New Britain herald., 1916-05-11
PaainVille News
 PROMINENT VETERAN '. HEARS LAST TAPS
Elijah S. Williams, Past Post
 Commander, Dies at His Home TWICE WOUNDED IN WAR

Fought At Fredericksburg And Ian guished In AndersonviIIc Prison
 Came Of \ Race Of Fighters-Busi-
 ness, Men Before Utilities Board. Elijah ss.1Williams, past commander of Newton Manross post G. A. R., and one of the towns best known vet erans, died this morning at his home on Forestville avenue after an illness of several weeks. MT. Williams had been in a critical condition for days and his death was not unexpe"ted. He is survived by his wife one son Otis Williams and two grand children.
 The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at i o'clock and will be in charge of the c. A. R. The lnterment will be in Naugatuck and Undertaken w. A. Bailey is making arrangemehts' to have the funeral party make the trip by auto.
 MT. Williams was born on Christ mas day seVenty-four years ago. He came of a family of fighters and traced his ancestry back to William Williams who came to this country from Yarmouth, England, settling in Boston in 164O One of the latter's sons was killed by the Indians in 1876. MT. Williams great-grand ia ther fought in the war of 1912 and five of six grand uncles participated in the Civil war.
 MT. Williams himself had an en- viable reputation for bravery dis played in this war. He served through the struggle with Go. H, 18th Connecticut Volunteers and took Eart in many of the most important haI- ties of the war. At Fredericksburg he was badly wounded, a piece of shrap piercing his side. After re- covery from his injuries he again went to the front and was wounded a second time, a bullet lodging in his shoulder where it remained as a con- stant reminder of the part he took in the war. He was also a prisoner at Andersonville before he was finally mustered out of the service after Lees surrender.
 He came here several wears ago from Naugatuck. He was a rock ribbed republican and was 8 familiar figure at town meetings and caucuses. He was hard worker for Manross post and held many of the offices within the gift of the veterans. Last year he served as commander the du- ties of which he relinuushed 1t the annual meeting
 His death marks the passing Df one of Plainville's most prominent Veter- ans and he will be greatly missed by the members of the local post with which he had been actively identified since coming here.
 Argue For Gates
 First Selectman w. J. Johnson and a delegation representing the BuSt- ness and Improvement association ap- peared before the public utilities commission at the capitol in Hartford at noon today to present arguments in favor of the installation of Sates at the East Main street railroad cross ing. Backed by considerable data il- lustrating the dangers at the crossing and numerous letters from nutoists in various parts of the state, the local men were confident of success as they i left here this morning.
 For months the Business and lm- 1 provement association has been agi- l tating for improved conditions at the l crossing and while the railroad has | made some changes, danger continues to exist and the state commission was advised that gates form the only so- lutiOn to the problem.
 Representatives of the railroad ap- peared in opposition to the petition advancing the argument that gates would not be practicable at the cross- ing.
 New Substitute Clerk.
 Postmaster P. J. Pror today an- nounced the selection of Albert H. Richards as the new substitute clerk at the local post office. MT. Richards succeeds Miss Ella D. Smith, who has presented her resignation.
 Two substitute clerks are on the post office force although it is seldom found necessary to use more than one