Norwich bulletin., 1919-05-06
EAST LYME COMMITTEE
 COMES BACK WITH REPLY

E. A. Beckwith and A. I. Bush. the East Lyme town committee, issued on Monday a reply directed to the gentle
 men of the general assembly in an swer to Dr. Maher's open letter to the committee on public health and safe ty.
 Their reply follows:
 In paragraph 1 Dr. Maher says: "We are informed that you were victimized by certain misleading statements made to you by representatives of the town of East Lyme. and that you were given to understand that on the occa- sion of the visit of the members of the state tuberculosis commission to the Crockett property at East Lyme, on Sunday of last week, the commission expressed opinions favering the secur- ing of the Crockett property. and that the state tuberculosis commission had procured an option ,on the Crockett property"
 The only trouble with that state ment of Dr. Maher is that it is not true, and he could have learned. and anyone else can learn. it's falsity by calling up the chairman of that com
 mittee. Senator Chapin
 Further on. pr. Maher reiterates this charge on the authority of i've are told" and puts in some rather loose stuff about men of honor" Let's get at facts In this case
 In April. 1913. Carroll of Norwich purchased the White Beach property, under the representation that 1t was to be used as hotel, even asking the selectmen if liquor license could be obtained. He bought for $6.700 and stamped that deed for $12.0O0. Why?
 A few days later he sold the same property to the state for St2,00O. the state tuberculosis commission doing the business. If the commission in spected that property before the sale to Carroll, he was their agent. with all that implies. Dr. Mafer said: '"They did not hunt for it was a brass band. ? Why pay S12.000 for what could have been bought for s6,70o?
 This hotel is an old, damp, dark
 building, the first story dug-in base ment. It is on ground which is hard ly ever other than watersoaked. Pud- dles of water are about it most of the year Teh dust and smoke of the ! nearby New Haven road trains contin- ually float across the grounds. It is not a fit place for these chi1dren-the tract of land is too small. the amount
 of beach is but 97 feet. It would be a
 wicked waste of the states money tc 1 try and develop so unsuitable a site. 1 The town committee has tried every 1 possible way to get Dr. Maher to go tc another and proper pIace in the town But mol! It is ''give us White Beach 1 or give us death"
 We were told bv the Brocketts tha 1 the state could have their property 1 Dr. Maher brought c. L. Crockett tc i the property on that Sunday. and Dr ! Maher at the Monday meeting sai6 l that he had price on it. Was not tha1 "concrete" enough?
 l We believe the state would buy tho i Crockett property for the commission 1 if Dr. Maher would take it. The high.
 est state health official examined I 1 that same Sunda-- and said the Brock.
 cit nroperty was an tideaT' location 1 for the childrens sanatorium.
 i Dr. Maher in all his emara tions or this subject pulls out the tremolo stoT l and plays the sob stuff Why does he not do the practical thing and secure while he can, real home for these i children? Why try to create the i'm. pression that the people of Fla st Lyme want to shut these children from thu l sea? We are not. less humane thar 1 the rest of you We are offering oul i choicest seafront for these children: benefit. If they do not get it, it vii l be the fault of the commission. no ; ours. we already carry S200.060 O. 1 state, taxfree property for the rest O i you. Take the case home to you
 town. Would you like to be so treated 1 Would you not fight against a hospita i for consumptives, for that in the las analysis is what would be forced int, ! your front yard? Is a town of the state to be ruth llessly ridden down by this commission and are you, the representatives of tn, other towns, going to stand by anc permit it?