The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-06
GNg A. A. Waterman's Fountain Pens included il

Act Increasing The Powers of Rail- road Commissioners to realize that they have effected a wholesale repeal of all the mandates in railroad char ters granted in the past by General Assemblies relating to rates and ser vice. Worse than that, they have re- pealed every public Act on the stat ute books empowering the railroad | commissioners to make orders for the operation of trains and cars for ap- pliances for the safety of human life | including fagmen for gates at grade l crossings, the number of brakemen, the | location of routes, changes of grade method of crossing by fntersectlng railroads, crossing of water courses | construction of bridges and approach es, alteration of highways at railroad | crossings, condemnation of easements | planking of crossings, guards for bridges, footways, cattle guards, main taining fances along the layout, con- struction of railway depots and chan ges of location and repairs, stopping of trains at stations, running of trains | on Sunday, handling of Sunday freight approaches to depots. railroad connec- tions of different lines, use of safety couplers, construction of platforms for safety, bulletin of trains, transporta- tion of explosives, danger signals at crossings, sounding of whistles upon approach of trains, crossing over drawbridges, maintenance of switches, regulation of speed. method of con- struction and location of street rail- way companies, crossings over steam railroads, heating and lighting of cars
 use of highways for switches with one fell swoop the majority with the use of "a few innocent sounding words have shorn the railroad commission of their existing powers to make or ders upon these subjects and substf- tuted a mere farcical power of recom- mendation.
 And this power to recommend has not even the merit of novelty, for the General Assembly, out of abundant caution, after vesting power in the Railroad Commissioners to make posi- tive orders upon all of the subjects l have enumerated and many others that I have not mentioned, enacted a provision contained in Section 3S95 of the General Statutes by which the
 Railroad Commissioners were enjoined to make such other recommendations
 for the adoption of such measures as the Commissioners deemed conducive
 to the public safety or interest.
 How shall the majority of the Conn.,
 mittee justify such a serious blunder
 It cannot be that this ruthless de-
 struction of power, that is the product
 of years of legislation for the safety
 and convenience of the public. was in
 tended or contemplated by the Com
 mittee Whether intended by the real
 authors of this Bill one can only
 guess
 Will the Senator from the 18th say
 that such a result was intended by
 him in reporting this bill?
 Can he say that it does not have
 that effect?
 The Bill expressly provides that the
 scheme of recOmmendatory powers
 shall be amendatory of every charter
 and every public statute.
 This is not all-there are charters in
 this State granted to public service
 corporations that contain special pro- visions relating to rates and service,
 that are likewise repealed by the eX- press provisions of the majority bill
 for the creation of a Public Service
 Corporation.
 I hardly think that was intended by
 the Committee, yet such is the effect
 of the bill before us.
 These criticisms indicate lack of care by the majority of the Commit