Norwich bulletin., 1910-06-04
Large New industry for Norwich
One of the Largest Manufacturers of Velvet Ribbon in France Wants to Locate Tere-Special Town Meet ing Votes to Exempt Taxes.

Town hall held an attendance of about 300 on Friday evening at the spe- cial town meeting. It was a repre- sentative gathering of citizens, and proved an enthusiastic session, although it lasted but 25 minutes, during which time several were heard in favor of the proposition and but one against. First Selectman Lillibridge called the meet ing to order at o'clock, and J. J. Corkery was chosen as chairman. The call was read by Town Clerk c. s. Hol- brook, showing that the meeting was for the purpose of taking any action which might be deemed necessary and proper toward encouraging any indus trial ana manufacturing plants to To- cate in the town of Norwich.
 Proposition Set Forth.
 Edwin A. Tracy, president of the To- cal board of trade, addressed the meet ing, calling attention to the fact that a question of new industries always in- terests the citizens and during the last fifty years here it has been the custom to help indutries in different ways. Money has been raised by subscription for the manager of the concern to use, and the result is we'll known. There have been subscriptions to stock of the concern so that it could be brought here, and another method tried hs been the erection of buildings and guaran- teeing mortgages. In all such instance you take the first risk, and the pro- moterseovercomes that You also take the risk of the manager being a busi- ness man, and such result are well known. He did not think that the peo- pie were in sympathy with the ways tried. There is a better way to bring new industries here by encouraging them. and yet having the responsibility is by remitting taxes for a period of ten years. It is not voting your money away, but holding off your hands till tn concern gets on its feet
 For twelve to sixteen years the Po- nenah company did not pay dividend. They were getting on their feet. An- other concern came here ten years ago and their taxes were remitted, and they have done a big business. Today they are paying taxes on S177,0O0. If we had said they can go somewhere else, as a concern was told in New Britain, Norwich would have been a big loser, as is New Britain, for the concern which wanted to go there is now em- ploying 5000 hands.
 A year ago the sum of $5,000 was voaed for the towns celebration and s3.O0o to the Reliance company. Both were Illegal, but the legislature val idted the action because they knew both were a good thing.
 Vote Which Was Passed.
 MT. Tracy read the vote which was passed ten years ago for the J. B. Mar tin corpany, when it was voted to re- init tn taxes and also appropriate S1,-
 
 be sold to the company at cost. This project for the new concern has been in the works for some time and several cables have been sent regarding it. When a cable was about to be sent to them saying Uncertain" because of the legality of the question, President Tracy prevailed upon the local party to defer sending it until after this meeting. This opportunity came to Norwich because it had good sense to extend the same privilege to the J. B. Martin company. Because of that MT. Crozier of the J. B. Martin company offered to MT. Tracy as president of the board of trade to get this concern to locate here.
 The following vote was then read by MT. Tracy:
 Voted. That the selectmen of this, the town of Norwich, be, and they are hereby authorized and directed to in- vite Giron Bros. & Co. of St. Etienne, France to locate and establish their business in this town.
 Voted, That when said company shall so locate and establish here its manufacturing business, this town will and hereby agrees to. and binds itself irreVocably to assume and remit all town taxes that may be assessed or levied on the business of said company and on the land purchased, buildings erected and machinery used therein, constituting the plant used in carry company for the term of ten years from and after the time when the said manufacturing business shall be so To- cated and established
 Voted, That the selectmen be and hereby are directed to make applica- tion if they deem necessary. to the next session of the general assembly for the passage of a special act ratify- ing. validating and confirming the above vote.