Norwich bulletin., 1911-02-03
PUBLIC UTILITIES BILL.
 AND COURT OF COMMERCE.
Opinions Favoring an Adequate Meas , urs Heard With No Uncertain Tone.
fSpeciaI to The BuIIetin.

tSpcCidt IO 1nS buileIln.
 Hartford, Feb. 2.-The tide of public opinion in favor of an adequate meas ure for the just control of public ser vice corporations swept in upon the judiciary committee with no uncertain force when the first hearing on all bills relating and bearing on public utilities and the proposed court of commerce was held in the hall of the house on Thursday afternoon About 200 were in attendance.
 The virtues of the public utilities bill prepared by the State Business Mems association as presented by various speakers, including Representative Chandler of Rocky Hill. whose address was the feature of the hearing. were consideration of other similar meas ures pending, though there was fre- quent reference to the proposed court of commerce. It was significant of the state- wide feeling in relation to the consideration of what is probably the most important matter that will be passed upon by the present legislature that, as the hearing became long drawn out but stiH intensely interesting, when those who were in favor of the regulation of public service corpora tions were asked to rise, nearly every man in the. hall came to his feet.
 Willimantio gave two of the numer- ouS SpcdhcTS WHO t&tkCQ Tn IdE0f or the bill prepared by the State Busi- ness Mems association-Mayor Dunn and Attorney Thomas J. Kelley.
 Mayor Dunn said that both the great political parties of this state are on trial as regards the regulation of pub lie service corporations. The time has come when the people should have something to say about the control of public utilities. The railroads want to be let alone, though they are not particular about what is done to reg ulate other corporations but the peo- pie are rising up. Mayor Dunn re- viewed the efforts to get public utiIi- ties bill through the legislature at the last session, the campaign that has ever since been conducted in it's favor and the results that are bound to fol- low. He paid. tribute to the State Business Mems association and said that it must be apparent to all that they would not present an unfair measure. The state gave them charter rights to the corporations without charge and why, then, should not the people, who are the state, have voice in their regulation? Mayor Dunn said he believed that if the people of the state were given right to vote on the passage of the bill presented by the State Business Mems association that they would pass it with a magnificent majority.
 Attorney Thomas Kelley of willi- mantle, representing the Business Mems association of that city. told the committee facts pertinent to the subject. with the gas and electric com psny of his town as the target of his logic. in favor of the bill of the State Business Mems association. Mir. Kel- ley said that Willimantic was in cor pnrated as a city in 1893 One section Of the city charter proposed at that time provided the right of the city to generate electricity for street lighting, but the legislature found that it was not 3 governmental function to allow it to do so and refused the proposition
 Mr. Kelley then reviewed the result The Citizens Gaslight company and the WiIlimantic Electric company, two corporations in name but one in con- trol. got the street lighting charter and the people of 'Willimantic. were asked to pay rates high enough 10 show divi- dends on ain inflated capital to Massa- chusetts -stoekholders. at that. The speaker traced the various changes of name and nature under which the lighting company operated up to the hllal merger into, the Wi1limantic Gas and Electric company, and of repeated requests for right to increase its bonds. The city now pays ee2 per light for a moonlight afhedFaIe strset servlce. and