The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-08
PUBLIC UTILITIES.
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porations, but would add to the value Of their securities by the practlca guarantee that the proceeds of such securities would be used in building ul and developing their properties for the benefit Of their stockholders and Of the Investing public instead of for the bene- 7 fit of the professional promoter.
 If such corporations were properly capitalized the saving would enable managers to maintain their properties in a<fnuch higher state of efficiency, ana hence of safety; would provide Ufcans and credit for extending new 4ines into unoccupied territory, With a view to future rather than immediate profits; would give a longer ride and better transfers for a single fare: and would provide larger fund for wages, thus securing better help, greater safe ty for passengers, and avoidance of labor troubles, with attendant strikes.
 Fourth. There should be vested in the Commission the power to ascertain the facts relating to the financial con- dition of these public service corpora tions, the physical condition of their plants and equipments. and the causes of accidents resulting from their opera tion.
 The power to ascertain the financial condition of these corporations for the protection of the investing public is only extending the present policy or the State. The Bank Commissioners are required to ascertain. at least semi annually, the financial condition of every savings bank. trust company and state bank General Statutes, Sec. 3457.) Like power with reference to in surance companies is vested in the In- surance Commissioner General Statutes, Secs. 3531 3532. 3572); and similar powers are vested in Commits sioner on Building and Loan Assoc1a- tions regarding such associations (Gen- Ctofr reasons which impelled the granting of supervising powers over these institu- tions apply with equal force to our public service corporations. It is as impractical for the investor in the securities of such corporations to eX- anime into their financial condition as it is for the depositor in savings bank to examine into the financial condition of such bank, or of the policy holder in an insurance company to examine into the financial condition of such company.
 The power to examine and ascertain the physical condition of the plants and equipments of these companies is necessary for the safety of the public and of the employees of the company. We now provide for a factory inspec- tor. whose duty it is to examine and report the condition of all factories in the State as respects safety to life and health. for the obvious DrOtectiOn@ of ths, employees in such factories General Statutes. Sec. 4515.) The duties of the employees of many of our public ser vice corporations are quite as danger ouH as are those of the employees in our shops and factories.
 Public safety demands the inveStiga tion and publicity of the facts relating to accidents caused by the operation of these corporations. In the year end ing June 30 1907, TIT persons were kill ed and 69s injured by the steam rail- roads in this State, and 51 persons were killed and 1.439 injured by the street railways in this State (55th Annual Re- port of the Railroad Commissioners, 1907 report, star-pages 132 and 154.) The number of deaths and injuries result ing from the operation of lighting com panies is not given in any official re- port. The duty of ascertaining the facts and circumstances connected with steam railroad accidents is now inn posed upon by Railroad Commissioners General Statutes. Sec. 380O.) The duty ought to be extended to cover casual ties and accidents connected with street railway companies and all other pub- lie service corporations.
 Fifth. The, Commission should be vested with the power and duty to supervise the operation of public ser- vice corporations.
 This Commission reiterates its opin-
  visory and not mana gerial. Supervis- ion is desirable for the protection of the public interest. To considerable extent this power is now vested in the Railroad Commissioners as respects railroads and street railways, and the recommendations of this Commission are. for the most part. recodifcation and extension of existing statutes re- lating to railroads and railways.
 Sixth. There should be vested in the permanent Commission the power to fix rates in cases where they are found to be unreasonable.
 As before stated. public service cor porations are under the common law obligated to furnish adequate service for reasonable compensation. This Commission does not attempt to state or intend to intimate that the rates charged by public service corporations in this State are reasonable or unrea- Sonable. What constitutes a reasonable rate in any instance can only be deter mined by a careful investigation and consideration of all the circumstances and conditions which bear upon the question.
 We append hereto Tables I, IT. and III. which will enable comparison to be made of rates charged in numerous cities and by various corporations. The statistics given in Table I are taken from pages 376 to 379 of the latest (19O6)
  the United States,'' compiled by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
 The statistics in Tables II. and III have been obtained principally by cor respondence with the officials and pub lie service companies in the several cities named in the tables, except that the statistics relating to gas and cleo tric rates in Massachusetts are taken from the official report of the Massa- chusetts Gas and Electric Light Com I1lissioners for 1907. Excluding the twenty-five largest cities. because these are so much larger than our Connecti- cut cities that a comparison with rates charged in those cities would be of lit tie or of no value the purpose has been to select the statistics of rates charged in the next group of seventy five largest cities in the country. The statistics given for the Connecticut cities were furnished this Commission by the several public service corpora tions supplying service in those cities. 1 If 1t be assumed that the rates now charged by public service corporations are reasonable it does not affect the fact that some diSinterested tribunal | should have the power to determine if | end when an unreasonable rate is | charged.
 In addition to the new legislation l recommended by this Commission, some | of which is above referred to, a recodi- | fcation of all the existing legislation | fin this state relating to public service crationS iS deSira h1p for annapar,t