Connecticut western news., 1872-02-09
THE HOUsATQNIC RAILROAD.


 enger traffic. The peculiar ''economi- cal" management of the road previous to Mir. Franklin's administration, was such as to create in the minds of the people who were its patrons, an impression that can hardly be regarded as for the best interests of the road to have so extensively prevalent. The fewest repairs possible, that would rem der it anything like safe for travel, were put upon the road in its every feature.
 Only one passenger, and one freight train each way daily were all that were thought necessary, and those trains were compara- lively poorly patronized. From five to ten cars generally composed their freight trains
 The disposition of the road at that time was plainly apparent, and by everybody generally understood The accommodation of the public was not of the slightest inn portance in their estimation, and by them was not to be studied. They thought the people along the lire of the road obliged to patronize them, and conducted themselves with due respect to this opinion. That this plan of managing railroad is one of the poorest; that they were laboring under 8 delusion that was rapidly proving fatal, rapidly sapping the life blood from the road, cannot better be illustrated, than by an examination of the history of the road at that time and note the dividends regularly not going in the pockets of the stock holders. ..-.... ...
 Let us look at the same road under an entirely different management. When MT. H. w. Franklin stepped into the captain 8 office and grappled the rudder of the con cern. he immediately effected complete summersault in the affairs of the road Thousands of tons of new iron rails hun dreds of thousands of new ties were ordered; large additional help provided bridges or dered rebuilt; (not repaired ) new depots built; new, heavier and better locomotives and new cars were provided, and every thing done that would conduce to the one grand plan uppermost in his mind viz, to make the Housatonic railroad second to none in the United States; and what is the result.
 If the stockholders at first stared with amazement at this extravegant expenditure, ask them To o-day how they regard the matter. They will tell you MT. Franklin's head is ''square on his shoulders ;" that he thor oughly understands his business. The most powerful locomotives draw trains of from % to 30 heavily loaded cars of freight; two of these trains each way running regu- larly every day, beside extra freight trains which go at the call of business for them, and which seem to be necessary nearly, if not quite, every day. Two through pass enger trains each way daily; beside regular special trains between Burlington and Pitts field and New Milford and Bridgeport. These trains are literally patronized. We repeat ask the stockholders of tbat road to-day how they like this way of doing things. With their pockets pregnant with dividends and their faces beaming with smiles, they will tell you that they are capa- ble of rendering different definition to the word economy" from what was in their dictionary ten years ago. s
 Nor are exorbitant tariffs on the road the cause of their fat pockets. High freight and passenger tariffs were prevalent on this road at the time it was being managed economically, and the prejudice against the roa!, engendered by this management, 1t has been difficult task to overcome. Tue present tariffs for freight and passen- ger traffic are really as low as the. average of railroads throughout the country. A careful comparison of the rates of this road with those of others, will convince anybody unless he be so blind that he won't sec
 By the way a little attention to this item of tariffs, might not be out of place in the business of the officials of the Connecticut Western railroad. There are many who think this new road has commenced with pretty stiff prices for freighting, and we see by our Hartford exchanges some con- siderable complaint of citizens at that end of the line, of passenger rates. The road is very popular now simple because it is a new road, but this novelty will soon pass away and people will then regard it in a business point cf osea0. .. 70. .,. To return to the Housatonic road which is our present object of attention, 1t is suffi- cient to say that (unlike i.s former po!icy) Mr. Franklin's ideas of successful railroad management, embody anon, those above enumerated, that of accom- ,sodatiag tht public, and while they serve their own in- terests. as it is right the company should do, they win labor 10 make it pleasant and for the interest of the people to patronizt 1 their road. F. .-...-
 | DoN'T PAY.-Stealing rides on cars is not always profitable business. The New York and New Haven Railroad Company hay. been good deal annoyed by persons steal ing rides from the depot in New York te Harlem bridge, where they will jump of when the trains stop, and cars are now locked, after they start, and are kept locked until the trains pass on to the New Haver track. The other day 8 man got on ths cars at New York, and just before the trair reached the bridge he arose, took up To of fowls from under his seat and started fo the door, but found it locked. He ther threw his chickens, coat and hat out of tht window and tried to get himself out, too but failed in the attempt, and was brough through to Stamford, minus hat, coat, anl chickens. A number of other amusing in cidents of the kind have occurred where persons have attempted to steal rides tc Harlem and have found themselves locked in. obliged to ride to Stamford and ther return by another train. They will soor find out it don't pay to steal rides to liar | lem. --..- .i 5rt.. .aa
 FIGHT WITH BEAR.-Bears still infes