The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-02
Public Service Commissioner
Brings Many Railroad Men to
Testify He Does Not Receive
Special Privileges From the
New Haven Road.
Appropriation to Equip Electric
Line to Carry Freight Was
Made In November, 1910, and
He Was Named Railroad
Commissioner the Following
February.
fSnecial to The Farmer.O


Hartford, Feb. 2.-J. H. Hale OF
Glastonbury is probably the greatest
individual grower of peaches in the
world. He is also a member OF the
public service commission of the State
Of Connecticut He is also one of the
largest customers in Glastonbury Of
the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford Railroad.
Mr.. Hale was appointed a railroad
commissioner Of the state by Gov
ernor Simeon e. Baldwin, in Feb. 1911.
But he never served as railroad COM
missioner, for during the 1911 session
Of the general assembly, the railroad
commission was eliminated by the
legislature and the public utilities
commission was created. The three
men named to the railroad commission
were appointed by Governor Baldwin,
to the utilities commission, and Mr..
Hale began his first duties in the ac-
tual supervision Of the public utilities
corporations of the state in July, 1911.
For many years the people Of Glas-
tonbury had sought freight service,
but had failed. But by June, 1911, the
electric line controlled by the New
Haven road, running into Glaston-
bury, had been equipped to handle
freight, and Mr.. Hale and others in
his town began their first shipments
over the road.
Glastonbury is on the east shore Of
the Connecticut river, about 10 miles
south Of Hartford. It has sevSSl
manufactures, who enjoy freight ser
vice over the electric line Mr.. Hale
is not the largest shipper, although he
ships about IL per cent. Of the freight
hauled on the line. At certain, periods
of the year, however, he is by far the
largest shipper
Not long ago the people of Man
chester, another Hartford suburb, fill
ed with the Public Service commission
a petition to bring about a reduction
| in their trolley fare into the city of
Hartford. The people failed to carry
their point. They wanted the fare
reduced from Is to 10 cents The
commission couldn't see their way
clear to order the reduction Many
Manchester residents were outspoken
in their condemnation of the commits
| sion.
But it remained for Willard B.
Rogers, who is both a newspaper cor
| respondent and an insurance agent Of
Manchester, to crystalize the adverse
| sentiment Mr.. Rogers a young Re
y 81
a reputation beyond the confines of
his home town for the courage of his
convictions. That helped to elect him,
| this year, to a seat in the house of
! representatives.
Organization Of the General Assem-
bly, had barely been effected when
Rogers introduced a resolution calling
for appointment of a. committee to
conduct an investigation into the
terms and conditions under which a
| spur track was constructed into the
property OF Mr.. Hale.
Yesterday, the committee on Judi
ciary had hearing on Mr.. Rogers
resolution. But in the meantime it
had developed that there were no
tracks Of any nature on Mr.. Hale's
property in Glastonbury, and when
Mr.. Rogers appeared before the com
nittee yesterday, confronted by Mr.
Hale, many Glastonbury towns men Of
Mr.. Hale and numerous railroad men
called by Mr.. Hale, hef amended his
request SO as to make the proposed
inquiry cover the terms and conditions
under which freight cars are oper-
ated on street car Ines in Glaston-
bury
Prior to the inquiry Mr. Hale had
addressed letter to Senator George
W. Klett of New Britain, chairman
Of the committee in which he asked
gun a discussion Of the matter, he,