Putnam patriot., 1917-03-16
BELT LINE TROLLEY
Committee Seeking to Enforce Old Prom.
 ise Met President Perkins Saturday
Survey of Route to Be Made. Matter to Be Submitted 10 Connecticut Compa.
 ny Lessor by Present Management

Shore Line Electric Railway, told a committee Saturday afternoon that within the next lew weeks he would have company engineers make sur. vey of the proposed trolley loop tn Putnam, make estimates, and submit for such action as they may see fit 10 take. The Shore Line Company is lessee from the Connecticut Company and under the agreement the lessor agrees to furnish all money for capital investment for ten years. Under that situation MT. Perkins ,said that the matter would finally rest with the trustees of the Connecticut Company, for, unless they vote to furnish the capital, the loop will not be built at present.
 This was the sproposition that was left in the minds of those who attend ed the meeting at fire headquarters: Mayor McGarry and sthe committee consisting of Aldermen Johnson, Padg- cit and Dupre, Senator Macdonald, Representatives Kent and Brodeur. Superintendent of Streets Dumas and City Clerk Ryan, were also present
 Mayor McGarry opened the meeting by telling of the petition for the loop received by the council. He also said that he believed that in the minds of
  many citizens lurked the thought that former administrations may have been bit lax in enforcing the agreement it is understood was made with the city to build such loop.
 Senator Macdonald said that he was member of the common council when the road sought local charter and 1t was voted for favorably with the un. deTstanding that four months after the road was completed such n loop as that now asked for would be built. Continuing, Senator Macdonald said that six years ago, when he was mayor and a member of the house of repre- sentatives of the general assembly, the matter was taken up with the public utilities committee at Hartford. After several meetings General Manager j.. K. Punderfoot agreed that the loop should be built and the matter was re- duced to writing but just at that time the Connecticut Company leased the Putnam division, among others, to the Shore Line Company and nothing further came of it, MT. Punderfoot met him, Senator Macdonald, last week Thursday and told him that the agreement was well remembered by him and that he would back the sena- tors statement to that effect.
 President Perkins then told the com mittee that whether convinced that the loop was necessary or not the mat. | ter would finally have to be put up to | the trustees of the Connecticut Com. pany, for they furnish the money for capital improvements and the Shore Line Company assumes the debt on which it pays interest. He said that the leasing company pleaded for time on matters of construction on account of the very high cost of labor and ma terial at the present time, which, he said is nearly 75 percent more than q few years ago. II the road is built now that extra cost would eventually fall upon those who would use the loop on account of the amount of fare 10 would be necessary 10 charge in order to get a return on the increased invest ment.
 He said tbe matter was being taken up at a very unfortunate time for the above reasons but that he would sub. init the proposition to MT. Pnnderfoot after the survey and estimates were ready and would inform the mayor when this was done so that the conn mittee could then get In touch with MT. Punderfoot and the Connecticut Company.
 MT. Perkins said that if the matter were left entirely to him he would dis courage it at this time but in view of the previous agreement he would sub- init the m alter.
 One statement made was of interest. Mr. Perkins said that for his own inc formation he investigated to see how many passengers passed through Put nam without stopping and was sur prised to find that in two average weeks there were only 2l . week show ing that Putnam Is . center for pas sengers coming In both directions.
 He said thst the past year not troll ley road in Connecticut, doing s'strict- ly railroad business, had paid . divi- dend. That 1t is hard under such cir. cumstsnces to attract capital. He cited the increased cost of coal, rails and supplies as extra burdens that the roads have to contend with, and, on top of that, extra taxation.
 If the loop should be built 1t Is un. derstood that the through troileys would come directly up South Main street from the Arch bridge and that the belt line car, probably run hali hourly, would make the circuit through the Grove street section. The matter of the route was spoken of and several plans touched on. One was to continue out to the junction ol Woodstock avenue and Providence street instead Of turning down Marsh