Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-23

LHerce Tn the. town nall, reSOgution by Ex-Mayor Timothy c. | Murphy urging immediate action on ! the part of State Highway Commis- sioner Charles J. Bennett in the inn provement of the stretch of highway leading from this city to the subnla- east side of the Thames river was unanimously adopted. State Highway Commissioner Bennett was present at the hearing. Over a score of promi- nent Norwich citizens, Commander John Rogers and Assistant Paymaster John B. Daniels of the submarine base, and Alton T. Miner of New London, spoke in favor of the proposed im- provement which is considered neces- sary as a war time measure. Exten- sive building operations are being car- rled on at the sub base and deliveries of material for this construction are unsatisfactory at the present time. New London is unable to take care of the demands made for material and supplies and the naval men are look ing to Norwich to supply the badly needed deliveries. The highway be- tween Norwich and the base is in very poor condition and almost inn passable in sections at certain times of the year. The closing argument in favor of the improvement was made by Mayor Allyn L. Brown Highway Commissioner Bennett, who in com pany with a committee of the chamber of commerce went over the road by automobile Friday afternoon, an- nounced at the close of the hearing that he would take the matter under consideration and would do whatever h ok r., r-sL
 The War Savings Campaign.
 Frederic " Cary, president of the chamber of commerce, presided at the hearing which was attended by sev- erSl hundred, including representa- tions from nearby towns interested in the improvement. Before the hearing proper was taken up brief addresses were made by Howell Cheney, state director of war savings, and Rev. Charles H. Ricketts, local four minute man. Nr. Cheney spoke on the war savings campaign which he said in no ways conflicts with the Liberty Loan campaign soon to be launched. We are working towards the same end, said MT. Cheney. Rev. Mir Ricketts spoke for four minutes on the income tax. He said German propagandists are saving that this is a rich mans war. That is most malicious false hood, said the sneaker, He then, went on to tell of the object and the pro- | visions of the income tax.
 Agitation During Past Ten Years Frank J. King, president of the old board of tr.de, was introduced as the first speake on the highway mat | ter He gavefa history of the board of trade actio and public agitation for the highly ly during the past ten years.
 For the last ten years we have 1 been striving with all our might and
 main to get an improvement in the | highway on the easteriy side of the
 Thames river and now that it has be- come a war necessity we are embold- ened to appear before you MT Com missioner and urge upon you the inn portance of this improvement, said
 MT King.
 1 MT Macdonald once told me that this was the most picturesque an6 probably the worst road in Connec' ticut.
 It is in no sense of the word par | a1lel to the one on the west side of tht l river as it taps an entirely differen l section of the country with a larg, | CT population.
 | Highway Commissioner Handicapped
 The highway commissioner hal been handicapped in his desire fo this improvement by the lack of in | terest shown by the towns of Preston and Ledyard through which this roat
 passes.
 You can hardly blame the town 0
 Preston for this indifference as tn road passes through the extreme soutl ! western corner of the town.
 We have repeatedly taken up tn matter with the selectmen of the tow
 of Preston without result
 The Dawley Lumber Co, at For
 Point on this side of the river thougl
 only about five miles from the sub
 marine base were obliged to come t
 Norwich with a motor truck of lum
 Der recently to go to New Londo
 on the western side of the river an
 cross the ferry and on to the base,
 distance of about twenty miles, yo
 can see what this meant if it ha
 been. a load of ammunition that tn
 bdse had been relying on.
 State Hospital Ineonvenieneed. , The State Hospital for the Insan
 also on this site of the river 'repre
 senting an outlay of over millio
 and a half dollars and population ( from F to 14 hundred people is as inconvenienced, the road in front ( this property is in shocking conditio . and is a burning disgrace to the stat of Connecticut.
 tIn coming up this road recently an auto got into a rut foot dee
 and we met another auto coming the opposite direction in the same r :. and neither of us could get out ti the other had backed about an eight : of a mile when we cleared each otf CT The boat races at Gales Ferry brir thousands of people and thousand more would be blad to come this wa
 from Eastern Connecticut and Masss
 chusetts if they could escape the daI
 eerous congestion at the New Londo , ferry. and the hold up for trains 5 paes at tl,e entrance to the ferry. The odd Fellows Home is also c this side of the river and supniit 3 ald visitors have to go to New Tor
 don aed cross the ferry with all I 3 inconve1: :e'lces to get there.
 The Inspection Trip.
 Herrr- q. Peek told Of the inspectir
 trin whici, Commissioner Bennett mad over the hishwa~ during the after { I,aon1ooll Mir Peck was a n1emh, NIof t|a irsnecting marty. He said u ; automobiles got stalled in two plac, :, along the road and that the. highws is in horrible condition
 State to Stand Expense.
 r'itv Engineer Shepard R. Palm,
 said the improvement is needed and V 2 necessity. The first point hA sa. : he wished to emphasize was that the rood is built it must be built I n tho state as both Preston and Ledval ;. have but small grand lists and No
 wich has all it can do to look aft
 fha hirhruav arrroanfar r,, +i,n rrra