The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-30
BONDING OF BRIDGEPORT IS
 AGAIN ARGUED AT CAPITOL
Prominent Bridgeporters Appear for and Against Measure-Strong Demand for Referendum Bond Issues-Speakers Take Issue Upon Various Items of the Measufe Which Calls for Total Bonding of Nearly $1,OOO,O00

 and con, before the committee on Finance at the State Capitol yesterday afternoon, thanks to the activity of Secretary of State Matthew H. Rogers and local senators and representative in securing a re-hearing on the meas ure.
 Prominent citizens and representa- tives of the Board of Aldermen spoke in behalf of the bond measures, and other we'll known citizens opposed the various projects. Others before of attaching @ referendum clause to the bond issue projects so that the people of Bridgeport might have the final say upon the matter. This idea was opposed by several, including eX Mayor Taylor, Moses Manwaring, and Henry R. Parrott who did not think that Bridgeport citizens ought to be consulted on the manner in which their money is to be spent
 When the hearing opened, Secre- tary Rogers explained his reasons for asking the re-hearing, and then 1n- troduced A. M. Wooster of the board of education, who was the first speak CT. Later Senator Garry Paddock of Bridgeport acted as master of cere- monies and introduced the various speakers who favored the bonding measures.
 MT. Wooster opened by stating that there is no question as to Bridgeport's need of greater facilities for it's high school. but there is a question as to the method of obtaining these greater facilities: shall the city bond for f$300,000 and obtain a new high school, or shall the city remodel the present structure at much less eX- pense?
 !, MT. Wooster introduced tentative plans for remodelling, calling for the addition of 23 class rooms to the present structure. With the 16 class would give a total of 39 class rooms, which would be ample to take care of Bridgeport's high school needs for at least ten years to come, in the opinion of MT. Wooster
 MT. Wooster said that his plans of which $100 GOO would be for remOd- cling, $25,O0O for ornamentations s10,- GOO for repairs, and $15,000 to meet exigencies. On the other hand the s300.00 new building project must in- clude a large outlay for land and to date no one has succeeded in finding a suitable site at the price which the $500, ,0O0 would permit, and leave enough to build a decent High School thereon.
 Ex-.Mayor Henry Lee called the com mittee's attention to the fact that the total bond issue is nearly s1O0O. 900, which would plunge the city into debt for years to come. and he opposed the measure upon that ground.
 He favored MT Wooster's plan for remodeHing the High School rather than building a new one. and said that he believed that $25O,GOO is too much for a new almshouse. He said that S15O.0O0 is enough for the High Scllool S100,000 for the almshouse and S100, 900 for sewers would be well spent. But he said that there is absolutely no a new police station in the West End. He also opposed the plan for new $1S.000 fire house. 7.
 Representative Joshua Meltzer made a strong plea for the referendum on the bond issue project. He called the committees attention to the fact that there was a strong disagreement be- fore 1t regarding the necessity of the various bond issues. This in itself constituted an unanswerable argument for a referendum, argued Representa- tive Meltzer, and the only way to find out what the people of Bridgeport really want. is to put it right up to the people themselves; not to take the word of the comparative few who are able to appear at the committee hear ings in Hartford.
 MT. Meltzer showed that he is not opposed to the bonding issues, and realizes the need of improvements. but at the same time is strongly in favor of giving the people of Bridgeport the last say upon the matter
 Ex-Mayor Thomas P. Taylor op- posed the expenditure of $300,0 for a new High School and stated that in his opinion the Wooster plan of re- modelling is preferable. He said that Bridgeport's method is always to ask double what it wants, and the proposi- ton holds true in the present case. He opposed the referendum.
 Moses w. Manwaring favored the Wooster plan of renodelling the High School. He expressed himself as to- tally opposed to the police precinct idea. and stated that when anyone wanted police, he always called the central station, not the precinct. He opposed the referendum in any form.
 Henry R. Parrott spoke in favor of the Wooster plan of remodelling the High School He opposed the other bond issues and also spoke against giving the people of Bridgeport chance to pass upon the matter
 Attorney James A. Marr represent ing property owners who have several millions upon the tax list sprung a great surprise on some of those pres ent by demanding the referendum; furthermore he stated that the refer endum in this case ought to be made easier than to require 15 per cent of the voters for a petition to secure it. He thought that the signature of 100 taxpayers, representing several mill lions of property, ought to be suffi- cient to secure a. referendum on the bond issue proposition.
 Mr. Marr opposed all the bond issues because of the increase in tax rates which would be entailed for many years to come, by the bonding scheme. He demanded a referendum so ar ranged that each item in the proposed bonding measures may be voted upon separately by the people,
 Supt Charles w. Deane of the pub lie school system. stated the urgent need of a new High School building and said that the present inadequate accommodations are keeping at least 90 pupils from attending school
 At this juncture those in favor of the bonding projects had their innings Each speaker was introduced to the committee with a few well-chosen words by Senator Garry Paddock of Bridgeport.
 S. F. Vincent spoke in favor of the Higlr School building plan and stated that he was surprised to hear anyOnes voice raised in opposition to it. He opposed the plan of patching the High School. Regarding the proposed new fire house, he showed that it is to be located in a section of the city very much in need of fire protection.
 Attorney John J. Cullinan. a member of the Board of Education, spoke in