Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-10
TROLLEY TALK
Former Administration Brought
 About the Cheshire Lips.

The present city officials assumed the reins of government under very ia. vorable conditions so far as trolley ex. tensions were concerned. Most of them were personal friends of the trolley people and talked as if they meant to give Waterbury such trolley service as it needed before their terms of office expired, some of them mak- ing no bones of proclaiming that the trolley company always stood ready to do the right thing by the city, but they hadn't been given fair show to ex- tend the system.
 Well, the administratiOn has been Tn power over year and a half now and what has it done in this line? Noth- ing except to give the company the right to double track some of the prin- cipal streets without any consideration whatever, notwithstanding the fact that it has been a great hardship to teaming and big expense in the ! maintenance of the streets. The echo of the shout set up against certain city officials who consented to have the | franchise conferred on the Waterbury horse car company to lay single tracks in the streets without getting some- thing for the privilege can be heard about town yet, but you rarely hear word said with reference to the men who allowed the streets to be double | tracked without any consideration therefor. The company had the right to construct single tracks in certain streets, but double tracking was an other matter, and in order to do this | the company would have to have fur ther powers conferred on it unless the officials permitted them to go ahead
 unmolested. They did this and then l requested the city attorney to oppose measure to that effect then pending before the general assembly. If that was not consistency, what do you call 1 1t?
 The Cheshire line, which was opened yesterday. cannot be credited to the present administration, because all the preliminary work in that direc- tion was gone over and practically agreed to before the advent of the business administration, Mir Cairns made that plain at hearing held a year ago last winter when he de- clared that the city was deeply in- debted to the efforts of the former ad- ministration for it's services on behalf of the city in this respect, adding that the conditions offered were fair and l that they never would have been | agreed to by the company were it not for the stand taken by those charged with the city's interests at the time the matter first came up.
 The Oakville question is not yet set tied and when the end comes it is quite likely that the Consolidated road and the trolley will have the Hons share of the deal and the city will come out in the small end of the horn. To be sure, the city has some service now that 1t didn't enjoy two years ago, but Is it worth what it cost and couldn't it be had on better terms2 These are pertinent questions, al- though some may regard them as non- sensical, but they don't appear so to those who feel that more deter mined attitude on the part of the city government would have brought about similar results at greatly reduced cost to the taxpayers.
 The public was informed that inside of year the hum of the trolley would be heard along Baldwin street clear down to the Pearl lakes road; also across Town Plot from Bank street to West Main street, and resi- dents of Mill Plain were assured that they might plan to dispose of their teams because they would have troll ley passing by their homes in the near future.
 What has become of these projects? Everybody knows how the MilldaIe- Waterbury company was throttled by the local company at Hartford; the Baldwin street line doesn't amount to anything in it's unfinished shape. and nobody but the residents of Town Plot remembers anything about the talk of extending the service into that dis trict. No doubt many members of the present city government desire to see , all these plans carried out, but those who entertain these ideas are in the minority and they are powerless to do anything to make good .ne promises made two years ago.
 In the opinion of many good citizens who want trolley service from Water bury to all parts of the state, it would | be a wise move to hold up all further extensions to neighboring towns until local conditions are met. That Bald win street line should be finished. the company should be requested to cou- struct a line running across Town Plot to West Main street, and there Is need of extensions in the service into the northeastern section of the city. The Town Plot Improvement club. the Simonsville association and residents of other districts who have been wait ing patiently for the trolley and see no signs of it coming their way should get together and make cali upon the business administration and inquire If they are aware that their interests should be considered as well as oth- CTS.
 Until something like this is done the trolley company will continue to jolly the city boards, using such DOT tions of the city as pay good divi- dends. and playing dog in the manager with the other districts.
 If the working people of Waterbury could be talked into forgetting politics for few years and turn their atteD- tion to the needs of themselves and their families. the entire city would soon have such trolley service as it is entitled to. But will they do that? Why. no. The political heelers that are now making house to house can vass with a view to holding their grip on their berths are beautifully silent about these matters and unfortunately too many take these smart fellows se- riously and as consequence the tro.- IS goes where it pleases and thou