New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1926-11-29
HANLIN FORWARDS
Petition TO Weld
(Continu I'd from First Page)

Hamlin today addressed a com
| munication to the board of adjust
ment asking for a public hearing on
the memorial question and declaring
| the public has been misled by the
memorial committee.
Hamlins letter to the board of ad-
justment follows.
Gentlemen: l herewith register
an appeal from the action of the city
of New Britain, in issuing to the
City of New Britain. and one, Mr..
Van Buren, Magonigle, of New York
city, a permit to construct monu-
ment in Walnut Hill park.
1--WE respectfully request you to
prevent the building of the proposed
monument until after public hear
ing in the matter.
''The reason for doing this is that
the public has been opposed to this
monument from the beginning. Two
years ago the city meeting board
killed the measure. The public,
since that time has been misled, ap-
parently, by published statements
that it would be impossible to con-
struct the Court of Honor in a per-
manent manner, and that, if it were
possible to do so. the price for doing
so would be prohibitive. The op-
position of the public. to the project
OF a new monument, in the form of
a shaft, on top of Walnut Hill, has
been consistent and continuous, from
the beginning. Under such condi-
lions we believe tho public has the
right to be heard.
Hamlin's Statement
Hamlin's statement relative to
the progress Of the campaign fol-
lows:
II am submitting a list OF names
Of signers of the petition to save
the Court of Honor. 1t Is only a
partial list, as there are several
petitions out, and l know there ar5
many more names, but these, that
have come to my hands will serve
to indicate that there is a genera
interest in the matter OF a new
monument. 1t appears to me thai
pressure of some sort has been ap
piled to persons circulating peti
ton. In the case of one party, sht
said she had been shown the trutf
Of the claims for the new monu
ment. She added that she hat
been convinced that it would be i'm
possible to erect the arch at tht
foot of sliding hill but she did MOI
quite know how that sliding hill
might be made to carry the cast
tonnage in the proposed new shaft
This person had telephoned to me
without any solicitation on my part
for a petition. To send petitions to
persons on their own request, pub
fish their names, and find few
days later, that they have turned
entirely against the thing they had
professed to want in preference tc
anything else, certainly fills me with
an air of mystery.
ut Is well to know that there are
some men circulating petitions who
do not appear to dread the pres
sure. They profess to know what
they want and they are working to
bring out in an unmistakable man
ner that which they believe to be
true, viz.-that public sentiment is
tremendously in favor of the Court
OF Honor. In spite Of this they are
the kind Of men who are willing to
give the public what it wants, the
Court OF Honor or the shaft.
II hear many say they feel that
the public that voted down the
monument two years ago has some
right to be heard. They also feel
certain that no city official could
go ahead and feel that there was
no opposition. They do not like the
element of deceit that has appear
ed in the form of information to
the public, to the effect that it
would be a physical impossibility
to build the court of honor in
stone; and that If it were possible
to do SO, the cost would be pro-
hibitive, plus the further fact that
those in charge have never seen
fit to inform the public just what
that prohibitive price might be.
They feel that IL they are to pay
the bills they should be truly in
formed as to both sides Of the pro-
jcct. 1t is hard to understand why q
committee would give out one phase
Of the matter and hide the other
We are going to try to get our pc
titions In by the last of this week
Letter to Rutherford
IT have written the following
letter to the building commission:
"'Mr. Arthur N. Rutherford,
Building Inspector,
New Britain, Conn.
"'Dear Sir:
"I herewith register an appeal
from your decision to issue a per-
nit to the City Of New Britain and
II. Van Buren, Magonigle of New
York city. for the purpose Of erect
ing monument in Walnut Hill
park. We respectively request you
to prevent the building of the said
monument until after public
hearing on the matter.
A copy Of the petition and the
names OF more than $50 signers
have been forwarded to Mayor
Weld, prefaced with the following
letter:
Hon. Gardner c. Weld, Mayor,
New Britain, Conn.
Dear Sir:
II do not wish to bore you by
needless Communications but I do
believe, in the matter of petitions
which you know to be in circula-
ton, 1t is only fair to you and the
public, to keep you fully informed
of all that is done.
II had intended to present those
petitions to you today, but when l
went to withdraw them Saturday