The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-20
ALDERMEN BALK AT MAYORS ATTEMPT TO DISCONTINUE
 THE CITY HARBOR LINES
Republicans and Democrats Table Report of Majority of Harbor Committee
 by Close Vote.
Minority Report by Alder man Mahoney Favors a
 Compromise Line, With Division of Disputed Area

Division of Disputed Area which included the immediate discon- : tinuance of the City Harbor Line, fell by the way side last night, when the Common Council, by a vote of 13 to F, voted to lay the majority and mi nority reports upon the table.
 Aldermen whom the mayor might have had with him upon a vote based squarely upon the proposition to make the city line co-incident with the gov ernment line. would not follow his lead in a course which seemed to them so recklessly hasty and scandal provok- ing as the discontinuance of the city line. before any other line was ready to take it's place
 The majority report, expected, contained two sections. The first sec tion provided for the immediate dis continuance of the City line.
 The second section provided for a hearing upon new city line to be held May 3. the new line to be coinci- dent with the government line.
 The minority report, signed by All derman Daniel Mahoney Jr., provided for a hearing to be held upon May 3, to discontinue the city line and to ies-' tabilsh new city line, in such way as to divide the eleven acres of harbor area in dispute about equally between the New Haven railroad and the city. Alderman Mahoneys report was con- servative. It indicated that no good reason existed why the city line should be discontinued until the proposed new lines were ready
 Alderman Tague, chairman Of the Harbor committee, moved the adop- ton of the report of the majority, car of the city line. Alderman Mahoney moved that the whole matter be tabled for two weeks. Alderman Tague spoke to the motion. Alderman Gould called the attention of the mayor to the rule that a motion to table is not debatable. The vote was taken without further remark.
 Aldermen Gould, Bullard, Meyer and OsConneIl. who previously voted for a compromise line, voted to table. These are the aldermen whom Mayor Lee has described as rebels, or indepen- dents ever since they refused to en- gage in harbor grabbing.
 On the Democratic side Aldermen OsNeil and Tague voted against ta- bling. Alderman Conner was absent Alderman Brock, who previously voted in favor of the government line, voted to table, largely, it is said, because he could see no good reason for the haste involved in an immediate discontinu- ance of the city line, before any line is . eady to take it's place.
 To the Honorable Common Council
 of the City of Bridgeport,
 Gentlemen:
 The minority of your committee has carefully considered the mat ter of new City Harbor Lines, and has given especial consideration to the arguments in favor of the so- called government line which have been repeatedly advanced by his honor, the Mayor.
 After careful consideration of all the facts presented it does not ap- pear that a good reason exists why I1a yiSfir mo arh discontinued before others are ready to take their place. There is no occasion for haste in this matter or for taking any action that will unnecessarily invite the criticism of the public
 We recommend that no change in the existing City Lines be made un- til the proposed City Lines are ready for adoption.
 Nor does the minority believe it will be for the best interests of the city to make the City Harbor Lines coincident with the so-called gov ernment lines.
 In place of this proposition we recommend lines up to and through the Naugatuck Wharf, but which, between the said wharf and the Henry street Basin, would occupy a position midway between the present city lines and the govern nent lines.
 This proposed line divides the ter
 
 that the owners of the upland re- ceive almost six acres, which they can fill in and turn into upland, while some five acres and almost a half adjacent to the West anchor age basin are preserved to the City. It will be remembered that the area between the present city lines and the government lines between Naugatuck Wharf and Henry St. Basin is little less than twelve acres.
 From the Henry Street Basin the proposed line follows the govern ment lines. We recommend the passage of a resolution as follows:
 . Resolved; That the City Clerk be and hereby is instructed to notify all parties in interest to appear be- fore this Common Council on the third day of May, 1909, at o'clock in the evening. and be heard in re- lation to the discontinuance of the of the Pequonnock River from Stratford avenue south establish ed December 1906, and in relation to the establishment of d new city harbor line, coincident with the said United States Harbor lines up to and through the Naugatuck Dock, then diverging therefrom ac- cording to the lines shown upon the map hereto annexed, and re- joining said government line at Henry street Basin, thereafter re- maining coincident with said gov ernment line
 Signed, |
 DANIEL MAHONEY, JR-