New Britain herald., 1924-10-11
FURTHER DELAY IN
 NEW SCHOOL SITE
Accommodations Committee to Consider Properties in East End

VVneluVl IlVp0ll ll0o Ill Gdol FLU
 Some day New Britain is going to have a new school in the east end of the city, and. as President P. r. King of the school board said at yesterday afternoons meeting it ought to be a good school when we get it." but the meeting brought the city no nearer the acquisition of the necessary property than the several adjourned meetings which preceded 1t, It appeared that the board would vote down the recommendation of the committee on school accommo- dations that the Pleasant Manor property on East street offered by the Lincoln Realty Go. be purchas- l ed, It also appeared that the Smith D'AngelO property would be favored by the board. But appearances were ueceitful, for neither thing happen ed. Instead, on motion of Secretary E. M. Pratt, the board moved that ttNlIVll pJ hNlNllNu ulllll tllt GblllIIlIt- tee had considered Mayor A. NJ. Paonessa's letter relatives to the proposed purchase.
 One objection to the Smith-D'An- gelo property, according to Chair man Joseph M. Halloran of the school accommodations committee, is that the committee has received no definite information as to price or dimensions, real estate agent having given a written promise to the committee that a verbal option on the site for $17, 900 would be con- firmed. It was also considered far ther away from possible develop ment and settlement and too near the Newington town line, but the two tracts were said to be hardly far enough apart to matter in this respect. The Smith-D' Angelo prop erty is more elevated, the Pleasant Manor site being filled-in swamp land and one of the lowest spots in the section. On the other hand, sev- eral manufacturing concerns and the New Britain Gas Light Co. own land near the upper tract, so that there is a possibility of undesirable development.
 Price Far Above Valuation
 Chairman Halloran stressed the great difference in price between the two lots, that of the Smith-D' Angelo property being seven times its as- sessed valuation of s2300 and that of the Lincoln Realty Go. tract twice it's valuation of s11,000.
 William J. Kerin led the fight against the recommendations of the committee, saying that the proposed site lacked all the necessary qualifi- cations for school property, being | flled-in land and being situated on East street, a busy street, which may some day be the main thoroughfare into the city from the east. Zoning engineers, he said, place schools where there is little traffic. A school cn the Smith -D'Angelo property could be reached from four streets MT. Kerin said that the price should be of secondary consideration to the desirability of thela nd.
 In reply to MT. Kerin, Chairman Haloran said that as citizen and not as a member of the board, he objected to paying such an eXorbi- tant price as was asked for the Smith-D'Angelo property, He said that MT. Kerin was wrong in con- sidering price secondary. as the chief objection to the school board in the past had been it's exorbitance in comparison with other city depart l mcnts, and that he was determined to curb unnecessary expenditure of money by the board.
 William J. Long objected to the Smith D'Angclo property as being in the backwards of too many houses and too near Newington. F. C l Vibbcrts said that he had heard con- siderable objections to the lower lot from local residents. He thought the price was not of primary import ance, but said it was not necessary to pay the price asked. Chairman HaIloran read a letter to show thai the owners were not trying to "hoId up" the city, but were trying to se' a fair price. MT. Vihberts though it was a good idea to condemn prop crty now and then. Virgil Palmer smoke in favor of the upper tract President King brought out the fac that it was not definitely knowr how much would be required to bu! either piece of land. as In both In
 stances the property was held b! several owners and the committed had dealt with only the larges
 holder.
 Secretary F. M. Pratt then sug
 gestcd that the mayors communica
 ton be read again, as Chairman
 Halloran had been abst nj at thu
 meeting when it was first presented
 At the former meeting, the lette
 was voted referred to Chairman
 Halloran, but he said he had no received it. Superintendent s. H
 Holmes said that he had not for warded the letter to MT. Halloral for reasons plain to all present. MT Pratt said that, while certain petl lions could be ignored, a letter iron the mayor of the city should be giv en due consideration. Chairman Halloran agreed with him and sec onded the motion. Mir. Vibbert sl;.;.r +n tta motion t