Norwich bulletin., 1911-07-08

/ Once upon time there was an un-
| written order in the reporterial de-
1 partment of New London newspaper
! to the effect that when there was dull
ness in local news to knock the po-
lice, and this was probably done to
currie favor with. that portion of the
| people who are continually finding
fault with almost every act of the po
! lice force and almost finding fault be-
| cause the police do not do certain
| things as these people would like to
| have them DONE no matter if the laws
of the state and city We're in opposi-
! ton. But Twas ever thus and ever
thus twill be- and the police will be
continued to be condemned if they do
| their duty and condemned if they
! don't. And now the aldermen of the
| city, or some of them, have the habit.
Among the standing committees of
! the court of common council is one
i on police matters. but still at the last
dermen made open accusation that the
! police We're derelict in their duty as
/ they had failed to order the collector
/ OF waste paper to cover his wagon al
/ though he had made personal request
! to that effect. This matter is of the
/ kind that should be reported to the po-
! lice committee rather than to the
i council as a whole and to the news
! paper representatives at the meeting
/ so that the knock would reach some
/ of the constituency of the knocker, for
without this publicity or desire for it
/ the complaint would probably never
/ been made in open meeting but direct
/ to the committee.
| This alderman is now serving his ap-
premiership and another of the same
indenture chimes in on the new
toan SCALE His crack at the police
is not of the short jab order but is
direct from the shoulder, for he open
! ~ advocates the calling in of the state
police to regulate the automobile traf-
ic in the city of New London with
special reference to speed, which is
going just a step in advance of the So
Ions at Hartford who do not consider
a law to regulate the speed of these
vehicles as essential provided they
are not driven rec<less1y. Perhaps that
if instances of reckless driving were
brought to the attention of the police
committee the matter would receive
police attention. But there seems to
be a persistent desire to knock the po-
lice even if the opportunity is made
for the occasion.
With the trolley cars running on
double tracks in State street and with
no relief in sight from the court of
common council, the trolley company
refusing % make change under the
threat that if the council is persistent
the old twenty minute schedule viii
be restored. So the matter was drop
ped for reasons that look plain to even
those on the outside. Still one of the
aldermen apprentices insisted that the
traffic in State street be regulated ana
that the police department be instruct
ed to place two officers on State street
to enforce the ira fife regula tons, what
ever they may be, for there are no To-
cal ordinaces except such as covered
by statute as to driving in the right
of the middle of the road
The matter of the course of automo-
biles, as to keeping to the rightswhile
in motion and heading to the right
when at stand still and so on. is not
embraced in any ordinace known to
the city of New London Nor is there
an ordinance that legally determines
just how long an automobile will be
allowed to stand in front of a store,
no matter whether the automobile is
owned by the storekeeper as a delivery
wagon or touring car. from Tennes-
see or any other place.
Therefore the police would have just
little difficulty in trying to enforce
an imaginary ordinance. 1t might be
well for some of these apprentices to
draft a traffic ordinance, urge its
adoption and then insist upon its en-
forcement About two years ago
special committee was appointed to
ton of traffic but most of the mem
bers ere retired from office before
any plans were formulated for such
an ordinance.
To get back at the starting point
how can traffic be satisfactorily ad-
justed in State street with trolley cars
running in the same direction on
double tracks, both on the right and
left sides of the middle of the road at
the same tirne2 There would be rea-
l. IL.
gality of an ordinance of traffic that
disseminated in favor of cars as
against other vehicles in the direction
which they should travel.
Under the provisions of the will OF
the late Sebastian D. Lawrence a sub
stantial sum of money was set aside,
the interest of which is to give to the
inmates Of the almshouse a good old
fashioned dinner at Christmas and
Fourth of Judw of each year The first
dinner under the Will was served on
Tuesday to the fifty-six inmates and
they We're given 10 understand plain
ly that the extra feast was not served
at the expense of the city, but were
assured that another good old-fash-
toned dinner" of the Christmas sort,
would be served on the twenty-fifth
of December and would be repeated on
these two days perhaps to the end of
time or when there are no more I'M
fortunate poor and almhouses or town
farms.
Many of the inmates expressed ap-
probation of the generosity and the
thoughtfulness of the late Mr. Law
renee in remembering the poor, not
only in providing for these dinners
but in giving to the people a free hos
pltal. to the poor d new almShouse and
monuments to the soldiers and sailors,
to tha volunteer firemen, all of which
bare monuments to the Lawrences,
whose acts have proven that New
London is better for having had these
l men numbered among it's residents.
One of the inmates of the almShouse
made declaration that he had known
Joseph Lawrence, father of Joseph,
Frank and Sebastian, and also knew
the sons personally, and was familiar
with the mode of living of Frank and
Sebastian. but felt confident that when
the end came that the money accu-
mulated by these money-making men
would be devoted in the main to the
public good.