Norwich bulletin., 1922-05-16

day night meeting Of the common
council when it was voted to appro-
pirate a sum not to exceed $500
out of the special $50, 900 bond issue
for permanent improvements to the !.
work to be done jointly with the state /
in the improvement of Main street,
East Side, from Preston bridge to the
city line.
Alderman Gilbert S. Raymond pre- T
sented the resolution carrying the /
appropriation and in explanation of |
it said that consultations of Mayor |
H NJ. Lerou, street commissioner |
George E. Fellows and city engineer |
Shepard B. Palmer with state high |
way commissioner G.. j. Bennett had |
resulted in the state agreeing to !
share the expenses Of this work with
the city. It was a contract thar would |
cost about $4,000 for a mile and a
half of bituminous .macadam road
which would be taken into part
of the state trunk line system, so
that the maintenance cost would be
borne by the state and any claims for
accidents on the street would be
agar ST the state and not against the
city It was one of the finest. con-
tracts that had ever been negotiat
ed by the city.
Hearing on Rose Place Sidewalk
The council meeting opened at g.
| p. m. as hearing on grade for the
easterly sidewalk of Rose place and
| the westerly side of Ferry street,
| this grade having been called for on
! 'he petition of T. c. Murphy and w.
4. McGarry who are to erect a new
| building on the So called Vaughn
foundry property.
| Mayor Lerou presided and the on
| ~ voting members of the council
1 - A
| Peaie Gilbert S. Raymond, and w.
| G. Murray, and councilman Frank
| M. Green. Alderman Arson Grover
/ arrived after the democratic caucus
/ in the town hall adjourned.
/ Charles r. Butts and Attorney
/ John P. Huntington, representing the
owners of the Chapman building on
| the corner of Main street and Rose
| place, appeared in opposition to the
| grade proposed by the city engineer,
as did Peter Sellas, tenant Of the cor
| ner store and the basement store in
| the Chapman building.
An eight foot sidewalk is proposed
on a grade a little over per cent,
| where the grade is now about IA per
/ cent.
/ T. C. Murphy said he was satisfied
with the grade established by the
public works committee, but Attorney
Huntington said the owners of the
Chapman property objected to 1t. 1t
would obstruet light and air from
two windows and make the entrance
to the basement inaccessible. There
might be a large outlay and a claim
for damages against the city for de-
privatfoR of the use of this part of
the building and the change in char
acter of the building. They would
! have to cut through the sill on the
Rose place side and destroy about
100 square feet of the floor space in
the store above where there is a res
tourant. This would cut out one six
] seat table in the restaurant, AS candy
. making was now done in the base
ment the proposed raise Of the grade
. would interfere seriously with the
light and air there. It would probably
result in the state authorities forbid
ding the present use Of the basement
store. Mr.. Huntington said the Chap
man building owners did not think
the change of grade was necessary
as it was now more severe than ir
other places. The proposed grade was
all for the benefit Of one property al
the expense of another and the cost
is largely put on a building that has
been existing for many years. il
involve claim of serious damages.
Corporation counsel Edwin w
: Higgins, Charles r. Butts, Mr.. Muir
! | ply and Mr.. Huntington then enter
ed into a discussion of what th'
Chapman building owners claimed II
own beyond the wall of the Chapman
block from which it developed tina
they claimed ownership of a substan
tial strip of land beyond the walls O
!. the building, basing this claim on US
and easement for over Is years.
Mr. Murphy said he was only ask
ing for what had been done for tn
property owners for the last SO year
!. and he spoke of basement entrance
that had existed at the Waurega,
house and other places in the bust
ness streets. If you own the stair
way to the basement, said Mr.. Muir
h | ply, 1 own the place where Powers
n fish market stood and that's wher
: I'll bring my building out to,
( Mr.. McGarry said the Chapma
: building owners have encroached o
i, the lane at the rear, which is sup
d posed to be IA feet in the clear. bu
q chimney and a kitchen additio
have been built there. He elaine
that there would be no damage br
y rather benefit to the Chapman prop
e city owners by the erection Of tn
= Murphy & McGarry building.
Peter Sellas spoke against the pre-
posed grade, saying it would prever
10 getting into the basement and cut o.
ventilation and light. He though
ID there could be a lower grade tbs
s. would look well and be just as goo
e. Mayor Lerou interposed the remaT
IS that he didn't think the argumel
about sanitation and much weight &
he thought this one Of the most VI
sanitary spots in the city.
Mr.. Butts spoke of the fact tn.
- this basement had been occupied fl
ne a business place ever since the bulk
is ing was built by Gordon Chapms
ty who was given the right to build
as Lridge ever Rose place brook
n reach his new store.
Attorney Huntington suggested tn
on the grade Of the Main-stFee sidewa
nigh be dropped or 8 inches at Il
IL corner which would make q low
n grade on the Rose place side of Il
ms building. He did not see the need
| an S-foot sidewalk.
OK Engineer Palmer did not agree tn
a the sidewalk grade at the corner cou
II be changed and in answer to Alderm,
!. Peale's question whether this was t
=. only feasible grade said 1t would be I
~ best looking one and make the sic
~ walk more nearly conform to the era
20 of the street.
ns In reply to a question, Mr. Murp
es' said they were to have four stores
their building, 10 feet deep, with ALICIA
len front like the Boston store. In reply
ng a question Mr.. Butts said he could I
ga tell how many feet they claimed to o,
ate in Rose place and Mr.. Huntington 81
LED he was unable to tell what amount
damages might be asked from the ii
7as Mr.. Murphy declared that they stror
rm ~ objected to any grade lower than vi
had been set by the city engineer. T
file closed the hearing and the com