New Britain herald., 1925-05-22
PainOiM News
HIGGINS PROPERTY
 FOR SCHOOL SITE Town Votes S22,5OO for Pur.
 chase on East Street WHEELER MAKES REPORT

McNerny Funeral--Marriage An
 nouncement--Holy Name soctal--
 Memorial Service - PlainvilIe
 Briefs.
 The voters Of Plainyille at A spt- cial town meeting last evening in tho town hall, voted 10 accept the report of the special committee on High school site to purchase the Harold C. Higgins property on East street for the sum of s22,50 and resolution introduced 10 empower , the selectmen to borrow sum suffi- cient to pay for the property was passed.
 The meeting was one Of the larg- est held in some time, being at tended by about l6O men and woln- en. Despite the fact that opposition to the project was expected by members of the committee and town authorities, the meeting required only 50 minutes 10 transact the business and take a step for the town which will be, 1t is calculated, one Of the most important moves for the future ever taken in the town.
 Frank T. Wheeler, q member of the committee which investigated the school site, rendered verbally with demonstrations on a map of the property prepared and on dis play in the town hall, one of the best reports ever heard from any committee. He used a pointer to show the property and explained the benefits to be accrued from it's pur- chase.
 He stated that the special com mittce had met many times and had taken into consideration the growth of the school popuIati ton for the past 15 years. He then said that the committee had taken the statistics of the past and present and made calculation for the future based on those figures. The members Of the committee had de- cided that the best location for I high school was in the neighbor- hood Of Maple street
 He said that the committee looked over II locations. The first was the town plot at the corner of Maple and Whiting streets. Then came the Goodrich property across the street. Then the committee looked at the old tennis court and another plot cast of the Robert Hird house The next was the Callen property on East street, but here the owner did not wish 10 sell. Mir. Callen last year sold the property to the town on which the Linden street school is located. The committee then looked at tho Cook property but was unable to get any figures quoted on 1t.
 Then the members visited the Higgins property and comparing this with the other pieces of land, they decided that it would be the best location, and after a price. had been agreed on, The members decided 10 recommend it's purchase to the town and for that reason they secured a 90-day option on it.
 The property stretches from East to Linden street with a frontage of over SS% feet on East street and about S64 feet on Linden street r. adjoins the present Linden street property and in arear is about 9 1 . acres, The price on the property vas set at s92,j0O which included a house on the property. He said that there was portion of the frontage on East street which could be cut into building lots and with the house on ono of them, if sold. could bring in about sS,50o. The committee was Of the opinion that the plot would take care of the schools Of the town until tho popu- lation Of Plainyille reaches 10000 and that is a long way off
 ! Upon question of Stanley s. Gwilim Nho vas acting as chair man Of the meeting, Mir. Wheeler stated that on all the properties at which they looked, the committee members took into consideration the sewage question. He said that with the stream pollution bill now about to become a law, Plainvile would have 10 stop using the storm water sewer in the center for the town sewer. He said that the Higgins Iproperty OH East street Could easily reach the Trumhull Electric Co. sewer to which the Linden street pipes are joined and the officials of the factory would entertain a re- quest from the town for the use Of it for a new high school
 He said that the committee did not delve into tho matter of fnan- cling the high school building hut from what he knew personally the town would be allowed under the present laws 10 borrow only 2 per cent Of the total Of the grand list,