Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-09
Especial to The Bulletin.l

New London, Feb. S.-Before the month ends the city of New London will be fully equipped in the ferry business, for then the city will have two boats, having secured a second hand craft that has been in service in New York for about the same length
 of time as the. Colonel Ledyard has been in service between New London and Groton. The ferry committee an- nounces that the additional boat can be operated without any changes being
 made in the ferry slips on either side
 of the Thames.i If that be so, it is
 stroke of good luck and g. saving of
 considerable. expense to the city. Just
 when the two boats will be put into
 operation is not announced, but the
 plan is to have the boats leave at such
 intervals as to pass each other in mld- stream, thereby doubling the accom-
 modations that have been in exist
 ence ever since the establishment of the New London Groton ferry. It is said that the capacity of the addition al boat will accommodate more auto mobiles than the Ledyard and in ,ad- dition has very much larger passep-
 ger capacity. If the plan carries. there will be no more delays and con- sequent lt-dnding by automobiltsts, From a financial standpoint 1t is be- Iieved that a big return will come from a comparatively small investment 1 thereby adding to the income of the city and at the same time giving ade- quate ferry accommodation. At the city meeting when an appropriation of l $60, 900 was made for the purchase of | the plant of the Thames Ferry com
 pany it was officially stated that the sum appropriated would be ample not only for that purpose but would also l be sufficient flor the purchase Of an additional boat, fully as good as the 1 Ledyard. Very few of the voters | present took stock in that statement, even after it was announced that the present plant could be purchased for s27,000 It soon after developed that the officials erred in the statement, as capital was required to run even a l ferry business that has good earning 1 capacity. Already the Eouncil has recommended an additional appropria- l ton of $60,Q00 more, and of this sum | $45,000 is to be paid for the New York I boat, or about double what was paid l for the Ledyard. Therefore, the city 1 before being in the ferry business three months will have expended that s120,Q00, and perhaps $10.00o or so more, to get both boats in prime con- dition, considering their age. Even at that the ferry business is destined to be a paying proposition, although ser- l vice rather than profit was the chief
 object in not renewing the lease and the taking over of the ferry business by the city.
 l The real efficiency of the New Lon. don fire department was again demon.
 strated this week at the fire in Mon tauk avenue, as better fire fighting
 could not be done anywhere by any fire department, paid or volunteer
 This fire was in a dwelling house or
 the coldest day, of this cold winter, and
 with the wind blowing almost gale and the burning house was within q
 dozen feet of other frame dwellings or either side. The fire had gained muef
 headway before the alarm was sent in Within three minutes thereafter firt
 apparatus arrived with full working l crews and streams of water were sen
 into the burning mass, the cold beins so intense that ieicles actually formed on parts of the burning building. +
 The strong wind blew the flame; !, against one of the nearby buildingi
 and sparks set fire to the roof of ] building on the opposite side of tn, street. These were tackled by th, fire fighters. and when all was owe the only real damage was to tn
 building where the fire originated. Tn, clothing of the fremen was frozei stiff and they were practically en cased in ice. but they stuck to dut, until the blaze was subdued.
 Il The assessors have announced a bi, increase in the grand list, but soeI the taxpayers will realize that mos of the increase is due to the genera every bit of real estate in the city o
 from 10 to 15 per cent. They will als
 realize that the increase in valuation
 means permanancy or more increas
 but never a decrease. Even with ti,i
 Increase there must also be an increas