Norwich bulletin., 1909-02-11
HEARING ON DANlELSoNVILLE
COTTON coMPANY's PETITION
To Conduct Electricity from Its New
Power Plant to Its Plant in Daniel
son-The Power of Eminent Domain.
Especial to The Bulletin }


Hartford. Feb. 10.-In the matter of
whether or not the interpretations COM
mittee will pass favorably on the petit
tion of the Danielsonville Cotton COM
pany to conduct electricity from it's
new power plant near the dam on the
Quinebaug recently erected by the com
pany through the towns of Killingly
and Pomfret to it's plant in Danielson,
the chief point is in the doubt about
the right of the state to give the con-
cern the power of eminent domain for
taking land on which to set it's poles
for the transmission line. The COM
pany wishes to keep off the highway,
II possible, notwithstanding the fact
that the town authorities of Killingly
would gladly have the poles in the
highway in order that the concern may
complete this power plant and use the
power and, being unable to purchase
private right of way at reasonable
rate has applied to the legislature for
the right to condemn land for this pur-
pose in addition to the right to build
this transmission line
Judge Harry f. Back of Danielson
appeared before the committee at it's
hearing on the matter this afternoon,
and General Manager JohnstOne of thu
company was present, but was not
called upon to speak Mr.. Back stated
that the company had tried to buy a
private right of way, but that the
Yankee farmers C'And they are Yam
KEGS" said he. They're good, shrewd
fellows.D whose land must be pur--
chased had got together and put up
the price to a prohibitive figure. They
had combined to ask $40 a hole for the
poles where the usual price over the
state is 50 or SO a hole. The company
would thus be compelled to pay up
wards of $4,000 for its right of way It
17arr Iii
hole for the sake of avoiding delay, but
not $40.
Judge Parker, the house chairman Of
the committee. discussed the point re-
garding the eminent domain with him
at some length and doubted that Mr..
Backs contention that the law would
hold the right to transmit power as
essentially the same as the right of
tiowage for the purpose of obtaining
the power to be sound. The courts
have held and it has been soundly es-
tablished that the creation of water
power is public benefit and therefore
land for the purpose may be con-
demned, but to transmit the power six
miles over an artificial course he con-
sidered different matter. It Is the
first time Connecticut has been asked
to give this right and Judge Parker
didn't believe there was charter in
which there was the right to condemn
land for a canal to carry water from
a mill pond. which Mr.. Back held 10
be analogous to the transmission line.
Mr.. Back believed he could show char
ters which did grant this right, and
the committee suspended Judgment on
the matter to give him an opportunity
to do so.
In presenting the general matter Mr..
Back briefly sketched the history Of
the Danielsonville cotton mill, which
he said had never been made to pay
by any Of its various owners until the
Kirtlands of Dedham got hold of it a
few years ago. 1t is due to their eff
forts that Danielson hopes that the
next ceEsus will show an increase in
population instead of the decrease be-
low the 1890 census shown by that Of
1900. The concern employs 345 hands
and will employ 125 more when the
additions to its plant now building are
finished.
Needing more power, It has gone SIX
miles up the river and built a new
dam which holds back a large body of
water and power plant where they
can eventually generate 1900 horse
power. Now the company comes to
the legislature for the right TO get this
power down to its plant not wishing 10
do as has been done by some others
and he mentioned the Grosvenordale
company-build a transmission line
without the right. The selectmen of
Killingly have asked the officials of the
company to make application for the
right to come down the highway but
they don't wish to do this having the
interest Of the public in mind