The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-17
COUNCIL TAKES
 UP BATTLE FOR
 CHEAP CAR FARE
Resolutions as Passed by New Haven Board Read Last
 Evening

That an active campaign is about
 to be taken up statewise in favor of
 cheaper trolley transportation is evil denced by four documents presented to the Common council at it's meet ing last evening by Alderman Eugene I. Meyer. The first was letter from Attorney Frederick l.. Perry, presi- dent of the board of aldermen of the City of New Haven, as follows: Al derman Eugene I. Meyer, Bridgeport. Conn. Dear Sir. Referring to your esteemed favor of the 30 ult.. beg to your city is taking up this matter of discrimination by the Connecticut company. I am pleased to say that
 this matter has been considered by our board under a petition by MT. Walter Leigh, a copy of which is en- closed herewith; also, that the hear ing has been held upon the matter and a report will be put in at the meeting tonight, a copy of which Is also enclosed. I think these docu-
 ments are to a large extent self-ex- planatory, and hope that your board will see it's way clear to take action looking to the same result. If lean furnish you any further information,
 l shall be very glad to do so.
 By the way, do you know any of
 
 mon council in Hartford? It seems
 to me if the three cities take con-
 certed action in this matter we can
 make this company sit up and take
 notice. Yours very truly, F. l.. Perry,
 president of Board of Aldermen
 Leigh to the New Haven Board of
 Aldermen accompanying Attorney
 Perry's letter was as follows: ITO the Honorable Board of Aldermen: Your
 petitioner respectfully represents that the Connecticut Co. sells in the city of the state, twenty-five tickets for dollar, each good for one fare on the Waterbury lines of said company; that in this city and elsewhere, ex- cept as above stated. fiat rate of five cents for each fare is charged, and the company has declined and refused to grant to the people of New Haven the same rate as is given to the city of Waterbury.
 "In the opinion of your petitioner, illegal. Either the company. can af- ford to sell twenty-five tickets for dollar, or else they are using the profits from carrying passengers in New Haven and other places where the flat rate Is charged to make up for a deficit caused by the lower rate. No claim has ever been made that there was any such deficit, and if this company was subject to the regula- tion of the Interstate Commerce Commission they would have been obliged long ago to do away with this
 Your petitioner respectfully re- quests that this matter be inquired into by an appropriate committee, and if the facts stated are found to be true, to take suitable action look ing to a remedy by the incoming General Assembly. Dared at New Ha- ven. Nov. 14, 1910. Signed, Walter Leigh"
 A third document is copy of a sent to the New Ha- Your committee to whom was re- ferred the petition of MT. Walter Leigh with reference to alleged dis crimination in trolley fares, beg leave to report that they have attended to the business assigned, and on due the prayer of the said petitioner should be granted.
 A public hearing was held and considering the weather which was stormy, the attendance was good and the arguments advanced along the line of discrimination on the part of the Connecticut company were not indeed no attempt was made to answer them. Inasmuch as no representative from the company naV1nS any lnIOrIndllOu on the SUD- ject was in attendance, the committee must assume that the net revenue pei mile in Waterbury is as great in pro- portion as in the other large cities of the state. And therefore the granting of a special rate of fare there has if this assumption is incorrect it is nevertheless true. as the petitioner we'll says, that if there is a deficit in Waterbury owing to the lower rate, then it is being made up from the profits elsewhere which would seem to be unfair.
 Your committee therefore respect fully recommend the passage of the following resolution and order, all of which is respectfully submitted, Fred erick l.. Perry, chairman.
 The resolution: Resolved, That the senators and representatives from New Haven be requested to use their best endeaVorS to secure by proper leg islation the same rate of fare else where in the state as now prevails in Waterbury either by having included in Public Utilities bill a clause against discrimination similar to the federal statute on the subject or as may seem best. Ordered that the corporation counsel be 1n- stricted to appear before the proper every way possible in carrying out the purpose of the foregoing resolu- tion''
 In connection with the above, AL derman Meyer introduced resolu- tion identically the same as the above which was adopted by the New Haven Board of Aldermen, and order ing the city attorney to appear before the proper legislative committee in support of the same in a like man. 1 ner as the New Haven corporation counsel was instructed. Alderman Never moved that the resolution and be laid on the table pending a report of the city attorney upon regulation of trolley fares as of- fered by him in a resolution at a previous meeting. The motion was carried.