Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-01-15
The New London Firemen Are Not Pleased With
the New Site.
THE PARKLET ON THE PARADE
Committee to Go to Washington Promote the Dredging
of Shaws Cove-TrumAns Brook Causing Trouble
The Enlargement and Remodelng of the City Hall
Building

The Firemen's monument in front
Of the county court house that was
donated to the city of New London by
the late Sebastian D. Lawrence and
dedicated to the volunteer flremen is
to be moved to a new site in Williams
Memorial park, as the beautiful mem
orial was Objectionable to some men
of influence who were Of the opinion
that the monument detracted from the
architectural effect of the remodeled
court house. The monument is OF
beautiful design and is surmounted by
q lifesize representation Of volun-
teer fireman of the old type and Is
life-like figure of the late lamentea
Frederick L., Allen, a former mayor
of the city and who in his day was
perhaps the most popular of citizens
and an intimate friend OF the late Mr..
Lawrence. The whole monument is of
Westerly granite and ID a good sample
Of artistic granite sculptorship and
carving. The monument is very much
appreciated by the f1remen and after
Its formal acceptance by the city the
fire companies expressed their graft
ficatien In engressed resolutions to Mr..
Lawrence and copies now adorn the
wall of the parlors Of the fire COM
panies at the time of the dedication
Of the monument.
Perhaps the monument and the city
flag staff both in front of the court
house were not in compliance with
aesthetic rules, and that was the pre-
tect for removal, which was decided
upon after meeting Of a committee
of the court of common council and
the park commissioners. While the
members OF the fire department have
! filed no protest against the removal Of
the monument, and probably will not,
still there is an undercurrent Of dis
| satisfaction over the action of the
committee in changing the site select
| ed by the generous donor and provid-
| ed by the legally elected representa-
tiYes Of the city at that time. There
Is demand, however, that the mOnu-
ment be given prominent position In
| the park, especially as it Is Of more
local Importance than the monument
| to the Eighteenth Connecticut ragi-
ment of the Civil war; which had no
| New London company in it's compost
ton. If this monument to the voiun-
teer fremen is given an inferior po-
sltion there will be justification for
the flFemen to protest in the good old
vigorous style that was characteristic
OF tha flrenen at and before the time
OF the dedication of the monument,
of the late Frederick l. Allen and ap-
| preciate the motive Of the generous
donor to give public recognition OF the
value Of the volunteer fire department
Ever since the pretty parklee on the
Parade was disfigured by the erection
of an unsiShtly rustic fountain in the
center hanked either side with small
cannon discarded by the government
and which are entirely without histori-
cal significance there has been q grow.
ing desire for the removal Of the park
let and deVoting the space to purposes
of public traffic, but the influence bach
Of this movement was not strong az
that manifested in the matter of the
tiremen's monument at the head o.
State street. So the indications arr
that the parklet will be restored to it:
original beauty as planned by the theI
Mayor Johnson and the farther beauti.
fication by the addition Of plants anC
shrubbery arranged by an experienced
landscape gardener, under the dIrec
ton of the park commissioners.
Before this parklet came int
existence 1t was utilized as the publ
stand for hackmen, draymen and ex
pressmen, and of corse their horse
and vehicles were there too when no
otherwise engaged, and as result
n that section of the Parade was de
cidedly unsanitary nuisance. Thi
pariIlet can be made a beauty spo
and IL the time ever comes when tn
space is actually needed to accom-
modate public traffic it will then b
time to consider the aboIishment G
the parklet.