Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1914-03-20
RAILROAD OFFICIALS
Meet Putnam Business Men And Ex-
change Views
Make Good Impression but No Promises

Make Good Impression but NO promises
A b. Smith, general passenger
AGENT. c. L. Bardo, general manager,
and A. W. Honywill, superintendent
Of the Midland division of the New
Haven road, came to Putnam at
o'clock Tuesday in a special car to
meet a committee of the Putnam Bush
moss Mems Association after holding
similar meetings in Norwich and DAN
ielson. The meeting WAS for the pur-
nose of discussing the new reduced
train service on the Norwich Il Wor'
cester division, protests having been
entered in the matter. The officials
listened to the statements of the Put
nam representatives and in turn made
statements from the roads point of
view and endeavored to impress the
fact that the road had made the
changes unwillingly from the purely
business proposition that under exist
ing conditions it was necessary to re-
dnee expenses and that the taking off
of trains that did not pay seemed to be
iuSfified under the circumstances.
While no promises were made the Of
ficials said that they would take the
matter under advisement and possibly
some minor changes that would be of
benefit might be made.
Attorney f. G. Morse acted as
spokesman for the association and be-
gan his remarks by calling attention
to the fact that the association had
gone on record as opposed to the di-
voreing of the Sound line steamers
from the road. But he also stated that
with the present service this section
had been divorced from the Sound
steamers. While the general poor SER
vice of the division was alluded to spe-
cial stress was laid upon the fact that
no train left for Norwich and way sta
tions between $50 a. m. and 6 p. M.
The trolley service WAS spoken of as
not meeting requirements on long
trips.
George S. Bradley told of the situa-
ton in which his firm found them
selves as shippers of meats, especially
to Plainfield and Jewett City. He
said that under existing conditions he
was forced to get up at o'clock in the
morning in order to go by automobile
10 Jewett City and get his orders and
telephone them in so that they could
be shipped on the $50 train. 1t was
impossible to ship on any later train
as the 6 o'clock did not reach Jewett
City until the markets were closed.
He also showed letter from a Worces-
Ter concern where they stated that ow-
ing TO the early leaving of the morning
train they were unable to make ship
ments as before to the Bradley concern.
Attorney j, f. Carpenter spoke in
the interests of the French River Tex
tile Company stating that they were
large shippers of express. He asked
that north bound trains stop at Me-
Gainesville.
Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Bardo both talk
ed on the situation. They agreed that
the Boat train in the morning should
stop at Mechanicsville and that possi-
bly, the afternoon train should also be
stopped there. They assured Mr..
Bradley that they would endeavor to
relieve the situation he complained of.
AS TO the general passenger situation
they promised nothing beyond saying
that they would thoroughly consider
the matter taking into consideration
what they had heard from the busi-
ness men in Norwich, Danielson and
Putnam. They alluded to the present
condition of the road and stated that it
was imperative that expenses should
be reduced and that this was not the
only section where trains have been
taken of.
They said that the freight receipts
had fallen off nearly half a million a
month since the first of the year and
that expenses were steadily increasing.
They did not curtail conveniences only
as necessary reduction of expense
which is conservative business policy
and they stated that the trains that
had been taken off this division and
which the business men were seeking
10 have restored had been run at loss.
The talk impressed the business men
although it was quite apparent that
The officials were endeavoring to have
them see their, the railroads, point OF
view.
ELL. Mo~..s..1- Leo