The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-18
STAMFORD AVE.
 BRIDGE PROJECT WARMLY FAVORED
Many Tax-P ayers
 Speak for Plan al Public Hearing
City Engineer Ordered to Pre- pare Preliminary Esti-
 mateS for Work

1 fc conditions in Fairfield avenue by means of the erection of new lower l bridge seems certain now, follow 1 ing the action of the Common coun- l ell last night in adopting the follow ing resolution:
 | Be it resolved by this board of aldermen of the City of Bridgeport, That the city engineer be and hereby | is instructed to prepare an approx1- mate estimate for the proposed new Stratford avenue bridge across the Pequonnock river, and to report to | this board of aldermen at it's next meeting such figures and his recom- mendations for tho construction or 1 the same. Said recommendations are 1 to cover abutments, approaches,
 widths of bridge, height of draw, etc." i The resolution, introduced by AL derman Thomas W. Reddy, was un- animously passed after a public hear i ing on the project, during which seV- 1 eraI prominent taxpayers and their l attorneys spoke favorably.
 | Attorney Hugh J. Lavery, repre- senting the RothweH and Beers es- tates, was the first speaker He call l ed attention to the fact that the pres 1 ent bridge, built in 1888 had out | lived it's usefulness. The traffic over the bridge had increased greatly be- i ies on the East Side, until the bridge 1 is now inadequate because of it's mar 1 rowness.
 i sHThe bridge was well built. but has l done it's duty,' he said. Now is the 1 time for the city to take a long step i forward in improving conditions by
 ordering the erection of a new struc- 1 ture.''
 Representing S. 2. Po1i and L. M. l SagaI, Attorney John J. CuIlfnan said l his clients, who owned property close | to the west end of the present bridge were in a position to judge the needs | of immediate relief. MT. Cullinan said that until a few years ago, Fair field avenue was a. model thorough fare, but now it had become choked 1 through careIessness.
 Bridgeport needs more highway facilities said MT. Cullinan. The 1 condition of the street now warrants it's being called Fairfield Alley rath- 1 CT than Fairfield avende. The bridge ought to be widened and now is the | time to do it.''
 Former Senator M. W. Manwaring said that the present bridge might be saIvaged and used further up the riv CT. He urged a bridge wide enough l to provide sidewalks ten feet wide 1 and ten foot centers for trolley cars. 1 ""The draw of the present bridge is 1 antiquated and takes a long time to operate,'' he said, thus causing ire quent congestions of traffic" | William P. Kirk, of the board of l apportionment, said that new bridge l would show immediate returns, were
 it built at Stratford avenue. This
 project is the cheapest and best so1u- ton of the problem before us,' he said. ''It will not take valuable prop i critics from the grand list and may
 be built for considerably less money 1 than any other project. A widened ] bridge approach would care for traf- fic for years to come" . Attorney w. A. Redden, for the | McMahon estate, said his clients did not oppose the new bridge, but ask 1 ed that the widening of approaches l be done on the north side of Fair field avenue. B. L. Graves said. he l was still in favor of the Stratford ] avenue bridge, as he was at the ref 1 erendurn some months go.
 Former Alderman George w. King spoke in opposition to the bridge. He | maintained that the present struc- | ture still was> good for five years
 to come and urged the State street
 project.
 MT Kirk, speaking again, said that
 the grade in Water street necessary
 for the building of the State street
 bridge would be as steep Main
 street at St. Vincent's hospital. MT.
 King attempted to answer, but didn't I make much headway:
 At the conclusion of the hearing,
 Alderman Reddy's resolution was in
 troduced and passed. The petition of
 those favoring the Stratford avenue
 project was signed by hundreds of
 taxpayers, including many business | men, having places in the center of
 the city.
 The petition follows:
 To the Honorable Board of Aldermen,
 City of Bridgeport, Connecticut,
 Gentlemen:
 We the undersigned, citizens and
 taxpayers of the city of Bridgeport,
 do respectfully urge the passage by
 your honorable board, of a certain
 petition now under consideration by
 your body for the construction of a
 new bridge at Stratford avenue, across
 the Pequonnock river in place of the
 old Stratford avenue bridge.
 | By the vote of the Common Council in discontinuing Hewitt and Logan
 streets, 100 feet north of Connecticut avenue, a new industry seems assured
 for Bridgeport. This is the Weed
 Tire Chain Grip company, Of New York which has purchased five acres
 of factory sites in the vicinity of
 those streets. Attorney Charles s. last night said that all necessary property in the vicinity had been II acquired with the exception of one lot He asked the discontinuance of acting for Giro Aiello, said his Il client didn't want to sell until he got i. a fair price in return for the -ad- vantages he would lose by the clos
 ing of the street. The streets and
 sidewalks committee, at a recess later
 prepared a favorable report on the
 matter and the streets were voted
 closed The new industry will begin the erection of factories soon and will commence operations with about $50 hands WaIte- B. Lashar is one of
 the prominent stockholders in the Il plant.
 :, Thomas Lovely was unanimously I elected city sheriff by the Common I Council, succeeding Max Cohen, re- I signed. MT. Lovely received every Il vote cast and was immediately sworn l Brfdgeport's police department is