Connecticut western news., 1918-02-07


by ,he l...,lic ULIIIt4-s, N~.-.I-44os-on.
Il lI,tt uouy L.ts oruervu .AIe lIoiIuy cor
pora-IUn - 40 sollie,lIl at once to
rcAIeus CCLultIuI-S, Winch Tie cUI..L.lIS-
sIUn IuuIS ..re uepIOriIDte ;tlIu LOr winch
the cOInp..ny is neIu es4,V4.sIOle.
1he CCL4InIItee on Sheet halfway
Service OF Tie " aterDury board OF AL
derIuen held an informal conference
with lnelnDers of the PuDiIc UulItles
Commission. 1t was learned by the
conlnI.lee that previous to The confer
ence the commission had sent Il ieCIer
to the president and directors of the
Connecticut Company pointing out to
them that the conditions are bad and
that something should be done imme-
diately TO remedy them in Waterbury.
The commission assured the commit
tee that it realizes the seriousness of
the trolley situation in Waterbury and
said that it would issue an order i'm
mediaLely to the company to increase
its facilities substantially in a stated
time Because of this assurance 1t
was thought unnecessary to assign a
public hearing for Waterbury.
rectors of the company calls the situa-
ton a deplorable breakdown in trolley
service. The commission finds break
down in the rolling stock, motors and
so on as we'll as the imperfect cond1-
ton of the roadbed for successful OPP
Grafton. 1t is up to the company, the
commission says, to meet such condl-
lions, that with proper care and main
tenance it would have been largely If
not wholly prevented and that under
ordinary circumstances would be en-
tirely inexcusable.
1t is pointed out by the commission
| that what has taken place in Water
bury may happen in Bridgeport and
other populous centers, and 1t insists
upon and expects the Connecticut Com
| pany to use every means in it's power
| to restore promptly the normal service
in Waterbury.
| The letter of the commission to the
company reads as follows: -
"The deplorable breakdown in troll
| ley service in the city of Waterbury is
| an occasion for serious consideration
and for a careful survey of trolley
4
''The causes producing the present
conditions in Waterbury may and prob
| ably do exist to a, greater or less de-
| gree in other populous centers, and a
| general breakdown of the service
would not only be disastrous for the
company, but would be real calamity
| for the state and nation in their pa
triotic efforts to win the war.
Unusual conditions require unusu-
al, special and even drastic efforts
and remedies to meet them successful
ly. In this crisis of corporate and ma
tionaI emergency an added duty and
obligation rests upon your company,
an obligation which is not met in the
ordinary slow routine of applying the
usual remedies, but by the prompt ex-
ercise of every possible and eXtraOrdi-
nary means that may be used to cor
! rect the situation and prevent a SINH
lar recurrence at Waterbury or else
where in your territory.
''It is known, and has been for a
long time, that the possibility of pro-
curing new rolling stock is very small,
thus necessitating a superior nainte-
nance of the equipment on hand and
of all facilities connected with street
railway operation.
at appears from what information
/ this commission has at hand that the
] present principal difficulty in Water
! bury is a general breaking down OF
the rolling stock, motors, etc, and the
imperfect condition OF roadbed (due
/ largely to winter stornfS) for success
/ full operation. This is a condition that
/ proper care and maintenance would
| have largely if not wholly prevented
| and under ordinary circumstances
would be entirely inexcusable.
"a person or corporation undertak-
ing to do business at the present time
under the abnormal conditions must he
prepared to meet these conditions and
compete with all adverse circum-
stances. This is particularly true of a
utility company, especially when such
company has had no financial handi-
caps placed upon it by regulation.
THE officers of your company, famil-
lar with an the details, should know
and prescribe the remedy rather than
our commission, but we will venture
to suggest that if a sufficient quota of
efficient and skilled mechanics and re-
pair men are engaged in maintenance
and repair work practical results will
follow.
"Our commission is very much dis
turbed over what has happened in
Waterbury and what may happen in
Bridgeport and other populous centers
unless immediate and extraordinary
remedies are applied. We insist upon
and shall expect the Connecticut Com
pany to use every means within its
power to promptly restore at least
normal service in Waterbury, to safe
guard and improve it's service general
ly and to be so prepared to meet the
abnormal conditions and demands as
to prevent elsewhere any such break
acaxxrxa O nSrictS In Wot nrhI1rxr -