The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-09

Bedding. Jan. 9-A land project ~own-wide in it's scope and almost De- wildering in it's ambitions and ldeahstic character has lately been engaging the serious attention of good part oi Redding's citizens In it's furtherance several meetings have been held. each with an enIarging circle of the initiate who pledged themselves to secrecy un- til the injunction was removed. Most of them took kindly and some enthusl- ast.cally to the scheme which, in per- lection, would require the cooperation of all the towns land owners. The promoter. however, thinks that 75 or even 50 per cent. of these would be sufflcient
 Broadly speaking the plan seeks to preserve and even enhance the town natural landscape attractions and to enlarge the population by the additloIi of desfrabae citizens only. preserving in this respect the exclusiveness which still pertains to the community oo far this exclusiveness has not peeli
 mArred by the numerous newcomers U! . the last three or four years. Heaoeo bv Mark Twain. who by common con sent ranks as the towns first cltizen, this contingent numbers many lesser Iifararv and artistic celebrities and IS
 wholly composed of "desirable. AS for the earlier arrivals and the natives they may be regarded as emphatlcally in the same class. or course tue SUI nreroe luster belongs to those Of us who are from and of the old resident families. This class would proDao take no offence if alluded to as the saI+ of the earth And not altogether 8 bad lot are those of us who lack ancestral acres and from another view point are not quite up to the discussion of such intricate subjects as BroWnlng' alfalfa: Bernard Shaw. intensive cul- ture: E. H. Hartman, the alleged woozinese of Hamlet and the fourth dimension of space.
 The grand. project had it's inception in the brain of Joseph Tomltnson. brother of Mrs. D. s. Sanford. He was formerly an editorial writer on leading Western papers and is now vice pres1- dent and general manager Of the COX Mufti-Mailer Co.,, of Chicago. Last fall he caune 70 Redding with A. N Pay. president of the company. and they made an automobile trip which took in Ridgeffeld Derby, Stratford, Norwalk and intervening towns. At it's conclusion they discussed the coun- try they had explored and unhesitat- ingly awarded the palm for scenic
 
 able degree did Ridgefield or the seen cry along the Housatonic river im- press them. MT. Tomlinson declared that Bedding was still unspoiled and ought to be kept so for the benefit of the right kind of people who would be glad to establish homes here If objec- tionable conditions were not permitted to intrude. He was so enthusiastic that D. S. Sanford, proprietor of the Sanford School. asked him to put his ideas in writing This he did in a prospectus or outline plan which cov- CTS sixteen large type written pages. While some of the ideas set forth are basic in their importance he explains that many others may be rejected or. amended at the pleasure of the incor- porators, being put forward tentative ly and only as an expression of what in his opinion would be desirable.
 In the introductory part of the paper Mr. TonlinSon says he thinks the peo- pie of Reddfng have remarkable op- portunity to make and preserve for ever a region which will become more famous throughout the world than Con- cord: which will within 50 miles of New York, combine wonderful variety of scenic lovelinees with a population composed of the old New England type and accessions from the ablest literary and artistic genius of the country. These will be scattered over the slightly hills and picturesque valley, the whole by railroad or par venu. by iconoclast or exploiter," the present dwellers retaining their homes and at the same time acquiring com fOrtable fortunes through the sale of portions of their land holdings. These ends can be attained, however, only by prompt united action. Already the mark of the spoiler is in some degree ,1xCA I,1o vlof I1 profit only as the object, would natur- ally work direful consequences in com Darison with the idealistic aims of the project, unfolded by MT. Tomlinson.
 Further on MT. Tomlfnson says of Bedding: 'I have seen grander and more lovely individual landscapes, more rugged hills, sweeter valleys, more pie turesque streams, more striking water falls. gloomier goFges, darker and cool CT forests. more broad spreading trees more charming meadows, equally quaint villages, more notable historical landmarks. a more delightful climate. But have never seen. and think no one has ever seen. region where all of these are so charmingTy combined. Your hills are not too rugged to be practicable for roads and homes, yet sufficiently so to charm those who have daily contact with long sweeps of undulating forests, bold hillsides and quiet valleys and deep woods with their wide variety of trees, ferns and flow CTS, rocks and moss and vines Were the attractions of Bedding sufficiently known it would be simple matter to draw thitI1er as permanent residents several scores of authors. critics, schol- ars, poets and painters and several hundred highly cultured families of wealth whose taste would enable them to appreciate the quaint beauties of the surroundings and whose culture and habits of mind would make them congenial members of such com