The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-10
CITY WAS GIVEN . TH0R0UCHFARE IN
 PEARSALL ESTATE
Selectmen When Deal Was Made Recall Incidents of
 the Transfer.
TRADED OLD ROAD
 FOR RIGHT OF WAY
Henry Lee Recalls Incident During His Terms As
 Selectman.

Former Mayor Lee. who was a se- lectman under the old town govern ment system of Bridgeport back in 1S85-1887. recalled distinctly. to a Farmer reporter today, the ctrez.1o- stances of the dceding to the town of Bridgeport. by the late Thomas w RearsalI. of a right of way which D son of the deceased Black Rock sum city.
 MT. Lee said that in these days there was a. highway eztendtng through the Pearsali property, con siderably east Of the shore ana in . comparatively straight line, extending g from Fairfield avenue to the water front.
 The elder PearsaH lagreed in Sex- change for the highway, to open not only property near St. Mary 3s-By-the- Sea as a highway, but to extend the thoroughfare clear around Growers hill, a thoroughfare that now has been closed.
 MT. Lee said that n6 doubt Robert
 Weber. who served sefedtInan. would recall the deal, also Henry W. Lyon, former assistant postmaster, now a manufaeturers who served as clerk of the board in those days.
 Joseph Smith, one of the most ex- tensive property owners in Black Rock and one of the oldest residents these, declared today that no property owner in that section had any right to fence off parts of the beach property along St. Mary s-by-the-Sea and that a road had been maintained and was recog- nized as a public highway there for more than 50 years.
 MT. Smith has driven horses down to this beach for many years to gather ycfn ali f7-I1 has also driven there for loads of the white sea sand and to gather wagon loads of pebbles which he used in his building operations. The right of way to the beach there has never been questioned until about ten days ago when F. s. PearsaH fenced the road. A petition signed by Thomas Smith and many others has been filed with the common council and a publie hear ing to determine whether or not the road leading to this seaside chapel is a public highway. has been set for the night off September 20.
 The %property was originally own ed by George Wells. He had title to big tract extending from Black Rock harbor westerly to Ash creek at the time that the Black Rock dis trict was a part of Fairfield It is necessary to search land transfers in the town records of both Bridgeport and Fairfield to determine just when, the transfer was made and what rights were granted.
 The residents of Black Rock dis trict, who declare MT Pearsau has no right to close the street are not de- pending on any land transfer records but rather on a statute which says if an owner does not claim adverse rights in property, but permits it to be used as a. public highway for fif- teen years, then that property be- a f1Ez hi TJ1,0 5 way to St. Mary y's-by-the-Sea has been in use for more than 50 years accord ing to old residents of that district
 MT. Pearsa1l claims he closed the roadway because picnic parties abus- ed the privileges of the beach by nude bathing. scattering refuse from lunches along the beaches and defac- ing the chapel there.