Norwich bulletin., 1919-03-13
IRoLLEYs MIGHT PAY
 ON CITY SYSIEM PLAN

l If the Connecticut company Wefe
 cut up into. city systems believe It could be operated" This was the statement of Judge Waiter C. Moves chairman of the board of trustees Of the Connecticut company in the hear ing before the specill legislative commission to investigate trolley believe it could be operated. That is
 not desirable. but we might be forced 10 that" he added. we will run 1 the road as long as we can Judge Noyss' statement was brought out by Arthur W Wait, a member of l the Investigating comtrittee. who asked What will you dc if the state does nothing 10 aid the street railway 1 lines ?''
 ''The six cent fair did. increase our revenues d little," said ] l6ge Moves. I've did get more. but it undoubtedly
 stimulated jifney travel. The differ ence between five and six cents does l make some people walk.
 Naming the plan which the trtts-
 tees had considered fer further in- oreasing the revenues of the com pany. Judge Moves said, Gan we in-
 crease the fares? We have considered
 sajd on both sides. We haven't
 felt clear to taka that step''
 The Connecticut company is in a
 calamitous condition.' ho continued.
 ''Tt has come about by economic
 events. No ore is to blame. It could
 not be foreseen. In the last two years. we haven't been able to pay our bonded interest, we haven't paid our rental for the lines of the Connec-
 ticut Railway and Lighting company fn the western part of the state and
 we haven's been able to pay our taxes
 U the state. Our outstanding notes
 amount to something Ike s2,O0o, 900
 tt day.
 We can't borrow any more money , We asked the War Finance corpora
 ton of the United States at Wash , lnetoia to help us. They told us You're not entitled to credit. You're
 not earning anything"
 T Tt is my view that in Connecticut ithe street railway connen:es cannot he operated 1t the present rate of ex- !" nse and Da supported kv what the Leople will pay. The population Of Con. : ntcticut is not sufficiently dense to op-
 crate the railways at any rate Of fare ] and have them bear the expense. We can't continue to operate ani : pay the state the cost of buildine
 bridses, maintaining highways ant paving taxes. We would urge. ss a frs - ], burden of making improvements i1 i highways. We should be relieved 0
 the burden of making improvements ir - highways. We should be relieved of tl1t
 payment of taxes. or at least the pay
 Inent postponed"
 5 l 1t is doubtful if in the rural com
 nrnities street railway service can b rendered at any price, ia added. "Il Il order that these communities sfoult J1A t eon19 other form of state aid." n DO you mean that the state shoul lean money to the oompany?'' aslze l Representative Samuel (. Shaw ,, member of the commission. 5. If we eeu&T be at all sure that tn = conditions of i've ears ago would b ,. res tored that w3C@l he q proper forr 2 of relief" Judge Moves replied. "Bu : it is so uncertain we night be pilin
 ur obligations that we could neve c meet
 = DO you favor municipal or stat : control or ownership eventually ?' M a Shaw asked.
 'r "We havent given thst a thought j. fudge Moves answered. 'Iof'rsonallv '- do not think government operation .- proper The government operation ( o yhe steam railroads shows that. BJ '' sCnle assistance with some form {
 l itoNVIiliffHAlL A2llLFbt NtlfiItt i't bTOl't! J. 'Would you have the j;tneys cor :, troiled by tn. public untlitias commis il s;on?' was another ques' ion by M l. Shaw.
 | If the jitneT is to b9 a common cal l. ricr. it shou1l be under the same ot
 ltGations as tlle street railway line y IL should be made to go ever estat s lished routes and at cstablishe " hours
 1t ]. K. PunAerford of N"w Have .h vice president o1 the company, ey , rlained devices that had Leen intro Fl dEceG to save nhCney. He tcld of u se measures tiist have been 'akeu to cul le 6isnonest conductors. He sald 19t COT 2- ductors had been dismissed in 1917 f. n ] rs'jShHrd1irg funds. 246 in 1918. and 10 so fF ifs year. IIo said the hbne iis conductors arc in favor # the prom l. dianissal Of the dishonest vrorkmen,