Norwich bulletin., 1915-03-05
TRoLLEYMEN PROVOKED.
Think Blame Was Implied in Effort to
 Remedy West Thompson Waits.

There has been an undercurrent or resentment this week, it is said, among employees of the Shore Line Electric railway on the Putnam lines over re- gently published statements, that, i, has been taken, carries the inference that the car crews are not always Suf- ficiently solicitous of patrons of the line and of the interests of the busi- ness men in this city.
 Some of the car crews are especial ly incensed because of the invitation that has been extended to the public to make complaints direct to the com pany and a few of them are inclined to charge the making of this arrangement to the local business mems associa- tfon, on what specific grounds is not made clear.
 The men are exceedingly reticent when asked to talk for publication, for sufficiently good reasons of. their own undoubtedly, but they are know to be -fumirg inWardly in a number of cases. No one of them will agree to be quoted in print.
 The whole controversy has develop ed over tine perfectly legitimate desire Of Putnam business men to hold the bulk of the trade of the Grosvenor- dales, which has had a tendency to swing to Webster during the last two or three years. It has been repeatedly claimed in Putnam that this shifting of trade centers for the Grosvenordale
  rangement on the local trolley line, es- pecially on account of waits that oc- cur at West Thompson, where the crews of the Putnam division and the Webster division now change cars. The schedule calls for only a two minute wait at West Thompson, but the car crews understand that it has been represented to the management of their company that they make an extra fast run down from this cityyy to the West Thompson station, so as to have time for a little layoff and sometimes, a smoke When this is done, if it is done; the waits are long CT, as the story goes, as well as hav- ing a tendency to send the people of the ~CrosvenordaIes over the nonstop line to Webster to trade.
 The whole controversy seems to simmer down to the manner in which the run from this city to West Thomp- son is made. Ernest G. Morse, secre- tary of the Putnam Business Mems association, was asked about the mat have sufficient time to go into the subject in detail. He dal say that the local business mems association had been informed by the management of the road that there was no reason in over one per cent. of the trops to have more than a twominute wait at West Thompson and it was to get the service on this basis that the local as- sociation had worked. The association had no desire to harry the. car crews or to cause them any difficulties.
 A man who has talked with car crew members says that they have told him they have not been given to the practice of making fast runs out of this city northward in order to gain an opportunity to smoke. He says that their feelings have been greatly hurt by the inference that they have not tried to do their full duty toward Putnam and the company that employs them and that they have taken the matter very much to heart; that, in fact, some of them are downright angry about it.
 The employees insist, the man who quotes their alleged spokesman says, that they are being unjustly blamed as to some complaints that have arisen. They are anxious to give the very best service possible. but they have much to contend with and only demand faif cooperation from the public. They are anxious that this be explained.
 The casus belli does not seem to be so serious as to prevent the dove of peace from exercising it's beneficent influence and restoring a good feel ing all around, however, the employees who have objected to being what they term misrepresented seeking only reasonable consideration.