Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-11
HEARING ON GROTON
 AND SToNINGToN ROAD.
President R. w. Perkins Among Wit nesses Before Interstate Commerce Commission.

About 100 persons gathered at the hearing in Mystic Friday morning be- fore the interstate commerce CommiS- sioners regarding the increased rates of the Groton and Stonington line of the Norwich and Westerly Traction company. The meeting was conducted by Attorney Alton Gerry of Washing ton, D. C.. examiner for the commission. Attorney Benjamin Hewitt for the cOmplainants of the town of Stoning- ton and Attorney Warren B. Burrows for the town of Groton appeared. At tOrney Hayes of Washington and At torney c. L. Avery of Groton were present for the trolley company.
 The first witness was Miss Nellie Edmonds, a teacher in Mystic, living in Westerly and making trips back and forth on the line. Her complaint was in regard to the use of the school tickets by the teachers. She had taught for three years and up to Nov. 22 had paid a fare of nine cents, there being three three-cent special rate tickets. After Nov. p it had cost her 20 cents for each trip, one way.
 B. F. Williams was the next witress examined. He stated he had been vic president of the road from 1905 till :. was sold out and leased to the Norwich and Westerly Traction company. Said the trolley had run into Rhode Island and came under the jurisdiction of the
  Hams said the preferred stock sold for S200,000, the common stock for $400,000 and the bond issue was $4OO,OO0. That the fare from Groton to Vest erly was 30 cents and a special rate ticket was in force between Stonington and Westerly of seven and one-half cents the regular fare being ten cents. Over the Old Mystic line there was also a special ticket of three and one half cents instead of fee.
 The financial condition of the Groton and Stonington road had always been good, had paid all bills, dividends, in- | terest on bonds all through his term of office. Said a special rate ticket for | teachers and pupils had been used in both towns of Stonington and Groton.
 Dr. C. F.. Consdon of Mystic testi- 1 fled that his duties as health officer made it necessary for him to use the l trolley frequently, that he had used special rate tickets.
 On Nov. 9 this special rate ticket had been refused by the conductor who finally took it after heated de- bate.
 1 He said no cards were posted and the first he had known of the change was notice in a Sunday evening pa. per of Nov. 21, the change going into | effect the next morning.
 l Frederick Brewer, chairman of the school board of the town of Groton used tickets in Stonington as well as GrotOn.
 Attorney Allyn Brown of Norwich appeared for patrons of the Norwich and Westerly Traction Co. in the towr
 of North S1tnington in regard to fares and package rates.
 President R. W. Perkins of this city
 said he was president of the Groton 6
 Stonington, the Norwich & Westerly
 Traction O., the Shore Line Electric
 road and the Storing & Leasing Co
 of Norwich and New London. He saiC
 the Shore Line Electric road operated
 180 miles of trolley line. The Grotor
 & Stonington was operated under
 money rental of S36,O0O a year. Tha
 the first period of the lease of ont
 year had elapsed at this figure anC
 that the contract had been renewed
 for 10 years at this same price. H, produced a copy of the schedule pot | ed at Wilmington and aid that it hat
 also been posted in the office of tn
 line in Mystic.
 The last witness called was Dr l Owen J. Jennings, secretary of tn , school board of Stonington He sai
 all teachers and pupils used the spe
 cial rate tickets till Nov. 22. Ticket
 were bought at the office of the Nor wich & Westerly at Norwich The
 had been paid for by the town 0 f Stonington at the rate of 2,60O a veal The principal of the schools had dis f tributed the tickets to pupils an : teachers. The teachers paid at tn : rate of three cents each.