Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-06
TROLLEY LAWS.
Much Speculation as to What
 Legislature Will Do.
MORE STRINGENT MEASURES.

It Is Thought Will Be Adopted in Dealing With Trolley Companies The Pecks Mill Disaster Near Bridgeport May Be Brought Forward as a Reason for a Change in Some of the Laws.
 Bridgeport, Conn, Dec G.-That the t9uI session of the general assembly of Connecticut will be marked bv leg lslatlon of the greatest importance to the trolley road concerns and their pat fons is certainty for steps to that end are already being taken in this city, where the horror of the Peck $ mill trestle disaster, which occurred on August G, 1899. and in which twenty eight persons were killed outright and q dozen permanently injured, is still fresh in the minds of the people.
 That certainty is increased by the fact that two members of the cor oner's jury which conducted the in quest after the accident. Henry Lee of Bridgeport and Henry F. Stagg of Stratford, have been elected to mem bership in the house of representatives. Both gentlemen are influential in Fair field county and in the state as well. and the measures which will be in- troduced will doubtless have their ear Hest support. The other four mem Bcrs of the jury will also give their support to the proposed legislation.
 Accompanying the finding of the jury on the Peck's mill case was a request for an extra session of the legislature, which was submitted to Governor I-OunSbury. but which he did not grant on the ground that temporary relief could be found without the necessity of that expensive step. The jury also rec commended the enactment of q statute providing for the creation of q com mission whose duty would be to super wise the construction and operation of electric reads. Three specific restric- tions governing operation and construc- ticn were also recommended.
 Although no action has as yet been taken. excepting the issuance of an order by the railroad commissioners fol the addition Of guard rails to all trol ley bridges and treStles. and concern ing which the authority of the rail road commissioners was considered quest Dna ble those who then strongly favored the enactment into law of tine
 
 the matter drop, and have decided tC prevent their measures early in the session.
 The recommendations of the jury other than that concerning the creation of a commission -were:a That all trol ley bridges be equipped with inside guard rails. and that all outside guard rails be not less than eight inches il height and faced with iron; that nt man be allowed to act as motormal of a trolley car until he has qualified before a board of competent examiner: and has been licensed to act as such that the working time of motormel and conductors be reduced and tha they be allowed a reasonable time To their meals.
 The last recommendation was based on the fact as disclosed by the evi dence that the motOrman of the Ill fated car had been eight hours with out food and had been sent out on an other trip which would last thre hours. without being given an oppol tunity to secure it.
 It is more than probable that if tn bill concerning the limitation of work ing hours and providing opportunitie for food emanates from no other sourc il will be introduced by the labor ol ganiZationS, who feel that they It Guire no stronger argument in it's be half than the finding of the Peck mill jury
 There has. however. been chang of opinion since the disaster concefr ing the necessity for the establishment of another commission to have author ity oyer trolley roads, and ill place c the opinions then held is the sentimeI that the required safeguards may b provided by the addition of an electr cal engineer to the existing raliroa commission. The law new provide that the commission shall consist q lawyer. civil engineer and Ia. man. It is argued that by adding q electrical engineer to the commlSSlO possible conflicts between two comm sions may be avoided. while at IL same time the appointment would pr vide afA inst need that would Wlthl n few years manifest itself. on accoul of the extent to which the steam Tai road companies are resorhng 10 ele tricity as a motive power II Stamford and New Canaan branch al t,,e New Britain and Bristol branch ( the Consolidated railroad are cited examples of growing condition whi' demand the supervision Of an electl cal engineer on the railroad comm sion.
 EAGAN RESTORED TO DUTY.