Norwich bulletin., 1909-12-21
SUIT OF LOCAL INTEREST.
Concerns Consolidation of Electric Lines in Eastern Connecticut and Southern Massachusetts.

A Boston paper of Sunday had a leading article about suit commenced against the N. Y, N. H. and H. Rail- road company by President Roosevelt and vigorously pushed by Attorney General Bonaparte that Is of special local. interest as the suit in question was with reference to the consolida- tion of electric lines in eastern Con- necticut and southeastern Massachu- sets, the combination being regarded as monopoly of trolley interests. The paper asks: Why was the suit stop ped?"
 The article reviews the consolidation of the trolley roads in the section men, tioned, quoting the report of the spe- cial committee of the board of direc- tors of New Haven road appointed to investigate the feasibility of forming through electric line between Nor wich and Worcester. The outcome of the consolidation of the lines in Con- necticut and Massachusetts was the Worcester and Eastern Connecticut Railway company. This company had line from Worcester to Central Vil- lage and a spur from Central Village to Moosup; also a track from Elmville to the Rhode Island line. where it connected with the tracks of the Prov idence and Danielson road. The Wor- cester and Eastern Connecticut Rail-
 
 state in April, 1901. by an act of the legislature as the Thompson Railway company; but on Jan. 24, 1902, it's cor porate name was changed by the per- mission of the superior court in New Haven to the w. and E. c. The rights and properties then acquired and merg- ed into it were those of the Peoples Tramway company Oanielson to North Grosvenordale) and the Daniel NsnT.xufah Straaf Pai1xuaxy pany. corporations then existing under the laws of Connecticut In May, 1903, the Connecticut legislature conferred on the W. and c. E. the right to exer- else all the powers and franchises of the two latter named roads. This act, under section of the Danielson and Norwich Street Railway charter, gave the w. and c. E. the right to purchase hold and enjoy stocks. bonds, proper ties, leases and franchises of any oth- CT corporation.
 Relative to the consolidation of the electric lines mentioned, President Charles s. Mellen is quoted as saying on Nov. last: q can explain the trol ley controversy and can show you so easily how we drifted into that that it will seem almost a wonder that we could have kept out. When I became connected with the New Haven road in 1903 l found a little bankrupt railroad known as the Worcester and Connecti- cut Eastern. The New Haven had fur nished the money for the construction of that road. That road had lease under your laws of two little trolley roads in Massachusetts. known as the Worcester and Webster and the Web ster and Dudley street railways. The money for the contraction of these was furnished through the contractors, Sanderson & Porter, by the New Ha- ven road. Therefore the two roads were constructed by the New Haven, as was also the Worcester and Con- necticut Eastern"
 These statements were made by MT. Mellen before the Massachusetts rail- road commission.
 Mir. Mellen is quoted further as say ing that MT. Choate, our counsel here in Boston. was counsel for the receiv- CTS of little road known as the Wor- cester and Southbridge. which had a Xery stormy career, and he came to me and said he thought We ought to buy it. Ii was offered at a great deal less than it cost, and I had a property that cost a great deal more than 1t was worth. and I thought that it would be a good thing to make what they call French omelette out of the whole business. break two or three good eggs with one or two little off ones and put in plenty of condlment ana perhaps there would be a seasonble mess. So put the Worcester and Southbridge in and no one seemed to find any fault with that. Well, trolleys Up here in Massachusetts were like huckleberries; they said they did not have a fair show to develop them under the capitalize tion laws of Massachusetts. We bought the Springfield and leased the Worces- ter and Eastern Connecticut and un- dertook to connect it with the Worces- ter and Southbridge, hoping to make a better French omelette than the first one. And we did make a very good one the earnings of the whole com bination, the connection up between Springfield and Worcester. carrying the whole business, and made 1t a good, investment.