The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-14
NORTH SIDE OF CONGRESS STREET
 ADVOCATES WIN
Aldermen Decide By Over whelming Vote to Adopt Plan Recommended By
 MT. Manwaring
Street Committee Unable to Secure Passage of Re- port that Would Give Idea of Damages If South Side Was Widened

street on the north side between Main street and the west approach to the new Congress street bridge in accord ance with the plan submitted by Pres ident Moses W. Manwaring of the Congress street bridge commission. The report of the committee on streets and sidewalks favoring widening on the south side was taken from the ta- ble on the motion of Chairman John H. McMurray of the committee who moved it's adoption.
 Alderman William E. Primrose amended the motion by the substitu- tion of the proposition to widen on the north side as submitted by the president of the bridge commission. Aldermen McMurray and Jackson both waxed eloquent in favor of getting the widening of the south side before the board of appraisal in order that an estimate of the cost might be secured to compare with the estimated assess ment of $31,0 900 damages in excess of benefits on the north side of the street They claimed that to vote in favor of the south side last night did not mean that the widening would be carried through on that side, but meant that the board would be able to know the actual amount of cost on both sides of the street and be able to govern itself accordingly.
 Alderman McMurray questioned the legality of the amendment to widen on the north side as all previous ac- tion of the council had been rescind- ed relative to the north side. He said the hearing upon which the report of the aldermen was based was heard relative to widening on the South side only. He contended that there were property owners on the north side whose property would be affected un- der the Manwaring plan who were never given hearing even when the first hearing on the widening was held. He said they were the New Haven road and the United Illurninat- ing Go.
 Alderman Primrose stated that the United Illuminated Go. had waived its right to a hearing.
 Those who voted in favor of the widening on the North side were AL dermen Mahoney, Cassidy, Walker, Griffin, Lavery, O'Nefl,- Paddock, Primrose, Gould, Wilder, Bertilson, Fletcher. Bullard, O'Connell. Feyrer and Zink.
 Those who voted against the Prim- rose amendment and in favor of hav- ing an appraisal of the cost of widen ing on the south side were Aldermen McMurray, Clampett, Conlin, Reddy, Brady. Stewart, Jackson and Meyer. Alderman McMurray stated that the committee on streets and sidewalks had gone over the whole ground and was of the opinion that the Manwar- ing plan of widening was to cost in the neighborhood of s55. 900 by the time the city had finished paying for the land of the United Illuminating Co and erecting two new piers to sup port the elevated tracks in place of the stone pier that is now in the way at the foot of the street. He thought it would show good business judgment
 
 sides of the street before deciding the matter.
 Alderman James J. Conlin said to vote in favor of the Primrose resolu- tion would be an effort to stop the board from finding out the cost of widening on the south side. He was of the opinion that it was showing little consideration for the committee which made the report or the taxpay- CTS who had appeared at the hearing in favor of widening on the south side of the street He said 9S per cent of the people who used the thoroughfare favored taking the land from the south side.
 Alderman Jackson read from the alderman's oath that he took when he assumed office to the effect that he would faithfully and impartially eX- ecute the duties of said office.''i Then he said let us get the cost of both sides impartially and then let the ma jority decide His little effusion won applause from. the audience.
 Alderman Gould gave the board the information that the stone which is in the way of the north side widen ing occupied a foot and a half of city property and he thought that this fact would cause the railroad to agree with the city in an effort to straight en out matters at this point. He said he had always found railroad officials to be fair and reasonable.
 Alderman Lavery said that all the large taxpayers in the Tenth district which he represented favored widen ing on the north side of the street.
 The Manwaring plan concurs with the previously arranged layout which takes a twelve foot strip from the north side between Main street and Housatonic avenue, but in addition to this 1t provides for a widening beneath the railroad viaduct and east of the same by taking a part of the land of the United Illuminating Go. and taking down the stone pier of the rail- road which stands directly in the line of the proposed layout.
 The Connecticut Co. which was waiting for the decision of the Com mon Council before locating it's tracks at work this morning on the track work. It will be impossible for the company to run cars into the new car barn until the new track is down.