The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-16

 criterion the City Planning commis- sion's. project for diagonal street from State street to Water street will not be carried out. Attorney Arthur M. Marsh, secretary of the commits sion, who alone appeared in favor of the project, said it probably would take all of the $245,00O bond issue re- gently voted for street extension. Those in opposition declared that the proposed street would cost at least $500, 600 in land and other damages and possibly $75O, ,000. The session of the common council last night was one of the longest on record. It lasted until 11:20 and most of the time was occu- pied with the public hearing on the matter of the proposed new street.
 Probably no larger gathering of law yers was ever assembled in the coun- appeared in opposition to the proposed diagonal street. Among those present were: Arthur M. Marsh, James H. QRourke, Judge Alfred B. Beers, James A. Marr, Thomas M. Cullinan, David S. Day, Thomas c. Cough1in, Manus, John J. Cu1linan, Judge Fred eric A. Bartlett, Alexander L. DeLa- ney, Robert s. Mallette, John A. Spaf- ford, Richard L. Swain, William J. 'Hara and Robert H. Gould.
 MT. Marsh, who spoke for the new
 
 Main street of the heavy traffic there now! He said parallel of Main street must be found to relieve con ditions. The crowding of Main street is due to the fact that heavy trucks cannot go in Water street, the great increase in the jitney HrevIce and the trolley car service. He said it now often takes 20 minutes for a vehicle to get from Congress street to State Sf3p EJcs 5 $~o f6 15 be taken from Main street and sent to Water street because the wholesale business. there now which necssitates using part of the street for backing up wagons, auto trucks ,etc
 .zThe expense is something we are not able to submit to council tonight" said Attorney Marsh. sWe are una benefits against the property owners. It will probably require all funds in the street extension .bonds.'
 No one else appeared in favor of the project and Attorney Delaney, representing Mckenzie brothers, own. CTS of the public market and the Christian Union, was first to oppose it.
 'I am amazed" he said, ''to hear the, city plan commission make such a recommendation. It is contrary to all modern Improvements and op- posed to the ideals of city planning elsewhere. It will not afford the re- lief intended and will bankrupt the city. The Mackenzie brothers have a very valuable property and business most of which will be taken by this prop street. They will expect to be paid dollar for dollar for dam age to the business which will be de- stroyed. They own 132 feet on State street, which is now assessed at $500 f10 a 4I, Bank street is worth $400 per front foot. The Christian Mission has a property in Bank street worth $4o,OOO. It is peculiarly situated for their needs and they must be entitled to heavy damages if their property is taken.
 This street will leave little slices of property here and there, which will be- of no use to anyone. Send the jitney traffic through Broad street, widen Water street and Housatonic avenue and pave them so they can bear the heavy trucking and why not build the State street bridge? There is. no relief now for Fairfield avenue. Traffic conditions north of Fairfield avenue are just as bad as between Fairfield avenue and State street You will be affording the first section no relief if this plan is adopted and the cost will be ten times what it has been estimated here.
 Merchants are paying big rents on Main street because they want to be in the congested district,r declared At torney James A. NMarr, who opposed the project They want the jitney service to go through Main street. They want to be where the crowd goes. The tourist coming through in his automobile wants to go where the crowd goes because that is the only way he can see the city.
 Tt is only matter of time when the present one story buildings in Main street must grow to six and eight stories in height. This is no longer a one horse town. It will cost $750, 900 to build the new street that you are proposing here and if you get it you can't get traffic to use it if that traffic wants to go in Main street.
 Attorney William J. O'Hara said the proposed diagonal street was iI- logical and would be too expensive In 25 years. he said, this city will have grown from 150,0O0 to 300, 900 inhab- itants and the business section thfck1y built up, must of necessity, reach from State street to Bulls Head.
 Attorney Thomas M. Cullinan, on behalf of F. Lyman, the optfcian, and George Robertson butter and egg dealer, also appeared in opposition lie Sa1O tndl HIS CI1enlS LdO been In business many years and that they would claim heavy damages if their buildings were taken away by the new streets. He said the widening of Water street and extension of Broad street would solve the traffic problem.
 Attorney Robert A. Ma1lette for the Bridgeport Christian Union, said this institution in which he is a director would claim large damages if their property is taken as contemplated by the proposed new street. He said a large part of the congestion in Main street is due to the custom of aI- lowing vehicles to park there.
 Attorney Robert Gould said the project merited little more than a passl p,ILli 7 appFareo Tor