The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-12
CONGRECATIONAL
 PARISHES HOME. MAY BE ON HILL
First and Second Churches Likely to Take Over Hen
 ry Sanford Estate.
URGE ABANDONMENT
 OF PRESENT EDIFICES
Consolidation Looked on With Favor - May Be
 Done in September.

If the consolidation of the First and Second Congregational churches is ac- fcomp1ished, as proposed, it is likely that a large, modern and handsome church ediflce will be built in Wash ington avenue or in some location re- moved from the business center of the city, and already overtures have been made to the heirs of the Sanford estate looking to the purchase of the property at Washington avenue and Coleman street, known as the Henry Sanford Homestead
 A magnificent mansion now occu- pies the site. Those behind the move n1ent for the consolidation of the churches have in mind the removal of this house and the building on the cite of a, handsome marble and gran ite, structure which will be the only stone Congregational church in the state.
 No confirmation of this story could be obtained today because as yet the members of the North Congregational church have not completed their com mittee to act on the proposed conso1- dation- The Rev. Herbert A. Ga1lau- det pastor of the church, is out of the city on his vacation and will not re- turn until September 1. Until that time no meetings will be held and no movement made for the church con-
 
 Henry Blodget, who is a member of the North church committee, has ap- preached the heirs of the Sanford es- tate with the proposition that the property there be taken over by the united church societies. pr. Blodgot is out of the city on his vacation.
 Other members on. the North church committee are Richard w. Cogswe1I, assistant secretary and assistant treas urer of the City Savings bank; Judge Morris B. .Beardsley, Henry D.Sin1onds, principal of the High school, and the pastor of the. church.
 For. the Second or South Congre- gational church William A. Smith, Lucien T. Warner, B. D. Pierce, Jr., Mrs. John c. Curtis c. Nathania1 Worthen and Attorney Samuel C.Shaw have been appointed to act.
 At present more than half the mem bers of the South chHrch es=ze=1ittee are out of town on their vacations. When MT. Ga11audet returns he will complete the cornnittee for the North church and then some action will be taken. s
 The property on which the North church is located was given to the so- ciety by three men more than 100 years ago. MI. .CogsVeIl is now search ing the records to discover their names and also to verify story that the property is entaiied. It has been generally believed by the congrega- ton that when the church property was turned over. the men who gave the property also arranged to give what is now the west lawn of the city hall At that time the city hall was the county court house. MT. Cogs- well, who is clerk of the First or North Congregational church, has been told that if the county accepted the property in front of the church, which is now the west lawn of the city hall, that the property must be always kept clear of buildings. Mir. Cogswel1 in tends to search the records to estab+ fish when the city hall was turned over from, the county and to find just how the First church property is held.
 Members of both the First and Second churches feel that the proper ty they now occupy will be very va1u- able for business purposs and that a sale of these properties will bring a return sufficient to erect 8 handsome marble church in some other part of the city.
 The First Baptist church was for merly located in State street, where the Court Exchange building is at present The church sold this prop erty and rem moved to Washington and West avenues. where a handsome new brick and sandstone edifice has been erected. There are a number of mem bers of both sthe First and Second Con gregational churches who feel that if a consolidation is to be effected that the new society ought to remove to new and more modern place of worship.