Waterbury Democrat., 1903-02-18

The board of public works helu meeting last night, which was attehueu by as many as could crowd into the City hall annex, the attraction Deing the hearing on the application or the trolley company to double track some of the streets and to lay new tracks in certain other streets. It was the nrst time the public took any particular no tfce of such matters and by the time the session closed it was very clearly demonstrated that as John O'Neiil said. the city officials have piles or power if they want to use it judieially and the courts can be always depended upon to stand for what is right and protect the interests of municipalities as well as public, quasi-public and pri- yate corpora tions.'
 The first matter considered was the laying of sewer assessments in Bergen, Brewster, Livery and Edward streets, and the proposed change of grade of the sidewalk ons North Main street. south side, from a point sixty feet north of Abbott avenue to a point near Kingsbury street. After hearing inter ested parties further action was de ferred for week
 J. n license to make excavations in the pub lie streets was granted and the bond approved.
 When the trolley question came up John O'Neill appeared and treated the audience to the ablest dissertation on street railway franchises ever heard in Waterbury. MT O'Neill said he came representing others and himself and that his aim was to endeavor to get from this wealthy corporation some re- turn to the people for the increased ex- pense they are put to in maintaining their streets on account of the presence of tracks in them. He reviewed the whole history of the company and showed by whathe claimed to be proof, which the company was at liberty to challenge if it saw fit. that after pay ing all expenses the Connecticut Rail- way and Lighting Go has an annual income of $22S, ,125. This, MT O'Neill said would pay 5 per cent interest on nearly i've million dollars. He then showed even by putting what anybody would call more than twice the value of everything the company has in this town. that all would not inventory half a million dollars. The plant is down in the grand list for just half that, so that really the company has a very re munerative field here and is giving the taxnayers nothing in return for the use of the streets except an opportunity to ride on its ears on payment of cents, when it could show handsome return upon tho money invested at 1-cent fare. He said that the company is doing business iii an arbitrary way. If it navs to. operate in certain streets il will go there. and if it doesn't 1t won't so that the claim that it is doing any thing fnr the accommodation of the public does not fold good He admit. ted that the company is benefit, but contended that people who want to use the streets for other purposes have rights and that the streets should be kept in proper condition for their use even though we have the trolley, and talked at some length about the added cost to the city in repairing streets in which railroad tracks are laid, putting the amount at about twice what,it Is where there are no rails.
 NIT O'Neill submitted the following conditions which he said he should bt pleased to have the board consider il acting upon the conpany's application
 The company shall pay to the treas urer of the city, on the first Monday il April in each year, the sum of $2OO fo each quarter mtle or fraction thereo of street in which it's new tracks ar, to be laid in pursuance to said plan these payments to be used for the pur pose of constructing. maintaining ant repairing, said streets in which sait Vew tracks are to be laid
 Upon the further condition that sait company shall sprinkle the highway with water along which said ney tracks are to be laid. between April and November 15. each year, to the sat isfaction of the superintendent of high ways.
 Upon the further condition that sai company shall give fair and suftabl service with regular trips as often a once in six minutes betweeen 6 o'eloc in the morning and half past g o'cloc in the evening each day. through tn streets in which said new tracks sha be laid.
 lengthy communication was rs ceived from D. W. Blggerstaff reIativ to trolley matters which was read b the clerk. MT O'Neill thought he sa, some good things in Mr Biggerstaff communication. notably that of a wal ing room in Exchange place for th eompany's patrons. and suggested ths 1t be included in the list He also sai that some provision should be made | compel the company to construct on maintain the road in such a way ths the rails will not practically prohib
 WILLIAM FAyERSHAM.