Norwich bulletin., 1911-04-05
Special to The Bulletin )

\opOClctA tO IihC i1uAl~ti1'(
 Hartford, April 4.-Senator Avery's bill concerning the granting of liquor licenses, in effect giving to county commissioners discretionary power to
 grant licenses within 200 feet of
 church, school or other building that
 is so protected under the present law,
 was heard by the excise committee
 Tuesday afternoon, with prominent
 Norwich citizens appearing in favor
 of the measure. and with the Water street section of Norwich much under
 discussion.
 Present Law Affects Seven Norwich
 Saloons.
 The object of the bill is to broaden
 the powers of the commissioners, they
 having no power under the present law
 to grant a license within the 200 foot
 limit, even though there should be no
 opposition to their doing so. From all
 that was said by the Norwich men it
 was to be understood that the present
 law, should their city vote no license
 and later again vote license, would
 drive seven saloons in the Water street
 section out of business, because of
 their proximity to Trinity M E.
 church. and incidentally greatly reduce
 the value of property in that street
 now used for saloons The commit
 tee was also told that the sentiment in
 Norwich was for segregating the sa- looms, and that Water street was gen.
 orally considered as a place for them
 that was little objected to.
 Comstock Favored Discretionary Pow
 CT.
 Attorney Charles w. Comstock, who had charge of the hearing, was the first speaker. He discussed the ques- ton from a legal standpoint after re- viewing the various changes in the laws relative to the matter under con sideration.
 Under the present law, MT. Com stock said, the county commissioners have absolutely no discretion as to granting license within 200 feet of buildings covered by the law, after town has voted license. The pith of what the speaker afterwards said to the committee was that it would be desirable to allow the commissioners discretionary powers in this respect. In New London county the conmis- sioners are careful in the extreme that no license shall be granted in an un- desirable place, even though such a place be more than 200 feet from a church. school or other building cov- cred by the law. The present law makes all territory within the 200 foot 1 limit prohibitory.
 | Pratt Tells of Danger to Water Street Saloons.
 George II. Pratt, who said he had been in the liquor business in Nor | wich for many years, brought map l of that part of the city about Main and Water streets, that the comDlltte6 might get better idea of just how 1 the present law would affect the deal 1 CTS in that section in case Norwich votes no license. He said the places | of seven liquor dealers in Norwich, all 1 within 200 feet of Trinity M. F. church, l situated on Main street, sixty feet | above Water street. would be closed 1 because of being within the 200 foot 1 limit in such a case, although there IS | no general objection to the saloons re- l maining there, where they have been | located for years and years. MT. Pratt 1 said that in case of a no license vote l in Norwich he could not under the | present law, after Norwich again vot- ] ed license, go back there and again do | liquor business, and in such an event 1 he would feel that his property would l not be worth more than 50 cents on ] the dollar of the present valuation l MT. Pratt said that the Water street l saloons were no more of detr1ment | to the church than if they were forty miles away. He said he did not want 1 law that would cause his property to | be reduced in value by little flop | over on the license question.
 l Judge Barnes Favored Bill. Judge John Barnes of Norwich also l talked in favor of the bill advocated by the other Norwich gentlemen. Judge AyIine Also in Favor. Judge Nelson J. Ayling said that 1 Norwich is peculiarly circumstanced with reference to this particular law ! In discussing the relation of Main and | Water streets he said that they were l d ametrically opposed as to trade con- | eitions, as different as Is Cairo from 1 Boston. It had been the policy of city | administrations to segreSate the sa- | looms in Water street, which is largely l-s. nTa | in Norwich objects to the street being ] used for that purpose. The section IS | under the eye of the police. In favor | of the passage of the bill, Judge AyllnE l told the committee that should the sa- l looms be driven out of Water street | through the operation of the present l law, they would likely perco1ate 1 through sections of the city where 1 they are not wanted. Judge Ayling 1 said he believed he voiced the general when he said, if they are to have sa- 1 looms, they would prefer them as at | present located.
 l Water Street the Place for Saloons. | Henry w. Tibbits said the police de- l partment felt that if liquor is to be sold. Water street is the place. as do l the county commissioners, who have ! cleaned up Franklin square. The heal- | CTS in that section keep well within 1 the law. The section is as little Of nuisance to Main street as of it were | twenty miles away. It is only just l and right that the men doing a l liquor business in Water street should l be protected.
 1 Sheriff Rouse Favors Bill. George w. Rouse, city sheriff, in re- l sponse to questions by Mir. Comstock, l said he had known the Water street l section for years, and that the sa- l looms there are conducted in an order 1 ly manner. He said he knew of no | better place for the saloons than in | that section. He favored d law that | would place within the power of the l county commissioners the right to | grant licenses to those places in case q
 change to no license and back again 1 to license was experienced.
 Senator Avery Also For It. 1 Senator Avery said that Water | street was the most suitable place in tile city for granting licenses. He 1 believed that the county commission | CTS should be allowed discretionary l powers as to granting licenses, subject | on appeal ta review by the superior l court. this in response to question hy Mir. Colnstock.