The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-09
LANDSMAN COULD
 PAY FOR BUT NOT
 OWN CONNECTIONS
Bridgeport Man Relates Story of His Experiences With United Uluminat-
 ing Company.
Senator Peck of Danbury Cites Railroad Rates, and Bad Trolley Service in Bridgeport to Committee on Public Utilities.
(By Our Special Correspondent.l

(by Our special COrfSSpOnQ0HI)
 Hartford. June s-William Lands man of Bridgeport appeared before the
 legislative committee on public utili- ties, yesterday, and told of his exper- fence with the United Illuminating O..
 of Bridgeport. MT. Landsman said that he owns property within seven
 blocks of the county court house in
 Bridgeport. Sometime ago he en-
 deavored to get the electric light com-
 pany to furnish power to his property. He found he could not rent his place
 without electric lights and he endeav-
 ored to arrange a bargain with the company. He asked the company for
 power once more and was the second time refused. About a month ago he rented his place for moving pictures furnish electric light. He again vis- ited the company and Superintendent Paul said they would supply him with power, providing he would pay for the poles and the wires necessary to con meet his place with their nearest line. He asked how much this work would cost and MT. Paul replied, about $S0." When he decided to accept, MT. Paul, he said, told him they had gone over the figures and found the price to Landsman said that he agreed to ac- cept at this figure and was prepared to pay the money upon receiving re- ceipt showing that he was the owner of the poles and the wires. He was surprised when MT. Paul told him that he could get no such receipt. He could not understand why he should be compelled to pay any such price to their ownership. Without electric light, he told the committee, am un- able to rent my property.
 Landsman said that in his opinion if a public service committee were created with suitable powers the sort of thing he had referred to could be prevented.
 Real spice was added to the hearing by the statements of Representative Johnson of Newtown, who said that he would rather trust the members of public service commission named by, the government even if they were all Democrats than trust some of the members of the legislature. When the applause that greeted the foregoing remark subsided Representative John son continued during most of the time complaints don't count much with these public service corporations But the moment the general assembly opens, and you introduce a bill, the place is filled with their agents who want to know what they can do for you. -
 Senator Peek of Danbury addressed the committee as follows:
 s1 have always favored competition, believing that principle gave every man or corporation equal opportunity, however, that time has gone by, and the principle of competition has been superseded by that of monopoly, and I do not believe that we will ever go back to the old competitive system, and yet if these monopolies continue to exist, they will have to be flair and just" and stop over-capitalizing, and give the public good service at a fair price. If they-do not do this, the time will come (and not as far distant as some may think) when the Public Service Corporations will be control- led and managed by the state or city, in which they exist
 .T wish to say right here that I ann not in favor of public ownership in all kinds of public service corpora tions. The corporations have it in their power to prevent such a step be- ing taken by serving the people fairly and honestly.
 "Mr. Chairman, I favor a commits sion, that will have the power to make a corporation, then upon application of a corporation, then upon appHca of said corporation to capitalize or in- crease capitalization, will prescribe the amount of said capitalization.
 "I am one of those that believe that over-capitalization does tend to de- stroy good service and to increase cost of service, and also to injure the in