Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1917-01-13
new LONDON'S SCHOOL FACILITIES
Harbor District Has Outerown New Building Of Few Years
Ago-Abuse of the Club License Law-Unjust to Liquor
Dealers Who Pay High Reconsideration of Wash
ington Street Again Revived.
tspecial to The Rul1etin.l

| Especial to The Bul1etin.)
! New London, Jan. 12.-Captain
| Thomas A. Scott, former alderman
from the Fifth ward, is to be congrat-
ulated upon his forethought and posi-
| tive growth of New London and es-
| pecia1ly in the Harbor school district,
| So called. 1t was Alderman Scott,
who almost single handed carried on
| the fight for a new and modern school,
| house for the section he in part repre-
! scented in the council, to take the place
\ of the old wooden building that served
| the purposes of a schoolhouse for so
many years and In which the alderman
/ received the rudiments OF his schooling
in reading, writing and arithmetic. He
| succeeded in having the old building
put out of the school business and a
| brick structure substituted. Not con-
| tent with this he insisted that the
school building be a large one. larger
| than any other in the city, claiming
| that within a few years after the con-
struction of such a building it would
not be large enough to accommodate
| Alderman Scott believed this but he
was the only man in the council who
| held the opinion that a school of the
| size suggested would ever be required
| in the Harbor section.
The city made an Appropriation for n
new schooIhouse, and the amount was
$f0o, 900, all due to the persistent eff
| forts of Alderman Scott. In the city
meeting to act upon the recommends
| ton for the appropriation. there was
some opposition. Not because a new
schoolhouse was not needed, but not
| one of the size that Alderman Scott
wanted. The aldermen told the cit
| liens in city meeting assembled just
what he told his fellow members of the
court of common council, and all yield
| ed to the wishes of the influential al
derman. That big school house was
| constructed in due time, and for the
past five years the conditions there
have been crowded and the people
have importuned time and again for
increased school facilities in the Har-
Dor section. Just as Alderman Scott
predicted that big schoolhouse is not
now absolutely necessary. The alder
man would DE justified in claiming the
| presidency of the Told You So Club.
The state police came to New Lon
don in full force and in automobiles,
last Sunday night, for the purpose OF
raiding at least half a dozen of the
many gambling places that are doing
business here, but there was a leak"
and the sleuths were not slow in de-
tecting it. So they made quick get
Always from their well-laid plan and
bounced upon one place that had not
been tipped off. Here they arrested
the pair of prophet tors and a bakers
dozen of the frequenters and hustled
them TO the police station, where bonds
were furnished by a prominent liquor
dealer, for appearance in police court
later In this gambling place a large
quantity Of liquors were seized. but as
it happened to be a licensed club the
liquors were returned by order of the
prosecuting attorney. 1t can be said
with some degree of truth that if they
do not stop the gambling game the
state police will get them yet-the fell
lows who profited by the leak"
This single raid, however. goes to
snow the abuse of the law that gives
legitimate clubs the right to sell in
toxicating liquors to members Here
is drinking and gambling club, pure
and simple, and yet it has a liquor
license And it is not the only one of
its kind in the city of New London In
addition there is a bunch of unlicensed
clubs where intoxicantS are sold al
most as open as in the legitimate sa-
loon. and at times prohibited by law,
at that. Some clubs have the ganb-
ling feature attached and others have
not, but, nearly all violate the laws.
This is known to the local police as
Wen as to the state police, and be-
tween the two. this Illegal business is
liable to be checked, if the city and
county prosecutors so determine
Perhaps the more effective way
would be for the mayor of the citv.
who is by virtue of his office is chief
of police, would issue special orders to
the local police to enforce the liquor
laws, and to close all places where
intoxicating drinks are sold ILLEGALLY.
ana this would take in the licensed
clubs that cajOled the county commits
sioners and obtained club licenses I'M
der raise pretences. That law was in
tended to cover the Thames club the
Elks club, and like legitimate social
organizations. and not purely drinking
or gambling clubs, where anyone with
the price of a key and the price of a
drink can get booze at any old time,
ana accompanied by as many friends
as he sees fit to bring along.
The legislators of Connections, or
some of them, devote much of their
time IN deVlSinS ways and means to
make the business life of the licensed
liquor dealer as burdensome as pos
slble, but pay little or no attention to
the business of the fellows who sell
pooze unrestricted and privileged to
become competitors of the legitimate
saioonmen, who pay big license fees. it
would be in place for the LEGISLATORS
who delight in dabbling in liquor leg
isIation regulating the conditions It
was not bad move when the law was
passed prohibiting free lunches in
saloons, the removal of gambling de-
vices and placing the quietus on mus
&c, as attractions to tempt the young
men from the street to the bar This
could be carried farther, and at the
same time not be burdensome to the
saioonman. who pays big money to do
business on the level. Perhap s a law
woud be welcomed by them that would
prevent bartenders from treating. or
giving away booze. Nor would there
be objection. perhaps, to the grow
ing evil of giving away stuff at Christ
mas time being prohibited by law. It
is time the legislature did something
for the benefit of the saloonmen. in
stead of forever trying to dig up some
thing that will make the business more
6urdensome, and placing the fee at an
almost prohibitive level
That musty proposition that has
been turned down SO many times by
the New London court of common