New Britain herald., 1915-08-24
ASSEMBLY MUST ACT
 ON CHANCE OF NAME
"ErWln Park Committee and Council Helpless Under Charter

NOW that committee has been ap- pointed to consider changing the name of Walnut Hill park to Erwin park in honor of the late c. B. Err win what is it going to do about it?
 At best, the committee can but make 3 recommendation to the com mon council and then it will be found that the councils hands are tied by the charter of New Britain. When all is said and done it will be learned until such action is authorized by the legislature
 All through the charter in which the park commission is referred to, mention will be found of "Walnut Hill park and as it is obviously inn possible for the council to amend the reference to this name. The section which drives the blow home from the shoulder says:
 
 shall be successors of the park com missioners of the town of New Brit ain and all authority now, by law, vested in the park commissioners of said town shall be vested in the board of park commissioners for the city of New Britain. Said commits sioners shall have the control, man. agement and improvement of the nn r l. NT,J T shall succeed to all the rights, pow CTS and duties conferred and imposed upon the park commissioners of the town of New Britain under and by virtue of the will of Cornelius B. Err win, deceased, and shall expend the income of the fund created for the purposes described in said will of Cornelius B. Erwin in the manner provided and directed by said will.'
 History of Walnut Hill Park.
 Councilman o. F. Curtis wrote letter to the Herald on October 6, 1913, outlining the history of Walnut Hill park. Because of the agitation for the change in name the letter, in part, is reprinted as follows:
 Records show that stock, company was formed in 1857 by prominent citizens, among them being F. T. and Timoth Stanley, C. B. Erwin, H. E. Russell and George M.' Landers, and called the Walnut Hill Park company with a capital of 5000 for the pur- pose of buying land and developing it for park purposes.
 They purchased about thirty four acres of land adjoining and including Walnut Hill for $3,oo0, afterwards h,1f1 st vii nf near the present Emmons place and up to and around the reservoir and also making other improvem ents. This same year by the influence and work of r. T. Stanley and others the borough of New Britain was au- thorized to build and did construct a water system, the commencement of our present water department. By permission of the Park company the borough ran it's Shuttle Meadow main through the park land and built the reservoir on top of the hill.
 Legislature Appealed To.
 January Il, 1869, twelve years after the formation of the park com- pany, a town meeting was held at which it was voted to apply to the legislature for power to buy land not exceeding 100 acres for park purposes and to build soldiers monument, is- suing bonds thereon to the amount of $50.0OO, bearing seven per cent. in- terest to pay for the same.
 "In May, 1869, an act was approved giving the power petitioned for, ex- cept changing the bond issue not to exceed $75,OOO to run twenty five years bering seven per cent. interest. /, 'In town meeting, May 31, 1869, 1t 1 was voted to approve of the issue of bonds for park and monument pur- poses, an issue of s50,000 was author | ized to buy the property from the l Walnut Park company, to lay out and l work the same, and $15,000 to be used ] for building a soldiers monument in said park. H. E. Russell, George M. i Landers and Julius Fenn were elected i park commissioners.
 Town Takes Over Park. "The park commissioners after or 1 ganizing purchased from the park ! company their holdings for $7,500 and from eight other property holders 1 about fifty-six acres of adjoining land 1 for further sum of $23, 400, making a total of about ninety acres for $3b,- 1 9OO Frederick Law Olmstead, recog-