New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-08-13
THE OBSER YER
Makes Random Observations
On the City and Its People

Some fertile minded individual
with a farseeing interest in the vel
fare of the city has thought of s
scheme indeed, a scheme to "beauti
fly" our center and save room in City
hall-by tearing down the east ano
west wings Of the building. A com.
mittee approached the mayor. dur.
ing the week. with arguments tina,
such move should be made
Whether the members conceived the
idea themselves. or borrowed il
from someone else cannot be posi-.
lively stated, but they are the sur.
face proponents at any rate.
Just what their arguments were
we cannot say positively, as we did
not attend the conference, but there
was Some talk about room saved and
some about creating beauty spot
at the center. And nobody laughed
1t is too bad that this beauty spot
was not thought of when the board
of public works removed two large
trees from near the curb line on
West Main street, between City hall
and Washington street, presumably
at the request of some property
owners. Those trees were probably
over a hundred years old and they
formed very fitting arch of green
cry over the street. They probably
would have stood but a few years
longer before they died for lack OF
air and moisture. but while they
stood they were attractive. and they
were, by no means a menace to life
and limb. There will never be an
other tree there, unless the perman-
ent pavings and sidewalks are ripped
from West Main street, giving q
chance for moisture to percolate
into the soil. Trees were cut down
along South Main street to give more
room for the Connecticut company
jitney buses to run and poles were
left standing in the street, although
it is said these are to be removed.
This was done sometime after Arbor
Day. when plant tree" was the
slogan. And nobody laughed.
Numerous projects have been
launched, at various times; aimed at
taking away part of Central park.
at least, and giving it over to wider
highway purposes. We have been
assured that, though some OF the
big trees might have to be removed,
small planting would grow. And
laughed.
This newspaper favors all that can
be done to beautify New Britain,
every bit of greenery in and about
the center tends to do SO and it all
should be protected zealously by
every citizen with the best interest
of the city at heart. But when it Is
proposed to tear down existing
or part of them. and build
a park under the flimsy excuse that
it would tend to beautify the center,
CT create more room for city offices,
it is time to laugh. And after laugh
ing it is time TO see no action is
taken.
One wing Of the structure is now
occupied by the Fitch-Joncs COM
pany on the ground floor with the
office on the next and G. A.
r. hall above. On the other side the
Probate court and the city clerks
offices occupy the two stories Of the
cast wing. In both of these offices
there are vault spaces, built at a
great expense, which would have to
be replaced If the wing came down.
And the proposal is to move these
two somewhere upstairs, rebuilding
the vault. presumably. Which, of
course. would make more room for
city offices, wouldn't it? DO We hear
anyone laugh?
And then--oh and then, you aes-
thetes who picture splashlng foun-
tains and blooming greensward to
the right and left of the seat Of our
government, flankinS our noble City
hall-just consider what we could do
with the few square feet we have
gained. Mayhap a marble Roman
bath wherein noble city fathers could
disport in idle moments, much as the
children at the top of Walnut Hill
park are wont to do. Gosh, wouldn't
they look sweet? We could dress
them up in Roman togas and parade
them about to the tinkle Of soft
playing vari-colored lights
upon them the while they smoked
their political cigars the aroma from
which would blend with the scented
breezes and the smoke from which
would reflect the colored lights
aforesaid. That's picture which
was not painted at the conference.
But it surely was not because the
committee of proponents lacked the
to conjure it to mind.
Surely not They have given plenty
Of indication of their magination as
1t is.
The truth of the matter is that we
shall soon have a bare unattractive
plot on each side of City hall if the
wings are torn down, a spot which
will be trying to acquire
for parking space before very long.
1t is a pity the proponents did not
think of that as an argument. 1t
has darned sight more merit than
theirs.
If we need more room for city
offices let's build up on the wings,
instead of removing them. Several
stories could be gained in this way
and we are certain the foundation
would stand the. strain, as would the
Purse of the public.
This week we were planning to
send you on a trip to Boston, but
what with the danger of Sacco-Nan-
zetti bomb outrages and the Red Sox
playing winning baseball We figured
excited old Beantown might be in
TOO much of a Hub-bub and be a
dangerous place for strangers.
Therefore we will give you chance
TO see New Britain-not first, per-
haps, but at last, anyway.
Starting out from Central square,
il the red lights ever let us, we pro-