The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-18
FREE WATER
Bridgeport Hydraulic Company Also Heavily Taxed in Suburban
 Communities.
Speaker Banks and Representative Peck Oppose Rescissioi of Veto Power in Towns = Mayor Lee and Hydraulic Company Arrayed With Them Against BridgepOrt'S Purchase Bill.
By Our Staff Correspondent)

(By Our Staff Correspondent) Hartford, March 1S.-The City of Bridgeport, a mere center of popula- tion in state governed by small towns, met Fairfield, Stratford and
 the Bridgeport Hydraulic company in
 battle array before the committee on
 Cities and Boroughs, yesterday after
 noon. The occasion was the amend
 ment to the charter of the city of
 Bridgeport making certain proposed
 changes in the law which authorizes
 the city to take the water works by
 eminent domain, subject to the veto of
 the suburban towns.
 The phalanx of the Bridgeport Fly
 orau1c company was composed of two
 or three attorneys and various gentle
 men who have more or less actively
 lobbied for the company for several
 years.
 Stratford was led by Representative
 Charles H. Peck, followed by the off,
 cial population of the village.
 Fairf1eld's doughty champion was speaker Fillmore S. Banks. who brought along most of the Fairfield town off cers.
 Mayor Lee advised the committee
 that it ought not to give Bridgeport the legislation for which it is asking.
 Robert H. Gould who is a member of the Board of Aldermen, as we'll as the young candidate for deputy judge of the City Court, spoke for the amendment, representing the Common Council of the city of Bridgeport.
 Lynn w. Wilson, who is the reputed father of the legislation also spoke briefly in it's favor.
 Two years ago when the matter came before the General Assembly it appeared that the water company in the case was depending upon Fairfield and Stratford to block any aspirations for public ownership entertained by Bridgeport
 Yesterday the reason appeared.
 Fairfield receives water free of charge for all public purposes. 1t also receives a sum in taxes that is relatively much greater than Bridge port receives. It is also supplied with water from a selected source. Its in- habitants are always to have water at as cheap rate as the inhabitants of Bridgeport.
 stra tford has similar privileges.
 Representative Peck said that his town was satisfied with the treatment it received from the Hydraulic Com pany. piled with water without charge he said. Our town buildings and our schools are supplied without charge. We value this water at 5000. We re- 800. We are satisfied. We are afraid the people of Bridgeport would not treat us as well if they controlled the plant of the company
 He was supported by Sheriff Charles E., Stagg, First Selectman Charles E. Wells, Assessors David L. Rhoades, | Town Treasurer George T. Jewell, Tax Collector F. P. Beardsley and Post | master William B. Bristol.
 Speaker Banks said: 'The people of l Fairfield are satisfied with the Bridge l port Hydraulic Company. If the bill l should appear without conferring veto upon the project to Fairfield, assure you I should leave the chair | and oppose it"
 It appeared that Fairfield also is | supplied with water free of charge for | public uses, and receives a large sum In taxes.
 Attorney Sanford Stoddard informed the committee that the company really | was not interested in the bill. Never -heleSS he asked the committee to give favorable consideration to a petition edged by the company. The petition nvokes a statute which has long been ! dead letter. The statute requires ! charter amendment to be advertised some days before the opening of the General Assembly.
 MT. Could called the attention of the committee to the action Of the council. | He said: "The aldermen of Bridgeport voted IS to five in favor of the pas age of the bill before you;it had plu- .aIity of IA. The measure as adopted ,y the council has been properly sign d by the mayor.
 Mayor Lee then asked the committee lot to pass the bill. He sad that Bridgeport could not purchase the wa CT company without going in debt.
 MT Wilson in reply to all that had ,een said spoke in part as follows: lot ask that unusual powers be con- erred upon the city of Bridgeport. It proposes merely certain changes in egisIa ton which has been upon the , ooks since 1875 The legislature has ttempted to give the City of Bridge ort power to purchase the works own- , d by the Bridgeport Hydraulic com- any This company supplies Strat- ord Fairfield and Bridgeport with 7ater.
 embIy is under the constitution. in matters of this kind, the representa- ouncil is representative of the people f Bridgeport What I say to you and that other persons appearing here as idividualS may say to you about the ttitude of the City of Bridgeport will e of little value. You cannot know ne motives of any of us. our interests. r the extent of our knowledge The 3 oice of the city of Bridgeport you U lay know. | NO injustice can be done to the s ridgeport Hydraulic company under ( lis bill True. the city proposes to eize the property of the company by e ne power of eminent domain. But c lis is no unusual power. It is power t. nat is given by this General Assembly $ , any two by four private corpora c ons that ask for it. It is a power zercised by this very company It is
 power that cannot be exercised by A ridgeport or by any body. under our W ws without payment of just com W ensation to the owners of the property to lat is taken. R This bill differs from the law now u the books in that it attemrts to D. Ike away from the towns of Fairfield Id Stratford the power to veto the p' .tion of the city of Bridgeport. if it Jt ould decide to purchase these works lii e do not altogether complain that M e actual water users in these com Js unities may vote upon this question. | SC Ut also those are permitted to vote m ho are not in the water district of cf ese towns and who never will be- so F r as human judgment can perceive. F