New Britain herald., 1917-03-03
FAVORABLE REPORT
 ON TOWN PLAN BILL
LegiSlatiVe Committee to Endorse
 Building Line Measure
DELEGATION AT HEARING

No Opposition Develops and Commit
 tee Intimates It Will Suggest Pas sage of Biu-Local Fire Dept. Now Ready For Emergencies.
 Indicating their intention of pre- ! senting a favorable report on the bill | Introduced by Representative w. J. Simpson for the creation of a com ! mittee which will have authority to establish building lines and to make assessments and awards for changes in grades and street lines, the com l mittee on cities and boroughs of the lower branch of the general assembly gave up but a short time to hearing arguments in favor of the measure yesterday afternoon when a local delegation headed by First Selectman w. J. Johnson appeared to give their support to 1t. The Plainville> men were ready to meet any opposition that might be offered but as there was no objection. the committee in vited but few of those present to speak, the members intimating that
 as a favorable report would be pre- scented no great amount of testimony was required.
 p Accompanying Selectman Johnson were John H. Trumbull, representing the Business and Improvement asso-, citation of which he is president; En-, gineer Joseph N. McKernan. A. H. Condell, c. H. Calor, Charles Newton and Town Clerk R. c. Usher. Repre- sentative Simpson was also present. The measure, which was introduced at the suggestion of the selectmen, concerns the appointing of com mission on town plan and bureau of assessment and award, providing a town meeting favors it. The com-l mission is to be made up of four electors one of whom is to be the first selectman. It will have the au- thority to make maps of various sec- ttons of the town. and after public hearings record the building lines 1t
 establishes. In cases where changes
 in the streets are desirable the com
 mission would also be empowered to
 make assessments for benefits and
 award damages. In addition it would have supervision over the laying out of. streets in property being developed.
 The absence of laws governing the erection of buildings in towns frequent ly causes property owners to locate new buildings in such positions that they become detriment to the ap- pearance of an entire street. The se- lectmen, under the existing conditions have no authority over building con- struction and they have to look on in silence while the beauty of a street is ravaged through selfishness of lack ar Nf Inc c,sfi iS<i INxyr erty owners.
 The appointment of a commission to look after building lines is expected to meet with general approval here. The legislature will probably pass the measure authorizing it's Selection and a resolution endorsing it will un- doubtedly follow at the annual town meeting.
 Cities now have such committees. appointed under the power of their ordinances, and it is likely that many of the towns in the state will take pattern by Plainville and will file sim liar bills with the next general as sembly.
 Local Dept. Ready.
 Through the initiative of Chief M. A. Norton and the cooperation of To- cal manufacturers. the Plainville fire department is now ready for any emergency that might necessitate 1 their being called to other towns to l assist in fighting serious fires and is also equipped to make 1t possible for the f1remen of other places to render aid in case the local company had to cope with 8 conflagration of great 1 proportions in this town
 Owing to the lack of uniformity in l the couplings used in the various | cities of the state the hose used bv 1 the different departments is made seryiceable only in their own town l and cooperation in fighting a big fire could be brought about only with diff. 1 faculties that would delay assistance l and perhaps cause great losses.
 After the fires in New Britain a. !! week ago Chief Norton devised a twin I coupling which is to be used in sim 1 liar emergencies. The finished article l was delivered to him yesterday and i at the March meeting of the Hose company held last evening he. report 1 ed that the manufacturers who did l the work had advised him that there l would be no charge for their servf lces The patterns were made by | Calvin Avery, the castings at the E. l T. Carter foundry and other work in | connection with the finishing was | done at the Osborne Stephenson fac- | tory.
 Four of the special couplings are 1 now part of the departments euuip- ment. They can be adjusted to hy- drants in few seconds. Through