shaw's cove when Winthrop's cove is being considered, for this latter cove is now merely a mudfiat and has been gradu- ally filled in so that now it is not one half as large as it was fifty years ago.
 Government engineers know their business all right and when they as sign name to any body of land or water it is of course done with author .lty, and that settles 1t. It IS noted that the government has named that section of New London harbor which lies between the Central Vermont wharf and Water street as a part of Winthrop's cove and perhaps, the gov ernment is right in that particular. But, just the same, years ago that sec tion was one of the busiest parts of New London harbor, for here were at least three of the largest firms en- gagged in the whale fishery, and tho freight depot for a regular line of steamers to New York was located at the foot of Hallam street and all along that part of Water street which the government places on the shore of Winthrop's cove was considered part of New London harbor in those busy waterfront days.
 This was before the building of the Central Vermont wharf. which extend