Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-07-14
WAKING UP AT LAST
People Realizs Its Time to Stop CiV-
 ing Away Valuable franchises.

It took the people of Waterbury . long time to wake up to the fact that they still have rights in the streets which corporations who want to use them are obliged to respect. Mayor Thoms is making that plain to every- body and If the public stands behind him they will find that trolley ex- tensions can be had without throw- ing added burdens on the municipal ity and on private individuals for paving and maintaining highways. His honor is not the only chief mag istrate that made an effort to do this, but their good intentions were frus- trated by the conduct of the boards or aldermen who fell over themselves in their desire to give the company all 1t wanted for nothing and let the people bear the expense. Baldwin and North Willow streets furnish striking examples of this. Tn the for mer street the roadway was practi- cally ruined and before 1t can be got into proper shape for teaming the city will have to put out an enor- nous amount of money, all of which Will have to be met by the taxpayers. The trolley company is doing busi- ness for its own benefit and its agents are within their lines in driving the best bargain they can and nobody should find fault with them for so doing. In the past the city officials and the public were divided on these matters, some making stand to pro- tect the city's interests and others conniving to defeat the city and give the company everything for nothing. Everybody wants the trolley and most citizens are willing to see that It gets fair treatment, but that is all. Many take the ground that the streets of Waterbury are too narrow for double tracks, but no matter how much folks may rail aboutit two tracks are absolutely necessary in some streets, but where they are laid the streets should be paved from curb to curb and 1t does not seem unreason- able that the cost should be met by the company that creates the condf- tions which forces this expense on the community. East Main street is surfaced hardened clear out to Sil- yer street and were 1t not that an- other track is demanded there per- manent pavement would not be need ed there for the next half century. and perhaps not even then. The abut- ting property is not very valuable and the idea of assessing 1t for per- manent pavement simply because the trolley company wants an additional track Is preposterous. It is all right for the company to get out of 1t at as little expense as possible, but 1t is the duty of the powers that be to see that the rights of the people are protected and that they shall not be called upon to carry burdens which Tn all fairness should be borne by others. Everybody is saying that Brooklyn and Town Plot are back of the mayor in his position regard ing trolley extensions. No doubt this Is true. but one might go farther and add that every rate payer in Waterbury is, with him. If this was not so the aldermen would very quickly crawl over his honor's head as has been done in the past when men who should have known better boasted that they had got the upper hand of officials who were charged with standing in the way of the troll ley. Nobody ever opposed the trolley, but at all times men took the ground that the company was not giving a fair return for what it was receiv- ing. and 1t is admitted now that those who thought the city should have got little more were wild en- thusiasts. It is rather late, to be sure, to wake up to the real situation, but 1t is refreshing to know that even at this late day the people have got their eyes opened and have made up their minds not to be satisfied with out getting their rights.