Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-28
SHAY FERTILIZER PLANT
 WILL BE STOPPED
New London City Government Takes Hand in Navy Yard Matter.

At largely attended special meet ing Tuesday evening. at which prac- tically every member was present, the New London court of common council unanimously sanctioned whatever 1e- gal steps may be essential to bring about the extinction of the Shay fer tilizer pla1k in Groton. The serious ness of the situation was emphasized by Mayor Ernest E. Rogers in .. man ner that left no room for doubt. Fol lowing the action of the aldermen, however, he announced that the steps taken at the meeting would probably be the determining factor in solving the vexatious problem.
 The position of the council is en-
 bodied in the following vote, prepared by Corporation Counsel William J.
 Brennan, and passed without a dis senting voice:
 Voted: That Mayor Ernest E. Rog- CTS, Alderman Alton T. Miner. Alder
 man Henry R. Bond. Capt. T. A. Scott. Postmaster Bryan F. Mahan, Frank V. Chappell and Theodore Bodenwein be appointed a special committee of this court of common council to take such steps as may be necessary to prevent the removal of the submarine base from the navy yard in Groton. And said committee is hereby au- thorized to cause to be brought in the name of the city any suit or proceed ing which the city has @ right to bring against the c. M. Shay Fertilizer Co. i for the purpose of abating any nui- sanee that may exist in the vicinity of said navy yard. And said committee is hereby ena- | powered to engage outside counsel if | it is necessary
 Following the reading by City Clerk Adams of the communication from l Rear Admiral A. w. Grant relative to rine base to Newport and the tele- graphic reply thereto from Mayor | Rogers, the latter official addressed l the council briefly He said that no 1 subject in recent years had caused so widespread interest and that none had 1 been more vital to the welfare of the city. He declared that the citizens are unanimous in demanding that something be done and that the spe- 1 cia1 meeting had been called to take 1 all possible action to retain the base 1 here. Mayor Rogers then requested I Alderman Kirkland, in the absence of | Senior Alderman Crockett, to present 1 the vote drawn up by the corporation counsel. Alderman Gragan seconded 1 the vote and it was adopted unani- mous1y.
 ! Alderman Harrigan wanted to know l if Groton did not have as much in- | terest in the matter as New London, | to which Mayor Rogers replied that it l should have.
 Alderman Morgan asked for infor- nation as to what the committee ap- pointed some time ago to investigate l the Shay nuisance had done. He de- sired to ascertain if any price had | been agreed on for the property. l Mayor Rogers responded that the
 committee had done excellent work and that, had the present crisis not l arisen, making immediate action inn 1 perative, the whole matter would have 1 been satisfactorily settled within the
 next two months. He said price had 1 been given which could not be made public at this time and that MT. Shay
 was willing to have the valuation ot l the plant fixed by appraisers or from an inspection of the books of the con- cern.
 Alderman Morgan suggested that New London. Groton and the navy
 department unite in purchasing the Shay property.
 l Selectman Kenerson asserted that hoggishness was playing too large . part in the matter and that money invested at 7 per cent. was proving too attractive. He likened the Shay plant to a "stipking horse," which should be removed without argument Alderman Sherman asked If the
 government had made any effort tt acquire the property and Mayor Rog-
 CTS said it could not do so until con-
 gress authorized it.
 At the close of the discussion May or Rogers stated that a special com
 mittee is now in Washington regard
 ing the matter and that he believed
 as 8 result of the vote of the counc cf1
 an adjustment would be reached with out the necessity of bringing suit. Int
 clerk was instructed to forward a. copy l of the vote to Rear Admiral Grant The resignation of Alderman Henr!
 R. Bond, because of his removal iron
 the Second to the Fifth ward, wa
 received and on motion of Alderman
 Morgan was accepted with regret. Ad 4-I-