The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-12
Special to The Farmer.)

Shelton, Aug. 12-The people of this town are as angry as we'll balanced Americans can become, over the treat the General Assembly is meting out to citizens who are seeking a trolley franchise teA connect this place, Hunt ington Center and Bridgeport, by a trolley line that will run through Nichols and terminate at Beardsley park.
 This line would give a quicker route to Bridgeport. It would open up a section of country not now reached. It could be constructed at a moderate cost. and local capital is ready to build it. Landowners along securing this needed convenience that they are willing to giva rights of way to home people.
 The project had it's oFigin in an ef- fort to secure reduced rates on existing lines
 The advantages of another and shorter route to Bridgeport opening people of Nichols was soon perceived and application was made for char ter to build over the proposed route.
 Now mark what follows. The peti- ton was entered in the assembly. It was heard by the Railroad committee, who apparently then believed that the project would ne&er materialize in rails and ties.
 The railroad committee made a un- animous report in it's favor. /
 The unanimous report went to the desk of the clerk.
 Upon the request of the railroad committee the report was recommited and hearing was called. Somebody had learned the line would be built.
 Present at the hearing were the us- ual array of railroad counsel; same old faces, same old tactics. same men.
 The objection was raised that no map of the proposed route had been presented to the committee.
 The committee gave the promoters a week to furnish the map.
 1t looked like an impossible task. But it was done.
 Surveyors worked night and day and finished the map on time.
 Then another hearing was called. Residents of Nichols and persons from all along the line were on hand. COun- sel for the railroad were there. All the members of the committee were there except the chairman. Then there was wait. The hands of the clock flew along, and still the com mittee waited. This compelled the citizens who had come to favor the line to walt also.
 After a long time in walked the chairman of the cimmittee.
 Then railroad counsel raised the point that the petition, already once favorably reported, had not been ad- vertised for two weeks, mere tech- nicalfty which had oeen waived again and again and which of course the Legislature has power to waive.
 That ended it. The railroad com mittee, following the suggestion of railroad counsel, will make an unfa- vorable report.
 Shelton and the town of Huntington will not rest supinely under such story on the floor of the House. It will appeal to the small towns of Connecticut to protect a sister town from the greed, the avarice and the injustice of railway monopoly in this State.
 The debate is expected to throw a brilliant illumination upon the rail- road committee which has been in the limelight so much during the present session of the assembly.
 The dog in the manager character of the opposition to this railway line is indicated by the fact that the pro- motors are willing to build the line and operate it themselves. They are willing to finance the line and let the Connecticut company operate it. They want the line and they want the advantages that will accrue to the people of Huntington through the construction of the line.
 There stands in the way only a sell fish monopoly and it's creatures in the Legislature of the people. The fight is on. 1t will be to the last ditch.