Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-13
COL BURpEE ON THE RACK.


 Questions after Board Meeting Attorney
 Kellogg also Under Fire--Red Hot
 Discussion on Trolley Matters l Last Night.
 The board of public works met last night to discuss the rolely question. but adjourned until tonight without taking any action. Those present were Commissioners Whiting, Blakes- lee, Mahaney, Scully, City Clerk Ryan, City Attorney Kellogg, Eng1- neer Cairns General Manager Sew all and Colonel Burpee. representing the Connecticut Railway Lighting Co. The clerk called the meeting to order and Commissioner Scully was appointed chairman. Colonel Burpee explained why he was absent from the first meeting called for this pur- pose after which it was voted to ad- journ until tonight, when it was thought Mayor Kilduff will be pres ent.
 Colonel" said Commissioner Whit ing, just as all hands were about to leave, ''do you suppose there is any likelihood of the railroad commissions CTS reporting on this question before we get through with it? The whole matter is in their hands and if they are not reporting on it it might be well to prod them up q little" Colonel Burpee: ''They won't re- port until they hear from the city. If We looked for a report from the rail- road commissioners it would be waste of time for us to be discussing the question:
 Mir Whiting: ''Who asked the rail- road commissioners to hold back re- port on this matter?"
 Colonel Burpee: By consent of the city attorney and myself the com missioners decided to let the matter stand until we had had an opportun- 1 ity to talk the matter over with the city,
 MT Whiting Undressing MT Kel- logg) Did the board of aldermen re- quest you to ask the railroad com mfssioners to let up on this matter? If so I never heard anything about it Do you remember any such action be- ing taken by the city, Mr Chairman?''
 MT Kellogg replied that he had the right to take such action without a vote of the boards and that it was done with view to bringing about a better understanding of the questions involved
 Mir Whiting (to Colonel Burpee) Would you have asked the commis- toners to hold back their report if you thought it would be favorable 10 you? Why didn't you let them go ahead and tell us what they thought about this whole matter?''
 Colonel Burpee: "Yes, we should ofo A<%x s4 range amicably with the city before hearing from the commissioners"
 Mir Whiting: Don't you claim CTS in case you cannot agree with the city?''
 Colonel Bnrpee: sYes. Yes. If you don't do what we want to have you we shall be obliged to appeal to the commissioners
 MT Whiting: s'Why don't you leave it before the commissioners now?'
 MT Blakeslee: '.I don't think MT Whiting quite understands Colonel Burpee''
 Mir Whiting: Gnterruptingly) ssLet 1 the colonel explain his own cause, MT | Blakeslee, if you please. Why doesn't | Colonel Burpee tell us what is best | " NO AOA thO City III IAC
 Colonel Burpee: q am not here in | the interest of the city. I'm here to | drive good bargain for the Connecti- | cut Railway & Lighting Go"
 Mir Whiting: That's it exactly. | You are here to make the best deal | you can for the trolley company and | we are here to look out for the public. | For this reason I think the proper | thing to do is to leave this matter | where it is and let the railroad com | missioners pass upon it. If the com [ pany does not like that why doesn't | it fight the consolidated road and f compel it to widen the street. If you people do this I shall gladly vote you the use of the street for your rails, but shall never favor your passing under that bridge in it's present con- [ dition'
 Colonel Burpee: "That would mean that we couldn't do anything there this year. Under such an arrange ment we would be obliged to remove our rails and ties to other places and in such case some other town would profit by the outlay"
 Mir Whiting: 'sAll right Proba- ply some place else is in greater need of the service. You don't suppose you can lead us to believe that you could get better returns out of your money by putting it some place else, but you want to operate there because of great desire to accommodate the public?"
 'Colonel Burpee: T mean that we could make more money in other places if we should be compelled to pay such amounts as you think we ought to for the privilege of going to Watertown. What is it worth?''
 MT Whiting: 'Why bless your soul, no man can tell what it is worth. If you put the street in proper condition for trolley service then you have the use of it for ever and amen A few years ago people thought the fran chise of other streets was worth noth- ing, but those who got it didn't have it long until they disposed of it for millions. If you don't want to do for the privilege of going to Watertown why don't you put a road out to Cheshire. The people out that way want the trolley