The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-25
ATLANTIC Street
OR SOUTH AVENUE,
The BIG DILEMMA

The Common Council. last night,
designated the committee on streets
and sidewalks to meet with the Park
Commission, to discuss the best troll
ley route to the public bath houses.
through Seaside Park. Two routes
are favored, both branching from the
South Park avenue line. One pro-
posed route is via South avenue, and
the other is via Atlantic street. One
route is opposed by the Crane Valve
Company. and the other by the veal
thy residents in the neighborhood OF
Atlantic street, who do not want troll
leys to run near their handsome resi-
dences.
Attorney Alexander L. Delaney APP
peared before the council for Rev. T.
r. Sweeney, pastor of Sacred Heart
church, and for a number of workers
in the Crane Co. He opposed the
tracks being extended through South
avenue. The Sacred Heart school is
at Park and South avenues, and with
cars coming in three directions. the
lives of the 500 or more little chill
dren in the school would be placed
in constant jeopardy. In going
through South avenue, the cars would
pass underneath the viaduct and
would cross the industrial railroad of
the Crane Co. in a number of places,
besides two private tramways. None
Of these conditions exist in Atlantic
street, which leads straight into the
park. Atlantic street, he stated.
would open up a great deal of terri
tory. The line in this street would
tap an altogether new section, but in
going through South avenue it would
be brought through the manufacture
ing section. The line through Allan
tic street would not bring the en-
ployes Of the Crane Co. bit farther
from their work, and would be but a
block and half distant for employees
in the other factories.
Speaking in opposition to the lay
ing of the lines in Atlantic street, and
favoring South avenue,Attorney Jacob
B. Klein, who made it known that
he represented the property owners
in Atlantic street west of Park ave-
nue., and none Of the officials of the
Crane Co. said that q line should be
built which would accommodate all,
not one that would only accommo-
date bathers for about II weeks in
the year, and at another time the
workers, but one that would serve for
all, all the time. This could be done
only by laying the tracks in South
avenue. Such line he stated would
pass the plant Of the Malleable Iron
Co., would carry the employees of the
Deoxidized Bronze & Metal CO., the
Bridgeport Hardware Co., the Hotch-
kiss Manufacturing Co., N. Palmer &:
Co., the Park City Lumber Co., and
would leave the many employees of
the Crane Co. right at the gate. At
torney Klein stated that back of 1t
all there is another question. The
Crane Co. Is showing it's hand. In
favoring the Atlantic street extension,
1t seeks for the closing OF South ave-
nue.. The company has made three
unsuccessful attempts to have that
street closed, and at the present time
there is a question before the city at
tcrpov avay. tho right of tho citv in
the street. South avenue, he stated
is a Telford road constructed by the
Eaton, Cole e. Burnham Co. at a cost
of $4,000. which amount was later
paid by the city to the. predecessors
of the Crane Co. The tramways
who push cars. The standard gauges,
he said, are in front of the factory.
IF the council permitted them," he
said, sit is wrong, they are eyesores. -
''I think" the speaker said, that
Bridgeport has been very liberal to
it's manufacturing interests. They
give them everything and get really
nothing in return. It is really too Bad
that this company should have been
permitted to locate where it is. That
immense piece of land should be part
of our park system. Bridgeport should
not only be an industrial city, but
also big and wholesome" Attorney
Klein stated that in going through
Atlantic street it had been said that
the road would open up a residential
section. He stated that it is not pro-
posed to organize realty company
to bring the people there. He aske ed
for the best facilities for all the peo-
pie. The greatest number are agreed
that South avenue is the logical
thn~on~hfare in which to lay the troll
ley lines.
Attorney William B. Boardman
representing the Horace Smith estate
and the Wheel & Wood Bending Co.,
owners of property adjoining the Bar
mum dyke, stated that he agreed with
the view of Attorney Klein. He said
that it would be really ungrateful on
the part of the city to help along a
company to close up South avenue
and iEjure the Smith estate which
made the street possible.
President George M. Games of the
Park Board declared that it would be
advisable for the board to appoint a
committee to meet with the Park
Board and others interested and try
to arrive at some solution. The Join,
body could meet, keeping in mind
that there is an actual demand for
the deliv erance of passengers furthe r
west in the park" Commissioner
Eames would not state which road of
travel he favored.
jeremiah Reilly stated that every
resident of Atlantic street, including
himself, is opposed to the laying of
the lines in that street. A representa-
tive for Wilson Marshall also op-
posed.
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