New Britain herald., 1929-05-16
Proposed Changs in Zone
 Law Defeated on Roll 1 Cau-Park for East End { Considered.

-CllmAx1n3 a1 3E1vment ~AlcA eA- ceeded the common council limita- ton of Ave minutes and paved the way fer defeat of none law change to permit gasoline filling stations on FraAklin Square, Alderman J. Gus tave Johnson, enlivened last nights meeting by declaring: II want . roll call vote on this question. l want to y have 1t known who has the city's in- tsrests 1t heart and who is seeking high political honor. You have heard of the Washington oil scandal for which some are now paylng the pen alty. h it possible that the oil scan- dal has reached the common council of New Britxin?"
 Alderman Johnson had . prepared speech. which he referred to from tIms to time. Chided by Alderman David l.. Nair, who led . movement to permit gasoline filling station in preference to . lunch cart, for using | prepared speech instead of coming in and. speaking his mind freely. the alderman answered:
 "1 prepared . speech because l didn't want to be misquoted. Any way. the speech I wrote isn't the came as the one l gave"
 Easy to Ruin NcighboEhood
 It was one of the few instances in which . report of the board of adjustment was not accepted. The matter was just reached when Alder man Johnson took the floor to say:
 T am opposed to this change. The ;, people who arc members of the sev- eral churches in that neighborhood have contributed and built churches, and the city Aas . beautiful park nearby. It is more costly and takes moro time to beautify . district than 1t does to ruj 1t. A building that Ndoes not beautify . district spoils it, and it's . whole lot easier to put 1t in that it is to take 1t out.
 We have enough gasoline filling stations now. For seven years, the people of these churches and the property owners have been protest ing. and still we are trying to push 1t over. The bill was vetoed by . former mayor who had the city's in- terests at heart and who wanted to beautify the district. There were only two at the meeting who favored al- lowing . gasoline filling station on Franklin Square, one was the attor- ney and the other represented the Knights of Columbus"
 "Gag Rule" Lifted
 Demands by Councilman Frank l.. Conlon and William D. Boyle at this point. that the gag rule" be invoked eince Johnson had already exceeded the five minutes limit. brought from Johnson . request that he be allow cd to continue for one-half . minute. Permitted to do 70, he concluded his talk with . demand for a roll call vote and mentioned tho oil scandal at Washington.
 What is 70 beautiful about the corner now:" Councilman Charles O. Holt of the second ward asked. Tho councilman had reference to tho northeast corner of Franklin Square and Pearl street, tho plot on which tho Standard Oil Co. would have built . station had the ordinance change been adopted. Although this Interrogation was considered as evil dence of Holt's sentiments for . change. he voted against it when the roll was called.
 Further opposition was voiced by Alderman Walter R. Falk of tho sec ond ward. He said that there are three stations nearby. and inquired whether it makes a difference who is looking for the right to sell gaso- line, or if 1t is tho intention of the council to treat all alike.
 Nair Rebukes Johnson
 Alderman Nair, against whom many of the Johnson shafts were directed. faced the fourth ward al- derman during the entire time of his tebuttal. in which he said:
 T don't think much of the idea of coming in here with q prepared speech. Why doesn't the alderman come in and speak his mind freely believe it is better for the city to have . beautiful gasoline station on this corner than it is to have . dirty lunch cart. The alderman can't cram this thing down my throat or scare me into voting his way with . long prepared speech. He is taking this matter altogether too seriously and attempting to make 1t . personal issue. It looks like class legislation to me. We passed the ;xoning act