The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-04

Declares, and Asserts Also
That Threat to Withdraw
Public Passageway Over
South Avenue Cannot Legally
Be Carried Out.
Lake Interests Are Without
Public Support In Their Eff
fort to Close Ends of Two
Streets Leading to Water
front-Boatmen Contest Sub
marine Plants Efforts.
.tThe Connecticut Co. has no inten-
tion of extending it's tracks in from
Park avenue through Atlantic street
TO Seaside park declared Justice
George w. Wheeler of the supreme
court last night. appearing before the
common council in OPPOSITION to the Pc
tition of the Crane Co. to close South
avenue Justice Wheeler declared
the closing of this street would bene-
fit the Barnum heirs by enhancing
the value of their property there.
The statement made by President
Eanles and Mr.. .Seeleyt of the park
board that the closing of this street
Gratis who live near the park touches
| my sense of humor,'' he said.
The petition of the Crane Co. to
close South avenue from Iranistan
avenue to Barnum Dyke and the Pc
titio1l of the Lake Torpedo Boat Co.
to close portions of Adams and Jeffer-
son streets, to the water front to
| Johhson's creek were before the coun-
ell for public hearings. Several hum
dred residents of the sections of the
city where it is proposed to close the
streets and others who were interest
| ed, were crowded into the council
cham Der. Tt was necessary to gel
i every available chair from the Offices
on the same floor and then a number
/ were obliged to stand.
Each company offered a compromise
j proposition from the original petition
| and the debate over these was the
only new feature of the matter. Both
| petitions have been discussed at gread
Llength at meetings held previously,
j The Crane Co., if allowed to c1ost
/ South avenue from Iranistan avenue
i to Barnu1n Dyke agreed to offer t.
i Withdraw its petition to close part o.
i Barnufn Dyke. It also offered tt
extend Atlantic street at it's own ex
4 pense from its present terminus tt
Seaside park. 1t offered to build {
SO foot street and to fill it with slas
with a macadam roadbed on top
Il 81 The company also offered a portion
4 of the land it owns adjoining SEASIDE
park so that the park lines could b.
straig htened out to the water front
II piece Of land now part of the parl
property.
Judge Wheeler Charles Stuart Can
field president of the park board
Il Commissioners Philip L. Holzer, Geo
w. Finn and Attorney Harry p. Lyon
vigorously opposed this plan. Judg'
wheeler said officers of the Connect
4 cut CO. had told him they had no in
1 tention Of extending their line
through Atlantic street as. claimed b.
President Eames and others.
ssMr Garfield displays marked de
votion to the cause of public spirit il
appearing to oppose this attempt t
fitch from the public one of it's thor
oughfares'' said the judge. "Mr. See
ley is mistaken when he says that tn
right of thoroughfarei granted by tn
!. Barnun heirs or by the Crane &C
may be abrogated at any time. TIL
Il grant Of such passageway once give
in such a manner can never be take1
back ~ 4E
Vice-President Canfie1d renewed hi
:, previous arguments against closin
South avenue. He said the resident
of Park avenue did not want trol1e
cars running on that thoroughfare an
that the Crane Co. did not want tn
) common people slkirting their proper
l ity. Mr.. Garfield said the Barnur
heirs would be benefited by the closin
2 of South avenue and the opening Q
= Atlantic street. He saw no reaSo
l why both streets should not be oper
Blue prints showing the propose
| changes were furnished each mem
| her of the council by the Crane c,
and were studied with interest. Al
= torney H. p. Lyons, who, at a, previou
: meeting opposed the closing of Sout
7 avenue, said this street had bee
4 used for years by residents of tn
< South End and the West End as,
8 short cut to Seaside park Since tn
public bath houses have been eStat
lished there, he said it is used NOR
than ever He said that $xnore tina
a dozen property owners whom b
: represented were opposed. He OWL
o property in the South End and
himself also opposed.
George w. Finn, a. prominent res
: estate operator, also opposed the prop
). osition. He said the practice of CIV
ling up streets to corporations was be
coming too common. He asked if tn
: lcouncil was prepared to entertai
q propositions to close other street
k where corporations own property o
:, both sides.
President George M. Ezames of tn
park board said that he Representa-
Il the minority in that body who favore
3. the Crane Co. proposition. Mr.. Fame
yssaid that at first he had opposed tn
lpIan but the modified proposition {
the Crane co. gave the city more tina
II the company received and therefore /
., was in favor of it. He said he ha
x explained the plan to the board befo1
i and that there was little new to adj
He said Mr.. Garfield had the lawyer
Il trick of thinking in the past to whic
= Mr.. Garfield replied that Mr.. Fame
n was rather cute in argument an
4 that he was a past master of the al
OF t1orne1y fashioned oratory. Par
Commissioner Charles Hanson and {
Seeley also spoke in favor {
= the Crane proposition.
" -sarTsl,a a rrreerner1f made with the Bal