Norwich bulletin., 1910-06-11
New LondOn's Changes In 60 Years Where Elder Swan Used to Baptize His
 Converts
THE OLD corr SCHOOL HOUSE NEGLECTED
l. quiry Concerning the Proposed New Boat Landing $5,OO0 to be Expended for Walks-Riversde Park to be Future Popular Resort-New London Hos psble tc aupers from Other owns.

| QCClQt to Du1iQ A WnAFIt WnlEH NDuiA | carry with it berth for a vessel | alongside the wharf, privilege now | employed by the government in the l lighthouse department wharf to the | north. This would leave to the city
 ownership of a clear space Of water | but with no opportunity to build ! boat landing as it would Interfere with | the rights of the owners of the other | two Wharfs. So it was the plan of the | former committee on public property | to build the landing and then practical | ly lock II up, so to speak, until such | time as the railroad company elevated
 the tracks giving the city opportunity | to have free access to the landing | under the tracks and without danger
 to life or limb. Perhaps the present public property committee will carry
 into effect the plan of the preceding committee and thus save to the city a. i place for a much-needed public land
 ing place for boats.
 There will be no patch work in tho
 construction of sidewalks with the $5,oo0 appropriated for walks for the | cided at the council meeting Monday | evening after a heated discussion in which Mayor Mahan gave expression | to his views, giving advance notice that | he would veto any vote adopted with
 that end in view, as there was no | dollar available for any such work. | While $5,000 had been appropriated for 1 sidewalks under the new law, which
 
 | of new walks will be borne by the ! city, as matter of fact practically all | of that sum had been tied up by con- i tract made by the sidewalk committee | for the reconstruction of walks in | Bank street in connection with the re- | paving of that street. The mayor and ! many members of the council are in ! favor of the block system of building
 new sidewalks rather than building n piece of sidewalk here and there about | the city.
 The plan favored is for the council
 to recommend a specified aDpropri-
 ation to be expended in specified
 streets, just as is done when appro- i priations are made for new macadnm,
 and in this way gradually have n
 system of good walks that would be creditable to the city. beginning first | in the business section of the city, and
 then spreading out in all directions.
 Alderman Downey presented batch | of petitions for new walks in different parts of the city and, as chairman of | the sidewalk committee. and instru-
 mental in securing the passage of the i new law, he declared that the law con
 templated the construction of walks ] whenever petitioned for by property i owners, provided the court of common ! council considered such new walks
 necessary for the public safety and convenience. He said this had already been done at the new St. Joseph church property, and that in the batch of i petitions for new walks was one from | the Montauk Avenue Baptist church l and another from the First Church Of Christ Scientist. The mayor said he | WAS in favor of building sideWalks in | connection with the churches, as they i were in a measure public institutions
 and to show his sincerity in that line said he would be glad to include the First Congregational church that had long stretches of walks fin State and
 Union streets, perhaps more than the other three churches combined. At the request of Alderman Downey
 the council took recess for Eve minutes and the street committee went | into conference which was attended | by Mayor Mahan. When the session of the council was removed, Alderman DoWney made raport recommending the laying of new sidewalks at the two churches named, and the tabling Of the other petitions. Such an action was i taken, and the bill of building the sidewalks at the new St. Joseph church was ordered paid, the church
 to pay one-half of the cost.
 Riverside park Is destined to be the New London park of the future and ita
 natural layout will place it among tho
 To the older residents the place was formerly known as Lewis grove and it is here where the public picnics of long ago were held. The city bought
 the section of the grove that was last
 owned by the Post Hill Improvement company and converted it into natural park by clearing the under
 growth and building walks and drives and building a fine entrance. Then
 Senator Frank B. Brandegee and the
 late Sebastian ID. Lawrence gave the city deeds of property adjoining that doubled the size of the park and the
 senator at his own expense cleared the addition and planted additional
 shrubbery and built walks and drives. While this was being completed the owner of an adjoining plot of land of large dimensions planned for the cree tion and operation of saw mill that
 would be detrimental to the useful ness of the park.
 Representatives of the city negott- ated for the purchase of this property but come to no reasonable price. Even
 were this done there could have been
 no purchase as there was no money available at the time If was st this
 junctuFe that the Palmer Brothers company purchased the property and the idea of the. building of a saw mill vanished. The public was confident that the Palmer brothers would not use the land to the detriment of the general public and now that fact has been practically demonstrated.
 The Palmers have made a deed of gift to the city of the valuable prop erty to be used as farther addition to Riverside park. As its name implies the park is large wooded land slop- ing gently to the bank of the Thames river and not far distant from the populated centre of the city of New London.
 This beauty spot has not been ap- preciated by the general public by reason of the lack of facilities of reach- ing the park. It is located in East New London and as yet the trolley lines have not been extended 10 that section, although a loop to the park
 has been given serious consideration by the trolley road offiuials Two years ago assurance MaS given Sena.aY Brandegee that the extension would be made forthwith, but as vet the work has not been done. it ia understood that plans have been made Of the route and that it will be the first new work tO 'D= done by the trolley road oom- panS in New London.
 New London seems Co be easy in some matters. especially Tn the care of psuPers that should be paid for by other towns, or else the town should take prior action that would prevent these men from becoming 0owu Ian Ia Ca ett