Norwich bulletin., 1915-10-29

he I tho political activities of the New York. New Haven and Hartford rail- road in the Connecticut and Rhode Is- land legislatures to prevent the con- struction of competitive trolley lines, introduced a new and sensational chapter today Into the story of how the New Haven acquired it's alleged monopolistic grip on the transporta- tion traffic of New England. as pre- sented by the government at the trial of the eleven former directors of tho road under the Sherman antitrust law.
 Efforts to Prevent Trolley Parallel.
 q think when the time Is fixed we ought to be ready to have music by the full band" wrote John M. Hall, vice president of the New Haven, to Henry C. Robinson, of Hartford. Conn, in January, 1897, requesting him to use his efforts in the Connecticut leg which hindered trolley lines from building routes that paralleled rail- road lines.
 "RIind Boss of Rhode leland"
 Please nip this project in the bud if possible and kill it." wrote Hall to the late General Charles R. Brayton, the blind boss of Rhode Island" in reference to bill in the Rhode Island legislature to authorize tho construc- ton of competing electric lines in that state.
 Work in the Legislature. We will make it all right with Mir. l Tucker, if necessary" read letter | from Hall to Charles F. Broolser, one of the defendant directors. requesting l Tucker to push a bill in the Connec- | ticut legislature in behalf of the New Haven, which will strike a blow in the right direction and give the cleo tri accompanies something to think about besides paralleling opr lines" 1 Documentary Testimony. 1 This documentary testimony. which was identified by Charles S.. Mellen, l was introduced by the government in | it's efforts to show that the New Ha- ven broolxed no competition from any source. It consisted almost entirely | of correspondence written by Hall Nearly score of the missives were | put in evidence, revealing that in 1895 the New Haven was threatened by a proposition to connect trolley roads | into a through line from New York to Springfield, Mass.
 Opposition to Electric Roads.
 Wherever these electric roads are projected we should be found oppos- ing them," Hall wrote in one letter l to be the Stamford street railway which was to be connected with the I Peoples Tramway of Norwalk, Conn The New Haven, according to minute: of the directors, loaned money to Will liam E. Barnett, secretary of the New I Haven, to acquire the Stamford prop crty. When this was done, P. S. Gree. ley, whom MT. Mellen described as { close friend of c. P. Clark, president of the New Haven, was put in as pres. dent of the trolley line and it's req ownership for time concealed, ac.
 
 Stamford -NorwaIk Line.
 "I suppose if anybody should asl You if the New Haven owned tn, Stamford railway you would deny it which you and I know to be true" h. wrote to Greeley. Hall suggested tC him that the Stamford build its owI connection with the Norwalk line, ex- tending it to Darien, Conn, and tha
 there ought to be some scheme tt ret the selectmen of Darien at once Hall advised in another letter tha everything possible should be done 'fol the purpose of harassing the enemy and to Charles F. Brooker, of Ansonia Conn, one of the defendant directors he wrote this:
 Bill for Legislature.
 'I enclose herewith a bill for a pub
 ic act which I wish you would quietl, hand to Representative Tucker of you place with request that he offer tn bill quietly and see if you can enlis his influence and put the bill througl he legislature. We would make i all right with MT Tucker if that i necessary. What I want is to hay him offer this bill and back it befor the committee. It is a bill in whic l think he will be very much intereste as he was opposed two years ago t the electric roads getting permissio Q cross the Washington bridg, The point is that the Wash fngton bridge is less than 30 feet i width and you will observe that thi bill would compel the electric com 2any. before using it, to bear the ex pense of widening it.