Morning journal and courier., 1892-10-21
NO ACTION TAKEN

On the Petition of the Fair Haven
and westville Horse Railroad Conn
pany - Many Directors Present -
Another Hearing to Take Place |
Next Week.
The committee on railroads and bridges |
met last evening to take action on the petit
ton of the Fair Haven and Westville road
for permission to electrically equip its
road. The residents of West Chapel street
presented remonstrance against the
double tracking of that street and also
against the use of the trolley system. The
session lasted for over two hours, after
which the committee adjourned until next
week, when another hearing will be given,
and in the meantime the committee will
visit West Chapel and other streets where
double tracks are desired. No other bust
ness was transacted.
Immediately after the meeting had been
| called to order and the petition of the
Fair Haven and Westville road had been
read Attorney George D. Watrous, repre-
| senting the road, arose and said: 1t has
been the general impression that this road
has always been opposed to progress and
advancement in improving its service. I
want to this evening, if possible, try to
correct any such impression. The presi-
| dent of this road was among the first in
the country to realize that electricity was
the coming motive power for street
railways. This road has been experiment
ing, but unsuccessfully. Several years
ago the storage system was tried, but this
also was not successful. The trolley system
is not the ideal system, in fact is only a
| l,,e e he L.,
practical system to-day. The time has not
yet come for the storage battery system,
and at the present time 1t is not practical.
Other systems than the trolley have been
Investigated, but none are as yet
working successes. The directors OF
this road have no love for the
trolley system or in fact any othe,
overhead wire system, and if between the
present time and spring, when we hope tt
begin improvements, any other system
should be perfected, the trolley will proba
lowed to substitute the trolley for horsel
and make such other changes as may b.
necessary to run the road with success
We propose to equip the road in the yer,
best manner possible, better even thai
than of the West Haven road. The raj
is the only rail feasible for electric roads
the center bearing rail being too light, ant
for that reason we ask to be allowed
/; to use it. If permission i
, granted We shall commence chang
i snsDe our We plant sReeo ss hs rss tn h
will be placed upon us such as were place
+ on the West Haven road, and we have
: therefore, prepared set of resolution
| which are almost verbatim the same q
> those placed upon similar roads, and W
J. also agree to pave between the rails wit
z cobbles in every portion of the road wher
y it is not now paved.
The resolutions were then presented an
y read.
:, E W. Baldwin stated that he was i
:, | favor of the petition of the road bein
!. granted. He appeared particularly to stat
). that he saw no objection to the double
- tracking of West Chapel street, as in som
\. places on that street there was at preser
i double track where the switches wer,
and he had never heard of any complaint
a in consequence thereof
- Henry S. Parmelee also appeared to fave
/, the petition
4 The DIRECTORS then took their innin,
a G. S. Leete of 1920 Chapel street elaine
:" that the street from York to Howe was te
= narrow for double tracks-the street beir
Il only Twenty-Five feet wide in some place
y He was opposed to the trolley system beir
a. used on any portion of the line, being
+ the opinion that it was very dangerous ar
10 only question of short time before tt
"a storage system would become practicsbl
n E. P. Arvine of 1859 Chapel street d
IA not think that the court of common cou
h Gil had power to grant permission to al
ia railroad company to use more of the sire
"a than their charter called for and claim,
D that the Legislature had never given Il
a road permission to double track Chap
II street west of York street. He al
40 claimed that if double track were laid
m would be impossible to drive alol
h. the street without having one
the wheels in the track all t
It. time which would practically r
at them of the use of the street as it won
re- be absolutely impossible to hitch tea
he anywhere along the street. Other objscto
"a. on the same line were John F. Plat al
Az F.. s. Platt.
be- At this point Henry T. Blake arose wi
~ his usual plan to the effect that the CO.
;. pany, in return for the concession aske
nd should pay per cent. of its gross receiI
ar into the city treasury. He then started
n read but was interrupted by John S Fo
ne Ter, who claimed that Mr.. Blske's plan W
"a side issue. This Mr.. Blake indignant
of denied, but, however, yielded the floor
N, Mr.. Fowler.
Mr.. Fowler opposed the double track
nd Chapel street, above Park, on the grou
av that 1t was too narrow, and was also G
on posed to the trolley system, claiming tt
as it was exceedingly dangerous. Others W
~ spoke in tina same strain were Lawren
"a O'Brien, DR.. Walker, DR.. Walter Judso
a DR.. Parkhurst, F. s. Thompson, DR.. NJ.
,c- White and others. Councilman Peck al
ed opposed the petition, and surprised as W
he as amused every one by stating that
had voted for one trolley system but new
al would for another.
40 Superintendent Thompson of the Nor
ey Cove road and P. Shaw, chairman of t
I'd Massachusetts state railroad commissio
a testified that the storage system was L
rs praetical that no person had ever J
he been killed by trolley wire, and furth
q that at present it was the only practi'
h system for street railroads.
(r |