New Britain herald., 1928-05-15
SHARP DEBATE AT
 SPECIAL HEARING Condemnation Proceedings by
 Water Department VALUATIONS ARE GIVEN
opposin: Lawyers Engage In Verbal Tt'ts and Opinions Of Experts Nary-Tax Delinquents Oallosi- Parents Teachers Asso. Elects,


 sharp verbal tits between oppos- Ing counsel and rapid fire cross ex- animation of witnesses by Corpora ton Counsel William x. DeResier marked the first days proceedings in lhe action of the city water depart ment to condemn land at East Church in the town ot Plymouth. owned by Mrs, Sarah Bernstein. It IS the contention of the water board that the Use of the land in question for a cattle sales stable by the pres ent owner menaccs the city water supply for the reason that Poland Brooh, which passes over the proper ", en1plies into one of the city's l'r"rN olrS, Attorney Frank K. Mum of I.ilchtleld Is representing Mrs. Bernstein. The comm ission, ap- pointed by the superior court to as- certain the facts. consists of Attorney John Hubbard of Litchneld, Senator Samuel Doty of Hartford and Jo- seph T. Donovan, local real estate man.
 ", the entire morning session was con- stunned with the testimony of Albert Bernstein, husband of the owner, who was present as her agent. He in- formed the commission that on Feb ruary IT he purchased the property in question in his wife's name for Sl6,oo0. Fourteen thousand dollars of this was to be in cash. In part payment he also turned over 10 Le- roy Wells. from whom the farm was purchased, four notes, one for $40. a second for $500, the third for se.5 and the fourth for $56o. all of which bore Wells signature and covered stock sold to him by Bernstein. Bernstein also testified that another debt of Wells to him amounting 10 $575 had been cancelled by the transaction.
 At the present time. according 10 Bernstein there is mortgage on the property. held by the Thomaston Savings bank. for f3,eoo, the original mortgage of $3,7oo having been re- duced since he acquired the property in his wife's name. Since he pur- chased the farm. he has expended for repairs the following amounts: Charles Konopaslly, carpenter work on barn. $s5.s5; Beach Lumber Com pany. lumber. S5533: E. R. Hinmau, lumber. slSo.S7; Leroy Wells for carpenter work. sle9: Ralph Hil- gren, labor, $6a; and to Sperry and Buell. for map, si12. All of these repairs. Mir. Bernstein averred, had been made before notice Of the con- demnation action had been served on him.
 On cross-examination by Attorney DeRosier Mir. Bernstein admitted that since purchasing the property. he had disposed of 31 head Of tu- stock, in addition to tools and farm machinery. He had also sold a portion of the property to n Hartford party It was his con- tention that he had been searching for two years for a farm which would meet the necessary require ments for a cattle sales station and found that his present location was ideal for that purpose. The loss Of the property would mean . large financial loss to him. hs claimed. | His profits each year ranged from 5000 to $10.00o
 City Engineer Carleton W. Buell. | of the firm Of Sperry and Buell., | testified to making the map for Mir. !! Bernstein and corroborated the l of the bill.
 Testify to Property Value |
 In an effort to prove 10 the com | mission that the site was ideally ! adapted for the purpose for which 1t ts being used at present. Attor- ney Mum summoned several wit. | nesses.
 The first called was William H. first selectman of Terry 1 vile. He placed value on the of sla.o75, if used for cattle sales station. If used for farming purposes. he admitted in nross-examination. its value would 1 not exceed slo,ooo.
 George Gibbs of Harwinton, for nler member Of the board of relief | and also a former selectman of that town. placed the value of the pro- porty at s16,95o. He admitted 10 l tho corporation counsel that 1t was Inc first farm he had ever been ask ed to aprraise in Plymouth and ai- lhcugh he testified that the house was worth about $4.Soo. stated that 1 he had never seen the interior. When asked regarding the electrical fixtures. he said that ha knew neth- ng at all about them for the reason that We haven't electric hghts in and that's why We ret | such good radio seYvice' He be. lieved that the land was worth 3la5 m AcrA