Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-17
SENATOR PHELAN TELLS
 WHYHE OPPOSED TROLLEY
Says The (. R. L. Co., Promises Do More Than Back. CTS of hilldale Line Ever Would-Intimates That Perhaps if Given Charter it Would Eventually Buy Out Like the Woodbury. Quassapaug Line

Since the legislature voted down the
 petition for charter for trolley line
 between Waterbury anF MiIldale, Sen
 ator Phelan has been subjected to a
 good deal of adverse comment on ac-
 count of his vote being cast with the
 negative. The mere fact that it was
 a Waterbury matter was sufficient
 grounds in the opinion of many that
 Senator Phelan should have voted for
 it. Until to-day the senator had not
 been approached for his reasons for
 voting ill the negative. It is very like
 iy that those who unfavorably criti-
 cised him will now look favorably
 upon the course he took.
 My reasons for voting against the
 measure Were sufficient in my mind"
 said Senator Phelan, and while I have
 not been at all disturbed by the criti-
 cisms, published and verbal, l think
 both sides are worthy of hearing be-
 fore q verdict is given. l cannot just
 now enumerate all of my reasons, but
 l will give the principal ones. The
 Connecticut Railway and Lighting Co
 petitioned the legislature four years
 ago and two years ago for charter to
 build a line between Waterbury and
 Mlldale. The ground to be covered
 was practically the same as that men
 tiOned in the petition that was voted
 down last week. That line would not
 cover the populated districts. IL would
 just pass on the edge Of Mill Plain
 and would not touch Woodtic. The
 legislature of two years ago told the
 trolley company if a charter was
 granted it would be to build between
 Waterbury and Cheshire. and on that
 ground the charter was granted. And
 it was because it would not touch on
 the principal places between Milldale
 and Waterbury that the other petition
 was refused.
 Now the Connecticut Railway and
 Lighting Co has built road between
 Waterbury and Cheshire at cost Of almost SSOo,OD0, and if there were no
 reason for granting a petition for a line between Waterbury and Milldale
 then, there was none for granting it
 now.
 "Anther reason is that the Connecti-
 cut Railway and Lighting JJ is now
 at work connecting AIilldale and Ch>- shire A third reason is that none of those who were said 10 be interested
 in the Waterbury and Milldale matter ever came to see ne about 1t except one man, Representative Clark of l SOuthingtOn, and he broke a promise ! To me. Still. that did not cut much
 of figure with me ill determining my 1 opinion of the matter. l saw less req
 son for granting such charter now i than there was two years ago ts the 1 local trolley company. because the i ground that was proposed 10 be GOV cred by this Milldale line can be coy ] line to Cheshire and the link 10 Mill l dale
 Another thing I was informed by q | very wealthy man here in Waterbury | that this Milldale matter, would be l exactly like Judge Warmers air line l 10 Quassapaug. Judge Warner and a i few Woodbury and Middlebury men ! had Waterbury c0nyulsed q few years ! ago about a trolley line to Quassa- ] paug. but after they got the charter ! they put it in q safe and kept it there. 1 Now the Connecticut Railway and i Lighting company has a charter for a ! line to Quassapaug, though a great | many people do not think so. and it i will be built before any other concern or group of men could build it. Before the vote on the Milldale- Waterbury petition was taken I was assured by representatives of the | Connecticut Railway and Lighting l company that if it was granted the 1 company would abandon all intention | to connect Naugatuck with Seymour. ! ThOmaston with Waterbury. and Wa terbury with Middlebury and Wood | bury. It was up to nc tO say whether the people of Waterbury should have | those lines or not. or the alternative. | the Waterbury Milldale.
 Seeing that work was going on he- | tween Cheshire and Milldale. that what the people wanted was coming | to them. in another way l voted to give Waterbury as many trolley lines as possible by voting against tho ! Milldale matter T. will take only a ! short time to connect Muldale with 1 Cheshire. and the people from those \ places. and along that line. can do | their trading here. whereas If the ! Milldalc-Waferhury petition was l granted it would take probably years [ 10 accomplish the result
 We an know how long f takes to i build trolley rad. no matter how [ short one it may be. am conf { dent. and I felt that way when I east | my vote against the Waterbury Mill- ! dale petition. that tp grant that Peii- | finr would mean just 6 repetition Of | uha, took place after the Waterbury ' woolhury and Niddleburv petition
 was granted
 ! We aH know what that concern did [ with fts charter. It was openly stated | fin fhn legislature that t was for sale But. however. that may te. it is cer- tain that the charter expired and the company did not even attempt io | h-,if the line. Now In sh0-t time ' the people Of Waterbury will he able { ra reach New Havpn by trolley for 2 vr~v snail fare. and iu a month gr | tvo. not very long anyway. the people \ nF WfIldaie. Ssuthinr-uu and those \ yIseos will fap able tn come here which I -fer uouH not he ail1a fo io sr taas- | for some time. perhaps a rear o- tvn < a- more. f fha psfftf1n for charter
 ra- Waterbury MiIliaie charter E were grsntel