Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-04-14

but they certainly have" Mayor Arm
strong sprang up to say.
c. NJ. Shea of the Shea Fertilizer
company told the committee that roll
itics had kept the people out of their
rights and it seemed to him that this
should end. The ferry rates were in
ordinately high and the accommoda-
tions poor.
Walter Denison of Groton, real es
tate man, did not believe the company
would be hurt in the long run by
reduction in rates and told of his ex-
perience with the reduction from
cents to when he was treasurer of
the company which preceded the pres
ent company. The total expense in
this company's last. year was just over
$1,000, and the present company is
not under much heavier expense.
John Salter of Groton, coal dealer
believed the petition of the Groton 1eo-
pie was just. The traffic now is three
times what it was when the present
rates were established and he believed
the ferry company would more than
make up for the reduced rates by the
increase of travel if the fares were cut
to the one-third asked for.
First .Selectman Percy H. Morgan
Of Groton thought it all wron~ for the
people of Groton to pay a ROYALTY to
the city of New London for the priv
ilege of trading there. He took the
stand that the ferry was a part of the
highway and that no revenue should
be derived from operating it. 1t should
be run at cost and passage across be
free.
Mr.. Leete asked if the ferriage could
not be reduced if the company didn't
have to pay New London $4,000 a year
why their expenses would be that
much less, of course"
He told John c.. Geary who appeared
with Mayor Armstrong, that the traf-
fic had increased very largely in the
last few years, with little increase in
expense to the company.
Representative Crane of Groton said
everyone in Groton favored the reduc-
tion of rates.
Senator Latimer told the committee
that it was common opinion throughout
Groton that the rates were too hioh
and that the citizens suffered injus
tice 'from New London. The service
today is better than previousl'- but
this is due to the efforts of Groton
people
"We've had to fight for everything
we've got" he said. Don't look at
the personal sides of the matter. Go
into it carefully and give US a thor
ough investigation and a square deal"
At this point Mayor Armstron" read
a communication from the Thames
Ferry company to the chairman of this
committee in the 1905 legislature and
stated that by no means all of the inn
provements promised had been carried
out
Frank Moses of Groton followed with
the statement that the ferry boat runs
in conjunction with the trolley COM
pany but the latter doesn't reciprocate
and the ferry boat is almost always
late because of waiting for the troll
ley. He gave experiences to show this.
If the trolley company was making
money six years ago, it is making
more now and could stand reduction
in rates. Mr.. Moses believed that if
the matter were properly put to the
New London merchants in the right
light, they'd favor it.
Representative Smith of Groton ia
vored the reduction of fares.
Henry Marquardt of Groton grocer,
considers that Groton is paying New
ferriage. He thought fifteen or eight
cen years of waiting entitled Groton
to a reduction.
c. T. Lamphere of Groton went in
to the history of the ferry to show
that the state of Connecticut really
owns the ferry and can legislate con-
cerning it just as the legislature
pleases. There are plenty of people
who will take over the ferry and op-
crate it at one-third of what is now
charged.
William Thomas of Groton. farmer.
was anxious to have matters arranged
so that loose hay could be carried
across. There is a great chance for
improvement in the drops on the boat.
At the close of the hearing Mayor
Armstrong asked a further hearin~ at
which further evidence. as well as ar
gument may be submitted, and next
Tuesday was decided upon.