Norwich bulletin., 1918-12-12
CONNECTICUT TRoLLEYS
 IN PRECARIOUS CONDITION

Connecticut,s trolley situation is so precarious today that state ownership may be the only thing that can keep the lines going, says the New Haven Times Leader. A situation exists that may cut off all rural lines unless some means can be devised to aid the lines financially and the state itself seems the only source of finance big enough to furnish aid
 Coincident with the public utilities commissions announcement that cleo tric street railways in the state are fin a financially unsound condition" and that for the efficient operation of the properties sufficient capital cannot be attracted, comes the first of the Connecticut eompany's propaganda toward securing more income.
 The company declares that during the ten months ending Oct. 31 the net loss from operating it's lines was s5o6,Q00, and this with a six cent fare in effect
 Just what the future of street rail- ways in Connecticut will be is hard to say. The need of more revenue is said to be so very great that the com panies may be forced to apandon all service unless some means is devised of giving them more money.
 Connecticut company lines may es- tablish the zone system in the hope that their revenues may be increased. This is probably more likely than that the general fare rate will be raised.
 L. s. Sterrs, president of the Con- neetieut company, says that: The plight of the traction con- panies is so acute that continuation of service can be assured only through active cooperation of the eemmuni- = ties and the traction utilities, and it 1 is to be hoped that some workable so- | lution can be found by a change in l the basis upon which the industry has been founded. If such cooperation is not forthcoming, and that at once, | there is no solution from the stand point of either the commYlfty or the utility but public owne<ship, for in ! that way the varying costs of produc- 1 ing service can be piet through direct l tax assessments upon the community at large
 1 Tt would seem reasonable for the inhabitants of a particular territory 1 comprised of number of small towns 1 to demand that the state take over the traction lines when they are faced with 1 the abandonment of portion of those 1 lines through the financial inability ] of the utility to continue operation. l Regardless as to whether the indi l viduals all use the service, the pros tperity of the community as a whole depends upon the street car service and insofar as there are deficits ac- cruing from the operation of the cars
 an equitable assessment. upon all the
 community through the general ta2 | would not be unreasenable''
 Mir. Storrs is of the opinion tha-
 relief can come only through state
 ownership if lines through the coun,
 try districts are to be kept in opera
 tion."
 The report of the utilities commis sion for the past fiscal year says tha- 1 during the past two years none of tht electric street railway. companies has
 been able to pay dividends or to mee operating expenses and fixed charges
 The Connecticut company says 'i
 cannot maintain it's property and in crease it's facilities unless it's line; produce sufficient revenue to pay thu bills"
 On several public occasions within
 the last few months, President Rober ". Perkins of the Shore Line Electri Railway company has stated tha
 much the same discrepancy between
 receipts and expenses existed wit
 regard to the Shore Line trolley sys ,l tenn