Norwich bulletin., 1916-07-12
WANT TO RETAIN
 SUBMARINE BASE New London Chamber of Commerce Seeks Cooperation of Mayor and Common Council.

The cooperation of the New Lon don city government officials of the town of Groton and Congressman Freeman in an effort to retain the submarine base at the navy yard will be asked by the New London Chamber of Commerce in accordance with a vote adopted at it's monthly meeting 1 in the city hall Monday night. The action of the Chamber of Commerce was the result of a complaint by ma
 val officers of the proximity of the Shay fertilizing plant to the naval base recently.
 President A. T. Miner brought the matter to the attention of the meet ing. He told the chamber of the com plalnt of the fertiiizing plant near the submarine base and of the refusal of naval officials to recommend 8 large sum of money for the improvement of the base. He thought that something station where it is. The base has large possibilities and it is an inn mense help to New London
 Postmaster Bryan F. Mahan asked what are the reasons for failure to
 utilize the navy yard for many years past. When the government was seeking suitable sites for the estab-
 iIshment of navy yard about 50 years ago commission after careful inves- tgatiOn selected New London as the
 
 IlEence in Washington the site was discarded and League Island chosen Millions of money have been spent i on perfecting the island when the site at the navy yard "the fairest spot on earth lay idle. Several years after wards New London was again select ed as a suitable site and again it was not used.
 The reasons for this is lack of push and influence on the part of congress- g1y--z years the presence of the fertijziug plant near the site. MT. Nahan Iauded | the business ability of the owner of ! the plant who is a man of ent terprise . but he did not think that the interests 1 of one man should stand in the way not only to Grotun and New London | but to the whole state.
 Ste1ch Comes Across River Selectman Elmer E. Kenerson de clared that when the wind was frcm | the r5ehJ direction the steuch of the works could be smeued in tho north ! west section of the city where he lives. He thought that The health authorities l with inc cooperation of the health au- ! JhoTitieS of the town of GrOtOn should take the matter uD.
 Frank Hamilton of GrOtOn said that he lived about mile from the plant and often the members of his familN have been OJHged to close their home in the middle of the night because of l the smell. lie did no- know whether the plant was not conducted properly and not enough care taken to subdue | the smell, or whether il was just in consideration fo@ the people but the results spoke fer themselves
 Postmaster Nahal moved that a committee with the president as chair man bc appointed to seek the cooper ation of the mayor and court of com mon council toward remedving tine conditions there with the e-d of keep ! ing the submarine base at the navy yard. Theodore BodeUwein offered an amendment asking the cooperation of the congressman from this city and the selectmen Of the town Of Groton. while MT. Nenerson suggested that the lOcaf health officer might be included. President Miner stated that he had given the matter some thought and already had a committee in mind. He named the following as a committee: Mayor Ernest E. Rogers, Congress sman Richard p. Freeman, Postmaster Bry- an F. AIahan, Capt, Thomas Scott, Henry F. Bond. Health Officer Edwin C. Chipman and Theodore Bodenwein.