Norwich bulletin., 1912-03-12
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
The Site for the Sanaterium.

Mr. Editor: Is the town of Norwich
to have its face slapped by the state
tuberculosis commission and do nsth-
ing?
The purchase of the Post farm b.
the commission is generally under
stood to have been contaminated be-
fore the public had been informed that
it was considered as q site.
On February %, a regularly called
meeting Of tina Norwich board Of trade
at which there was an unusually large
attendance, by a unanimous vote pass
ed resolutions to the effect that it was
opposed to the location of the sana-
forum on the Post property and re-
questing the commission to select an
other site. Also, q committee of five
representative citizens was selected to
confer with the commission
On February "a. the Central Labor
union passed resolutions stating that
if the commission would locate the
sanatorium elsewhere than on tip
Post property, they would be satisfied
as citizens.
Both of these meetings were called
IN pursuance Of the suggestion Of q
member of the commission, that ex-
pressions from the board of trade and
the Central Labor union, favoring d
change of site would probably result
in change, especially if accompanied
by the offer of another site without
cost to the commission.
On February &c, letters were writ
I ten to some twelve physicians of this
city, asking them for an expression of
( opinion regarding the advisaOility Of
{ locating the Sanatorium on the Post
farm, All but one wrote letters strong
ly opposing the plan and many char
acterized il as a Serious menace to
the best interests of this community.
On March 2, the board of trade com
mittee offered to the commission free
of charge a deed Of the Sholes proE-
erty, which seemed to meet all the
( requirements, as a site for the sana-
torium.
| 1t later developed that this property
was on the watershed Of the Norwich
| Insane hospital.
Yesterday morning the board OF
| trade committee stated TO the com
mission that, if this made it inadvis-
able to accept the gift of the Sholes
! property, they would, with the assist
ance of the commission, select another
| site
The committee then requested that
| tRe commission, in any event. take
/ no definite action regarding building
on the Post site without first advisins
( the committee To this. the commits
! sion agreed.
/ \ few hours later they decided tc
| build on the Post property and kept
! their agreement by sending a telegram
| TO President HaViland stating: Have
! decided TO build on the Post place
Not only are the wishes Of the Nor
! wien board Of trade disregarded. moi
oEiy IS the sentiment of the Norwich
! Central Labor union disregarded. not
I only do they propose to continue in g
| course Of action which d dozen Of our
| able and trusted physicians tell US Is
/ inimicabie TO our best interests as a
| community, but they totally disregard
I the rights given TO us as a town nv
| the laws OF the state Of Connecticut
i Section 1853 Of the General Statutes
! revision Of 1902. reads as follows: .Nc
asylum, home or institution Tor defec-
/ tive, deformed or tncurzble persons
! shall Be established or maintained
/ within the iinoitg Of any town without
| the consent OF said town, unless IN
/ der express legislative authority" ana
I l am under the impression that the
act Of the legislature creating and
( empowering this commission gives X
/ no authority to disregard this staf1ite
Tho commission has been approach
| ed b. the board OF trade committee
! with ali possible courtesy the resohl-
! lions OF the Central Labor union con
/ tanned expressions of good viii, a site
/ was offered gratuitously, and yester-
day afternoon only three hours aftel
! the hearing. comes q telegram. "Hav,
| Ge,ided to buiid on Post place
are We actually living in an ag,
when three state officials can, witt
| impunity, slap the faces of an an.
parently united Norwich, and that il
defiance of the law?
GROSVRNOR ELY.
Norwich March u. 1919.