The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-18
ALDERMAN FAVOR GRAND TO ARCTIC
 STREET BRIDGE
Project Reaches Council Too Late For Referendum
 This Fall.

 street across the Pequonnock river from Grand to Arctic street is now in a fair way to become a reality, but unfortunately the question cannot, be submitted to Sreferendum vote at the coming election. The project received favorable consideration after a pub lie hearing at the meeting of the Com mon Council last night. The streets and sidewalks committee reported fa- Noring the plan and the matter was then referred to the ordinance com mittee to draft suitable resolution to pave the way for carrying out the proposed Improvement. Under the Home Rule act the matter would have to lay over until the next meeting of the Common Council which will be September 9th.
 Then if the Council voted to submit it to referendum vote the mayor would have to set the date not less than 60 or more than 90 days from the date. As election day falls on Tuesday No Vember 3, just 56 days from the next meeting of the Council, it will be seen that the time limit required by law will not have expired, so it will prob ably be necessary to take the referen- dunn vote at a special election. Ul- timately the project may be placed in the hands of the City~Planner, John A. Nolen to outline what sort of bridge should be placed over the river at the point named. The petition for
 
 l Improvement association and was signed by John w. Kelly and about | TOO others.
 Alderman John M. Coughnn and Al. derman Frederick J. Voos, IT,, both l of whom represent the 9th district favor the project but neither was pres 1 ent last night. The serious illness of his wife kept Alderman CoughHn from the meeting. About everyone in the North End favors the bridge were present at the public hearing last night. ] City Treasurer Moses M. Manwar- ing who spoke first said that project was more than a. generation old. He said it was first agitated in 1890 and that the city had made public 1 dumps at the foot of Arctic Street and the foot of Gr4nd street in anticf- 1 patton that filled would sooner or later ] be needed for the approaches to the bridge. On December, 1, 1890, the l first suggestion of the bridge was | made. At that time he said the grand list was little more than $2o, 100000. Since that time the grand list has in creased to more than four times that amount and the population has in | creased in like proportion. He said the business center had worked to- | ward the northern section of the city with the inctAase in population. At | the time the proposition was first made there was a foot bridge across the Pequonnock river at the railroad bridge. This has been done away | with and never replaced. It is uT1- fortunate that start was not made earlier so that the proposition could be presented to the people at next election. John F. Brady said a bridge would be a benefit to the whole i city as we'll as the residents of the North End. He. said he could not find one citizen opposed to the project Samuel Dave also spoke, in favor of it. Former Alderman John M. 1 O'Conneu said bridge in that section was the only feasible solution Of re- lfeving the, congestion now caused by ter of the city.
 | J. Harry Crossley said that he fa- AlVored the, bridge, but that no plan had yet been made to meet the require ments of the United States govern
 nent in crossing the Pequonnock riv- CT there. He said he thought the bridge a necessity but care and judg- .fl ment should be used in planning the crossing from Grand street to Arctic street. Henry R. Parrott said he wished the project of running a considered before action was taken A man who said he was a citizen and a taxpayer, but did not give his name also spoke in favor of the Grand street to Arctic street bridge project. About ! 50 persons raised their hands when Mayor Wilson. asked those in favor tc signify their desire. About 700 per
 sons signed the petition for the bridge , Each one had received postal card notice of the hearing from the city clerk No one appeared to oppose