New Britain herald., 1920-01-19
OUIGLEY APPOINTEES BLAMED FOR DELAYS
Alderman PaOneSSa Takes Issue With Mayor on Land Question


 1 Alderman Pa0nessa. of the sixth l ward, and l member of the council ! finance committee, made public today 1 all interview regarding the now l famous Greatorex land deal. He ] takes direct issue with the chief ! executive and states that his remarks concerning the deal are not correct. For the information of the public the alderman states that the Grea- torex purchase is still "in the works and that his honor need not fear the threat to sell off the wood on the tract as there is no lumber larger than pipe stems on the property The delay in making the purchase is laid at the doors of appointecs of the mayor who have been slow to submit the required reports on the land. If these reports were in, says MT. Pao- nessa the board might know whether to purchase or not.
 The alderman's communication fol- lows:
 Some weeks ago through the columns of the New Britain Herald the mayor made q statement accusing Alderman Curtis of hampering the administration in it's desire to pur- chase the GreatoreX land for the water department stating that the al derman was opposing the deal be- cause it was known that the mayor was going to get a commission for the sale of said property. The mayor in his statement admitted that he was going to get d certain amount for his commission for the sale, but it was his intention to give it to some chari- table institution.
 Last Friday evening the Herald had another statement from our mayor accusing the committee on finance ,presuma bly, the finance committee of the common counciD of putting off the GreatoreX land deal, and stating that he had the check ready, and now MT. Greatorex threatens to sell his timber, unless we act at once.
 II have no desire to get into any controversy with the mayor or any other public official, but as a memb Der of the finance committee I feel as it it is my duty to publicly state that the mayors statements. as made m the press. are incorrect and the puh- lie should know the real ruth.
 Let it be known that up to the last charter revision (some 10 montf5 a3ol no member Of the common council except tho mayor was allowed to take part in any land deal. tho@gh4 the city bought farms in all to th9 extent Of between two aud three thousand acres of land; vet We never heard where anyone received any commission--not even charitable ln- stitutions.
 Since we members of the ilnance committee of the common Honhcll were empowered by our charter to take part in these land deals we have received three propositions, two ot which were accepted. Onc-Whlch Is the. one ir question-has not been fc~ iected. / - When the watei. board rcco.G- mendcd to us the purchase of thc Greatorex land. the recommendation was signed by two members ot tho board instead of four. We immesil- atelv took action and members of the committee volunteered to invcstiGal" matters and report back:
 "A meeting of the committee was held and the investigating committee made it's report. At that meeting i@ was decided and voted that the water department and engineering depart ment give us more Information as to water deN elOpm ents. etc.
 This was the last we heard of il: SO M.. Mayor. who is holding this deul off thc finance committee Of the common council or your appointees!
 'Why should His Honor accuse the finance committee of obstructine tA2 deal when 1T is his friends and Ap- pointees who have failed to furnish Us with the necessary information: Why should We: plunge in and buy land that We don't know as yet whether we need or not" Or why should We buy. just because half of the water board and the mayor. With the check ill his hand. says so?
 And noW comes the threat. and. over it-the owner of this land. Mir. GreatoreN, threatens to sell the wood.
 r'C'alm yourself. Mr. Mayor. for ! must break the news to you and in form you that from the latest and most available information the only wood there is on this Plainville- Southin gtop tract is sprouts ot one and two years growth. all the wool as large as pipe stems and larger having been cut off d few months ago.
 ANGELO M. PAONESSA.
 'tAlderman of the Sixth