Norwich bulletin., 1915-06-30

and a resolution to indorse and use home products, and to the bettering of the highway conditions that one finds entering this city from New London.
 At present, considering the various approaches to Norwich, there might just as we'll be a Chinese wall around the city, President King remarked. Below Laurel Hill coming up on that side of the river automobiles struck as much as 15 inches of sand in the highway, and on the other side com ing from New London they got stuck at Thames street and some even turn ed back. He mentioned the disgraCeful condition of the only public dock of the city at Rose alley, the single place where motor parties coming up the river can land. The dumping there was also disgraceful. In addition to these questions that of trolley exten- sions was also revived and in the single hour that the board was in ses- sion many suggestions for civic bet torment were brought forward.
 President Frank J. King was in the chair and shortly after 8 o'clock Sec retary Henry w. Tibbits was called upon to read the minutes of the meet in held in the town hall on May 18th and of the meeting previous to that, and both were accepted, no errors be- ing found.
 Train Service.
 Replies to letters sent to the two railroads regarding better train ser vice were read by President King. The Central Vermont officials wrote that on account of the business con- ditions due to the war, it would prob ably be necessary to take off trains instead of adding any. Since the let ter was written, thy have dons so, President King said; the 11.37 a. m. train south and the 2.5S train north, have been removed.
 The New Haven road called atten- tion in their reply to the State of Maine express which now goes through here from New York. It leaves New York at 7.25 D. m. and reaches Norwich at 11.25, making an excellent train for business men returning from the metropolis. The State of Maine last year went through Hartford and Putnam, while the Bar Harbor which went through had nothing but sleep ing cars. The morning train at S.10 and the 1926 give good connections for New Haven and New York
 A Great Need of Deeper Channel.
 Tho matter of deepening the chan nel of the Thames river was brought up next by President King. The sur vey for the 20 feet channel has been made and the report was favorable but the board of engineers for rivers and harbOrs are not convinced of the desirability of the project. in the face of what they term it's excessive cost MT. King said that he had had per sonal interVied at New London with the engineer who went over the river. His examination was favorable but unless more interest was taken in the matter, the committee would turn it down. MT. King told of recent wis itors in Norwich looking for manu- facturing site. They were pleased with Thamesville and a place below the cutlery but when they learned that there was only 14 feet of water the thing was settled. Here was one in- dustry lost because of the low depth of water. It was of vital importance he urged, that the matter be pushed before July 21st, which is the time limit. He was surprised that the city government hadn't taken the matter in hand.
 H. F. Dawley, the veteran lumber man, said that the tendency is to build large and deeper draught vessels. A depth of 15 1-2 feet is guaranteed to Dawley's Lumber yard, but often they have to lighter vessels at New Lon don at considerable expense. Mr. King remarked that at Gales Ferry the government is now dredging in the river where an IS foot bar goes across. MT Dawley said that he is ready to provide at private expense channel to the lumber yards from the main channel.
 Lucius Briggs, who is connected with with the E. Chapel company ventur- ed the prediction that unless the chan mel were deepened eventually there would be lighterage cost for all vessels and Norwich would be taken off the map as water port.
 Westerners Work For Waterways.
 Frank J. Aubrey recalled Mayor Murphy's report of the enthusiasm
 
 among the westerners at the Atlantic Deeper Waterways convention in Washington a couple of years ago. MT. King said he was there too, and was surprised at the enthusiasm of Ohio River men, working for a five foot channel, a deepening of only a foot, to place for unloading coal. We have fourteen feet already and don't appreciate what we have. This is as important to the city of Norwich as anything that can come up.
 Barge Rates Going Up.
 c. J. Isbister, freight agent of the New Haven road, thought that the SeamaEs act and the restrictions on towing barges had killed business. from starboard and take orders from a tug captain could take command of a barge, but in consequence of new regulations water rates have increas- ed and where three years ago almost double the amount of coal was taken away from Allyns Point, going as far as Worcester and Putnam, now only from two to three hundred tons of coal are taken from the barges there. The tendency is to more rail- coal and less barge-coal and when three quarters of the barge men get into the union they will be admitted to the American Federation of Labor and this will kill traffic just as it has on the Great Lakes and the Pa cffic. Therefore the tonnage from the government standpoint is less, but if we could make the government see the future, things would be different.
 President King stated that it costs 15 cents more to carry ton of coal from Newport News to Allyn's Point than it does from there to Providence.
 Committee A-1ointed.
 It was moved by s. B. Palmer that a committee be appointed to take the matter in charge, confer with the city government and take action before July 21s President King named this committee: J. J. CorkerX, John M. Lee, c. J Isbister, H. F. Dawley and Lucius Briggs.
 Ciearmakers' Resolution.
 For the Ciearmakers' union, No. 407. of this city, Charles Rice appeared and presented this resolution, which was