Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-03
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
On lie. Merits Petition Should Fail.

Mr.. Editor: 1t was my privilege to
on the new town proposition. have
been asked by many what I thought
would be final result. Unless my
Judgment unduly biased, there can
be no doubt on the merits Of the
question as presented in the evidence
but that the petitioners must fail.
In fact would believe if the question
was on trial before judge a motion
for a nonsuit would be granted by the
court. OF course the hearing before
q legislative committee is a different
procedure than one before a court and
the committee in fairness must hear
all SIDES in rather an informal man
rer and finally make their report. The
petitioners have finished their direct
testimony with General Atwood, the
president of the Ponemah company as
their principal witness. 1t must be
admitted that he convinced all his
opponents of his fairness and honesty
in his statement of the case. He is
a. gentleman and answered fairly every
question put to him by opposing
counsel. 1 believe interpret justly
his testimony when I say he admitted
that his company had always been
treated very fairly by the town; real
Iy his only grievance was the fear of
being brought into the city and as
such result, their present annual tax
would be increased $4,000.
I If this is the only objection, certain
ly it ought to be possible to give suf-
ffcient assurance in some way, that
the city never will ask or agitate
change of the city laws, to satisfy him
and the interests he represents. He
must be satisfied there never will be
any. cause for any fear of a move for
annexation. While the great mass
of the inhabitants of the city have al
ways maintained the great injustice OF
the annexation of TaftvilAe, there
have been undoubtedly a. few who
have agitated in the past this ques-
ton to the great annoyance and ex-
pense of the Ponemah company.
know the counsel for the town and
city will make every effort to salts
fly all the petitioners in this matter,
That the city is, now and ever will be
opposed to any annexation except on
request of those desiring to be annex
ed. This old town of Norwich should
never be divided. A division would be
an injury to the old town and great
disadvantage to the new town.
shave space to suggest only a few
things. Let us first consider the
Norwich Town district. The city now
provides this district with street light
service as well as house lighting and
they lay only the city rate for the
same. The city owns the plant gen.
Lie llSilt e1lIu pOWS1 clIIu 11cho
to pay the interest on a $6S7,000' in
debtedness on the plant, as well as
paying the expense of running and
maintaining the same. The rates Sor
service are the same for residents of
both city and town and notwithstand-
sumes wholly these burdens the res
idents on Washington and Town
streets from the city line to the Yam
tic bridge have city water at rates
only slightly advanced ever residents
of the city, Backus hospital, Johnson
Home, Rock Nook Home and Shelter
ing Arms have even lower rates than
city residents. The above institutions
as well as those lying on other streets
have hydrant service and fire protec-
ton without cost. The water plant
owned by the city cost over a million
dollars and the city still owes on the
water plant a bonded indebtedness of
$685., 900, yet there is little difference
in the rates of residents in the city
and town. These above named insti-
tutions as well as residents on these
streets would be absolutely without
fire protection except for the city wa
ter supply and ciItys fire department.
Our fire department costs the city am
nually about $4,000, and they have
it's use without one cent. What would
be the loss of life in case of fire at
Backus hospital with its large num-
Der of invalids, the Johnson Home
with its inmates, many of whom are
aged and infirTn; the Rock Nook Home
with It's large contingent of small chill
dren; the Shelterfng Arms with its
helpless inmates in case this city's fire
protection was removed What effect al
10 would THE removal have for insurance
rates on property in this district. Let
us not forget that the city OF Nor
witch has paid about rs per cent. OF
the cost of the fine macadam road be-
tween the city line and Bozrah, more
than three miles in length. Do the
residents of this district consider the
| feasibility if their petition is granted
They will eventually be compelled to
pay for car service from Yantic and
Norwich Town to Franklin square a
| ten cent fare. The electric road has
commended in the past that the present
fare is too small. j imagine with this
| new condition the road would not be
| slow to demand two fares as it passes
from one town to another town, and
quite probably succeed in getting ia
Vorable legislation on this question.
A few words as to Taftville sit
uation. Such men as Moses Pierce
Lorenzo Blackstone, John F. Slater
and Edward Chappel put large sums
of money into the Ponemah Co. at its
inception, and did very much to make
1 it a success. 1t would seem as If theil
efforts and sacrifices ought to have
some consideration. Stop moment
and ask yourself what would these
men say to this proposition of a di-
vision Of the town. The macadam roai