The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-03-31
Dir, MELLEN'S ADDRESS.
DELIVERED YESTERDAY At THE
STATE CAPITOL.


Before Committee Of the General As
sembIy-TeIIs Assembly Committee
1t Should Help Road-Why Change
in Demurrage Law Is Necessary and
Would Be HelpfuI-The Plans for the
TroIIey-That New York Central Par
aIIeI-Many Important Matters.
Hartford, March So.-Charles S. Mel
len, president of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad, appeared
this afternoon before the committee on
railroads of the Connecticut general
assembly during a hearing regarding
the New York, New Haven and HART
ford Railroad company and on propos-
ed amendments to the charter of the
Consolidated Railway company, the
holding corporation of 400 miles of troll
ley lines owned by the New York. New
Haven and Hartford company.
Among those present We're: United
States Senator Buckley, Congressman
Hill, Lieutenant Woodruff,
Secretary Bodenwein, Comptroller
Mitchell. Speaker Holcomb. ex-Lieuten-
ant Governor Keller. ex-Secretary
Hubbard, Colonel Frank w. Cheney, of
Manchester; President Goodrich and
General Manager Crawford, of the
Hartford Street railway; President
Chapman, of the Hartford, Manchester
and Rockville road; ex-senator Ney, of
Hartford; Director Miner, of Plainfield:
ex-senator McNeill, of Bridgeport;
Ward w. Jacobs, of Hartford; Mayor
Thayer, of Norwich, and Railroad Com
missioner Seymour.
President Mellen occupied the unique
position of addressing the general as
sembly in support of bill, nod before
the committee on railroads, which aims
to give many rights in the develop
ment Of its various parts to the Consoi-
dated Railway company, the holding
company for the electric properties OF
the steam road. Not only did he make
a plea in behalf of the bill, but he ex-
tended his address to a consideration
of number of questions relating to the
New Haven road. After he had con-
cluded he stood before the body ready
to answer questions put to him, and in
a way which again and again won for
him applause, and at times good-na-
tured discontinue for the questioner,
replied to a flow of questions. For the
most part these questions were plainly
put and as distinctly answered in short,
clear sentences. Several times the
questions dealt with matters of railroad
law or of sflraseology, or specific word
ing in the bill before the committee, and
while the answers We're not quite as
clearly understood, perhaps. to those
present who had not given the subject
thought, to most of the members of the
legislature Mr.. Mellen's answers were
plain Scarcely q question was not an
swered to the point.
The house chamber was we'll filled
and many ladies were on the floor and
in the galleries, and for more than two
hours scarcely a person left the room,
So interesting was the hearing. This
was the second time Mr.. Mellen had
spoken at the capitol this session, and
his appearance was almost unprece-
dented in the state 1t took him thirty
dress. and there was scarcely a rustic
among the auditors from the moment
he started until he finished. Senator
Bradstreet, of the committee, sat on
the floor, while the other members of
the committee were with Mr.. Mellen al
the speakers desk, with Judge Pearne
of Middletown, at Mr.. Mellen's right
hand. The cross-examination Of Mr..
MelIen afterwards was confined to the
limits Of the bill under consideration
only once there being depression, and
this only incidental This instance was
brought about by a representative maxi
ing inquiries about the discontinuance
of certain local trains out of New Ha-
ven. Mr.. Mellen had replied that the
taking off of trains was due to the fac
that they were very improbable, and
lie added that nowhere in the country
were so many trains being run at a loss
as on the New Haven system. He also
explained that many trains had been
restored. He further said that 30 pei
cent. Of the trains run on the system
to-day are net paying so per cent. oil
the estimated expenses of these trains
He said that the New Haven road does
not pretend to be charitable organ
ization, but it was doing a great, ano
perhaps an unappreciated, amount OF
good in building up settlements which
grow slowly.
i AT this point Senator Donovan rose
and asked If the percentage of profit te
the road was greater after the trains
referred to had been taken off than be-
fore. The president said at was. Sen
ator Donovan then started to ask il
the roads intention was simply to rur
trains for the profit in them and would
not restore trains because they were
improbable, when Mr.. Mellen, inter.
rupting, said that there were as many
trains running on the Shore Line divis'
ion now as before. 1885,.
do you know?" asked Senator Done
van. Mr.. Mellen replied that he did no
know exactly. WHY don't you know?
asked Senator Donovan.
81 do not make the timetables" an
swered President Mellen..
Senator Donovan-"I supposed tina
the manager of road is a competen
man, and should know whether Their
are as many trains running to-day a
there were some time ago."
Mr.. Mellen-"As the manager of
road is supposed to be responsible 70
.,,e,.xy Sy,iIya driven in tha rail for AT,