Norwich bulletin., 1910-03-26
NEW LONDON LACKS CIVIC PRIDE
If Mayor Mahans Viewpoint of the City the Mouth of inc names is Correct-The "Soiled Doves" Find Private Retreats-EvanseIical Work by Pentecost and Nc ,aly.

Mayor Mahan declares that New London's chief drawback is the lack of civic pride among it's citizenship and that if his plan of expansion was approved that in a few years the city would become what it should have been long ago; one of the leading cities of the state. He was in favor of reaching out and take within the city limits lands that are now almost as a waste desert. He also realizes that land is of no value unless 1t Is improved and favors going to the leg islature and getting authority to raise money for parks and general improve ments of a public nature. and in spending that money, in road building and general Identification of the added territory. Then the city would have opportunity to grow and there would be no longer truth in the statement that New London has no advantageous sites for large manufacturing concerns or residences of magnitude.
 He favors general improvement Of conditions in what is now termed the business centre of the city and es- which is too narrow from Tiliey to State streets for the present traffic and believes in doing something for the future New London, as well as that radical changes in the present antiquated system of city manage ment is not popular with the practical ly retired and wealthy citizens who seem content with present conditions and desire to live in quiet New Lon don in the quiet and old-fashioned way as did their daddies grand dad dies and great-grand-d -daddies, on the Washington is good enough for me" The mayor knows that to take radi- cal action in broad public improve ment means a howl of indignation from the calamity howlers but he is ready to take the lead even at the risk of being Mailed to the cross" so he says, and he comes near meaning just what he says in that particular.
 Mayor Ma.han told this correspondent that wrong interpretation was made of his reference to lower Bank street as "The hell hole of nastiness," as he simply intended that remark for the of Bank street and Montauk avenue, which has always been an eye-sore, and since the opening of the avenue has actually been a detrdment and adetriment to the whole city a living example of the lack of civic pride. That plot should be converted into park and the old shacks in the 1m- mediate vicinity taken down and build ings substituted that would be in keeping with a progressive city, and New London would become progress sive if Improvements of this character were made. The mayor intends to make a special fight along the line of public improvement, even if the move may be at the start unpopular, beiiev- ing that once the work is commenced the. people as a whole will begin to realize that it pays to be progressive and keep pace with other cities of progress.
 Even if Bryan F. Mahan is the dem ocratic mayor of a republican city he evidently has the upper hold on all public matters of public interest that carries large expenditures of money, for whatever he suggest he carries to successful issue without regard to cost or consequences, and practically with out serious opposition of the taxpay- CTS who pay the freight. Right or wrong, whatever comes from Mayor Mahan goes with those who attend the city meetings, for those who oppose as a rule remain away rather than have the enmity of the man on horse- back. Things were different when Mayor Armstrong reigned and tried to give the people a business administra- ton, as everything that emanated from him was defeated by organized op- position with members of the repub- lican- party vieing with alleged dem ocratic leaders to get in the front ranks. MT. Armstrong was opposed, right or wrong, and now the common people are beginning to realize the fact