Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-12-26
RESULT OF HEARING
ON TROLLEY QUESTION
Trolley Service on Sheffield and
Egremont Lines to ContinSSe
Indefinitely

The continued hearing on trolley
matters held at the Office of the pSb-
lie service commission in the state
house at Boston last Thursday wA4
attended by delegation from Sonth
Berkshire consisting of A. G. Collins.
Charles Giddings, John B. Hull, r. H
Maloney, J. M. Race and J. r. c.
Church of Great Darlington, a II
futile and E. d. Shears of Sheffield
Emil Beck and John C.. O'Neif OF
South Egremont. Messrs. Collins ana
Giddings attended the hearing ma
counsel for the towns of Great Bar
rington, Sheffield and EgremonS-
The chairman of the public SERVICES
commission opened the hearing by
stating that the commission had i'm
ivestigated matters more in detzI
concerning the discontinaance of tia
service to Sheffield and Egrenorrt.
and it was their opinion that cha
shutting down of the Sheffield psSer
station would not result in any Gresh
saving. The commission did nok
think that any such saving as kfls
company claimed could be made by
shutting down this station. ThN
commission wanted to know wRrz&
the towns had done in the matter
and A. c.. Collins, as one Of IRE
counsel, stated that action had t.sen
taken by each town and that moaneY
had been appropriated to assist the
street railway Fe-s
j. H. Maloney read the votes
passed at the recent special tovTm
meeting in Great Darlington and
counsel for the town put in copies
of the votes. Mr.. Shears did thu
same for Sheffield and Mr.. OMEN Car
Egremont. A protest was also nut
in by the counsel for Great BarriUgr
ton against two fares within the vi
lage limits. j. H. G. Church syolrf
on this matter and there was COM
siderable discussion by others EnresA
emit The commission promised tw
send an examiner up here to ses
whether anything could be done N
arranging these fare matters within
the village of Great Darlington.
1t was brought out that people
living in the south part of the village
would have to pay 20 cents in ozela~
to ride to Housatonic. 1t was also
stated that with the exception OF E
James church, all churches in Shs
village came within the double fafe
limit for persons residing In tho
south part of the town. It was stated
that while Great Darlington people
did not object to the increased fares
in general, they did object to wtusH
seemed an unjust fare for very
short distance within the vilkAcS
limits, particularly as they had berr-
tofore been accustomed to 1--WE
cent fare within the town lirn1ts, zra
provided for in the original charter
of the Berkshire Street RaTbrrIy
company. /.r
Messrs. A. M. Robinson, counsel
for the street railway company, anA
Gen. Manager Richmond, we're
present and stated that the company
was willing to run cars bet7Tcgn
Sheffield, Canaan and Egremout rs
at present until further notice. m
was agreed that the money voted By
the several towns fer the bene6a uT
the road, should be paid in monthly
installments, provided that service
was continued. The road agreed TO
give 30 days notice of any later dis
continuance of service and in case OF
such notice, another hearing is to De
held by the public service conuris-
sion at such time.
1t is the opinion of those who att
tended the hearing that tine recent
action of the three towns In appre-
priating money to ASSIST the road.
even though the amount approprs-
ated is not great in total went n
great way with the public service
commission in indicating willingness
to ASSIST the road. In this conryse-
ton the following statement made
by the commission in the case Of the
Bay State railway which operuSrm
in the eastern part of the state, may
be of interest: at is certain khr6
there are many who are coming 10
believe that it is wiser TO place n
part of the burden Of the cost Se
necessary street railway service di-
rectly upon the community AS a
whole, rather than to suffer increases
in fares which do not produce sile
results which they are designed to-
produce, and which are seriously
to social and ecnununSr
conditions"