Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-06
PROTEST TO WESTERLY COUNCIL
Opera House Manager Desires Lowered Amusement Fee Aplications for Liquor Licenses Turned Down rstaT D. Babcock Reflected to Water Board Arrests During Janusry-Telephone Company's Election.

Palmer C.. Chapman talked business to the Westerly town councilmen at the regular meeting of the town coun-
 ell. . Monday. Monday aa He G spoke in regard to to School and George streets. by reason of undermining the stone wall when
 the grade of the street was changed. several years ago. He said this matter had been before many councils and he was before the present council ask ing that something be done that should have been done long ago. It costs T money to engage attorneys, he said, and he hoped the matter ~ould be amicably adjusted. and without re- sort to law.
 President Maurice ". Flynn stated that when the matter was up before F another council the town solicitor re- Il ported that it was the duty of the town l to put that wall in good condition, and that then the whole matter was re- ferred to the highway commissioners. | Mir. Chapman said 1t ought not to
 be necessary for him to hire a lawyer in order to get a reply from the town
 solicitor as to what the town was to 1 ing legal complications and that the
 easiest and fairest way of settlement 1 was the best way.
 | PreSident Flynn asked MT. Chapman if he had taken the matter up with the highway commission.
 MT. Chapman replied that he had, and was referred by the commission ! to the town council.
 Councilman Haswen said that un-
 der the law. the highway commission
 was given all the power that was
 formerly with the town council. and | therefore the settlement of MT. Chap | mans claims was with the commis- ! sion.
 | MT. Chapman said there was no need for litigation it was plain that the responsibility for fixing the wall l undermined was up to the
 town, and he quoted the law to sus- | tain the statement. He would be sat | isfied to have the wall put back in as good condition as it was before be- | ing undermined.
 Mr Chapman was advised to take l the matter up with the highway com
 requested to give the matter his at tention. cort B. BIiven, of the BIiven Opera house, on ground that he was handi- l capped, by unfair competition. state
 wise, asked that he be given the ben fit of the new law in regard to license
 for places of amusement He said that under the old law the license fee
 was fixed at s1 for each performance,
 but under the new law the towns can fix the fee. He pays a town license
 of $500 a year, or six times as much show houses are just across the bridge in the village of Pawcatuck. MT. Bliven did not believe he ought to be asked to pay larger fee than his competitors over the river. The mat | ter was referred to a committee com prised of CouncilInen Haswen and Thorp and Town Solicitor Agard-
 Captain WiIIiem F. Saunders was | before the council again to remind the | members tfat the boundary line in | the marshIand between Pleasant View and Weekapaug, and which affected a 1 small island owned in part by the Saunders family and the town of West l erly, was not yet satisfactorily determ- l ined, as the deed dates back to 1771. | and that since then there has been | change in high water mark in that | section. The captain claimed owner ship east of the present marked line. | He asked that the town quit claim 100 feet east of the line. and he would all so quit claim, and thereby establish ] definite division line. Then he 1 could dispose of the i@%nd. It was said some years ago that the Nor | wich and Westerly Traction company would have purchased the island but for the cloudy boundary. This mat ter was brought up at a special town | meeting held August 15, 1912 and a | vote was taken authorizing the sale of | whatever right or tract the town had in this island. But the matter seems | to have ended there. Town Solicitor | Agard, Thomas Mckenzie and Coun-1 cilman Craig, the original committee | were reappo1nCed to make 1nQu1dy and investigation and report to the next | meeting of the council
 There seems to be persistent efforts by certain individuals, by themselves, or others, according to Councilman Craig. to secure license to sell intoxi- | eating liquors, the limited number not l having been issued. Several appli- | cants were not after the licenses for ] themselves, but for others who had been refused. At the meeting on Monday applications were received from Raphael Cosento for license at 101 Canal street. and from Christopher Ferrari for 82 Oak street. The appli- cants were given leave to withdraw.
 Ed. L. GaVitt, tree warden, desired to take Old Time by the forelock, and stated to the council that in view of the change of date in the fisca& year, l which reqC(ed the annual financial town meeting to be held in February instead of May, he was on deck to ask that the appropriation for the care of shade trees be not reduced. President Flynn assured him the matter would | receive the consideration of the coun- ci1 at the proper time. He added that |, owing to the sudden change in finan- | cial town meeting date. that Town Treasurer Pendleton could not possi- bly be prepared to make a. financial lt 4o |.