Norwich bulletin., 1910-05-21

| by the fact that cities and towns in | Rhode Island have debt limit that is | defined by the state legislature, and no | town or city can hire or borrow money | beyond that limit except by special act
 of the legislature. There may be such | laws in Connecticut but they don't
 seem to apply to New London.
 Ex- Governor Thomas M. Waller was given permission to address the nnenn- bers of the court of common council,
 Monday evening when the manner of | expending the special $5,00o appropri-
 ation for sidewalks WAS under consid-
 eration. He hit the ordinance that provides that half the expense of new |, sidewalks be paid by the city hard, very hard, although, he did not attend | the city meeting when that particular amendment to the city charter was 1 adopted. He was for the reconsider ation of that particular ordinance, and | would have one substituted that re- | quired property owners to build new i sidewalks which would then be taken | over by the city and cared for there after at the expense of the city. May i or Mahan took an opposite view and
 spoke equally as strong and point | ed in advocacy of the haUlf-snd- half pay plan, but believed that the new
 walks should be first laid in one con- tinuous stretch fin State street, and was opposed to the rate-work plan | favored by Alderman Downey, chair
 man of the sidewalk committee. The | result of the special meeting was the reference of the whole matcr to the | street committee with instruction to 1 report some definite plan at a sub Sequent meeting.
 Of late years the mayor and the | governor have worked in harmony in | all public and political matters and it l was a reminder of old times to have | these natural leaders opposed to each other During the Armstrong admin l fstration every effort of Mayor Arm
 strong to provide for pubIic improve ! ment of the city, or city management,
 was opposed by these two gentlemen | on general principles, and when the
 one was speaking the other was nod | ding approval. But now, they seem to | have come to an agreement to dis
 agree, as was exenaplified st the coun- | cil meeting, and there is liability of
 return of hostiIities that were so
 marked when each was battling for
 leadership of local democracy, with
 occasional joining of forces for the sake of defeating the other fehoW who | was looked upon as a leader by some l of the unwashed democracy.
 Away back in the days when eau cuses were held in old Aborn hall, the first fight between Mesrs, Waller ana Mahan commenced. At that time Mir. Waller was the acknowledged leader of the party and none had the courage
 to seriously oppose. MT. Mahan was
 then young man, just about old enough to vote, still he had the nerve to get right up in caucus and openly oppose some scheme of Mir Waller,
  for his action, for he had actually stamped violently where older demo- crats had hardly dared to tread even with cat-like quietness. MT. Waller spoke with the vigor that was char acteristic of the man of eloquencs, but
 it rolled away from young Mahan as
 smoothly as the water from the back of duck hr. Waller tapped the back of the settee with his slender cane. while Mahan pointed his finger defiant ly at the party leader.
 Since then the two men have had bitter encounters and the most lovabls of love feasts. and the one has used the other for personal aggran dlzement on more. than one occasion since tha forensic encounter in old Aborn hall It is pleasing to Mr Walters many friends to see him still taking active interest in public affairs, and in his plan Of sidewalk improvement he has many disciples.
 Mayor Mahsn is back of the move
 nent to widen and strai0hten Howard street and to rePsve that important thoroughfare even if the contemplated changes would cost in the vicinity et ,000. The plan includes the remoV- al entirely of the building of ex-Mayoa M. Wilson Dart on the corner of Bank and will necessftate the removal of at least q dozen other buildings from tha present to the new street line. This street is altogether too narrow to &C., commodate the traffic and the narrow and circuitous entrance into Bank street has for years been a source of much danger made more so by inc advent of the automobile. If the plan carries the money will be we'll spent, but the old fogy cry is again raised Can the city afford to increase its present indebtedness" Mayor Mahsn believes in public improvements, evil dently without regard to cost, in ex- pectatfon that these improvements will in time increase the tax valuation, and. the city be partially reimbursed fin that way while the public can enjoy the facilities offered for all time, and future generations will be glad to help pay for the general improvement Of the city, even if the work was not done during their time.
 There will be a public hearing on this proposed change early next week. when all interested will be given op- portunity to be heard. If there be no ways and means for carrying out tine plan. Howard street from Wood bridge down to the point where the granite pavement now ends was wid- ened some years ago and the grade materially changed and property all along the line was damaged to a more or less extent and satisfactory. settle ment was made with the property owners affected. A part of this same section is to be widened again accord ing to the present plan and these same property owners or their heirs will coi- lect again from the city: the second payment could have been avoided however. if the promoters of that time were as far-seeing as the present pro gressive mayor of New London. This is only one of the several schemes the mayor has in mind for the general improvement and enlargement Of the city.
 There is trouble brewing in the New London court of common council and it would be no surprise if the re pirbiican members who have not been specially favored by the mayor at pted 10 enlist all the republican members in organized effort to de- feat some of the measuer introduces by the democratic mayor just for the sake of singeing has wings aA6 p0-