Norwich bulletin., 1911-05-12
Special to The Bulletin.)

Special to The Bulletin.)
 Hartford, May 1i.-Men from every county and various cities in the state poured into the ears of the commit tees on finance and roads. bridges and rivers, Thursday afternoon. flood of facts and figures tending to demon strate that the appropriation of $1,- 000,e00 for the development of a great ocean port at New London represents the finest business proposition now be- fore the general assembly of Connec- ticut. Vistas of great port. attract ing commerce from the seven seas, opened before the large number that sat through the hearing, and suggested to them that great opportunity for the commercial development of the entire state is held out-an opportunity of life time.
 Pictures of Greater New London.
 Word pictures of g greater New London and @ greater Connecticut were painted with facility and har- mony of feeling that has not been sur passed in the furtherance of the pas- sage of any measure pending before the present legislature-and not one word was spoken in opposition.
 Harbor Commissioner in Favor.
 Ex-Senator Brennan had charge of the matter of Introducing the speak CTS, the first of whom was Edward H. V 2 harbor commission. who explained, in a general way. the plan and possibil- ities of the proposition.
 Meiss H. Naples of Hartford.
 Meigs H. Naples of Hartford pro- nounced the plan one that should be to the benefit of the entire state of Connecticut, as well as to New Lon don and the eastern end of the state New London's magnificent 1larbor r, 1nff fAI nd hr IanIf rnd an obligation on the state to take ad- vantage of the opportunity: that now presents itself.
 Ex-Mayor Heney of Hartford.
 Mayor William F Heney' of Hartford was another earnest advocate of the ocean port idea He said that it was not question of doing some thing for New London, but of doing something for the entire state. The success or failure. according to the men who have charge of it. You want i the best brains and ability that Con- necticut affords in charge of this werk and a special commission should be appointed to it. He believed that eventually the revenues accruing from the expenditure would be wholly re- paid to the state. In answer to a ques- tion by Senator Alsop of the finance committee, MT. Heney said he believed that a commission appointed by the governor would be fully competent
 Charles Bard of Norwich.
 Charles Bard, Norwich, believed that the plan to improve New Lon don harbor was an excellent one. Wher carried out, he said. the project would have an effect on the Thames river.
 As showing that the idea of devel- oping water ways about New Londor county was not a new one, MT. Barc related how as far back as 1925 WneT the Thames bank was chartered there had previously been chartered by th' state q channel company, the purpose of which was the improvement of thu channel or the river Thames, by deep ening it from Norwich to deep watel
 near Allyns Point; for which charge was levied on all vessels running III the river and in obtaining the char ter the Thames bank was obliged tt
 buy up 2,o0O shares of the Channe compauy's stock and to make fur ther expenditure of $500 a year unti tIs channel was made sufficiently deep The bank was permitted to recover it!
 expenditures, however, except the pur-
 chase price of the stock. by charging
 toll until the amount spent had beer received This arrangement proved very unpopular. though, and th' Thames bank finally gave up it's char ter as a state bank and re-organizet
 under the national bank law as th' only means of ridding itself of aH-ob
 noxious obligation.
 Mayor Dunn of WIImantic. Mayor Daniel A. Dunn. Willimantic said he appeared as a citizen of tn state of Connecticut and talked strong ly in favor of the bill. He spoke of tn gradually increasing, pressure of busi ness at the port of New York and 0 the fact that a new port to -handl transatlantic business. will soon b. necessary. He believed that if the bil is passed that within few years tn population and commerce of the stat will be doubled as the result of tn progressive action.
 Fred L. Ford of Hartford. Fred l.. Ford, Hartford, told of hi investigation in 1909 of the great port l of Europe. He reviewed the devel opnlent of the river Clyde and of tn marvellous development of Glasgow 1 that has coincided with the work 0 1 deepening the famous waterway. Il spoke of the millions spent on wate terminal facilities at Liverpool, Lon 1 don, Antwerp Rotterdam, Hamburg l Bremen, Amsterdam and of the stu pendous works they are doing to se l their share of the worlds commerce 1 We have every facility, he said, to de ve1op on the Connecticut shore DOT equal to any of them, prepared to re ceive the largest ocean liners Tn ] building of a dock system at Ney 1 London would certainly mean that tn l commercial importance of Connectl i cut would go forward by tremendou 1 bounds. He believed the expenditur l of the money would be extremely wise 1 MT. Ford's talk was greeted with pro longed applause.
 Lieut.. Governor BIakesIee. l Lieut.. t.-Gov A. D. Blakeslee said tha l while the appropriation asked for wa l along lines that represent a departur l from any policy that Connecticut ha established. he believed the plan to d so a wise one.
 Ralph o. Wells of Hartford. Ralph o. Wells, Hartford. represent l ing the State Business Mems associa ton, and speaking for that organiza l ton, said that they favored the pro l ject.
 Postmaster Mckinley of New Londo, Postmaster John McGinley. Ne, London, told of the great natural ad vantases of the harbor of that cit, He characterized the rlan to deveio the harbor as state not Ne | London, project. He spoke of tn lxsFeat importance of the port two F1ur Itdred and one hundred years ago an of the possibility that it might aeai
 hscpme So. He told of the advantag,