Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-07-25


Mayor T.. Frank Morsarssof that city
had sduieted down Thursday and no
more conferences we're reported.
Statements were ISSUED, during the
day by President Robert w. Perkins
of the Shore Line and by p. ]. Roo
ney, the international representative,
who is conducting the negotiations for
the ectriking trolleymen:
There was report from New Lon
don Thursday night that Mayor Nor
gan said he was through with trying
to effect arbitration. having given the
troileymens representatives the adj
vice that they ought to think careful
ly over the arbitration proposal which
the directors of the company had Of
fered on "Wednesday. as the mayor
considered this was sone the men
ought to accept.
Attorney Charles b. Whittlesey. the
counsel for the Morton Plant estate,
has ordered that no attempt be made
to operate. the cars. for he declared
that the company could not pay the
increased wages that were denanaed
to accept an absolutely fair and i'm
partial arbitration board, there was
nothing else for the company to do.
Mayor Morgan stated Thursday at
would make. no effort to operate cars
and that as long as the strikers refuse
to accept the arbitration offered them
that no cars. will be run.
-
steps to bring about Standardization
of fares as charged by the public ser
vice busses and So called "jitneys.
He has had letters sent to the IL may
ors of the state requesting their
views on the matter. and information
that has been taken in cities where
this character of public service vehicle
has established a business.
Residents of New London who re-
member when the street cars were
fnr than
IS years ago are recalling that pat
rons of the road then paid 10 cents
for the ride they could obtain prior
to the, strike for five cents. That rate
prevailed a long time. but it was H.
naIly decided that the rate of fare was
too high and fiat raise OF a nickel
was established for a ride from one
end of the line to the other and even
a tra ,.sfer to the Norwich cars that
WouIu carry to the city limits on the
north side of the city was provided.
Now it is very likely an increase IN
the fare rate will be established. II
viii not. however, be Is cents. That
rate is more than the patrons Of the
road will stand. but that fare of 10
cents viii be charged for ride to the
beach is probable.
'Tf the increase is made in the
wages of the operators OF the cars.
said man interested in the trolley
road, 1--WE must get the money to pay
that increase, and it must come from
the patrons of the cars. As in all 9TH
er cases. it is the buyer who pays the
cost. The street railway company
cannot pay increased expenses unless
they earn the money, and to earn II
the road must get o. higher rate OF
fare"
A further statement on the present
aspect of the trolley situation was is
sued Thursday by President Robert
W. Perkins of the road 1t was as
follows:
The public of Norwich, New London
and of eastern Connecticut ought to be
informed as to the present situation In
the trolley tieup. and in order to make
opr position quite clear, let me say
that we have. from theHfirst been Will
ing and ready to arbitrate the direr-
-ences between the company and the
men, provided that arbitration board
could be made up in such a way as TO
secure an impartial finding.
One of the first proposals we made
in our neSotia tons, before the strike,
was to put the whole matter UP to
board made up of twelve men to be
selected from the residents of the four
counties in which we operate. This
was refused. We offered to make up
the board, one man selected by the
men, one by the comrany an done by
the governor of the state, although in
this proposal we were not ready to
agree that the arbitrator selected by
the men should also act as their attor-
ney, conducting and arguing the case,
and then sit upon the bench and, with
the other two arbitrators. decide it.
In the negotiations which have been
going on between ourselves and the
men. through the mediation commit
tee, we made practically the same pro-
posal. and IN the negotiations which
took place in New London yesterday.
through the kind offices Of Mayor
trolley committee Of the common
council of New London. assisted by
Mr.. Bodenwein- who was chairman of
the mediation committee appointed by
the State Chamber of Commerce at
Norwich on Saturday, we renewed the
offer to arbitrate on the basis of the
agreement which has already been
shown in the raners. or. as an alter
native, we agreed that If the men
would withdraw all conditions. we
would withdraw ali conditions and
submit our differences to three men,
one selected by the men. one by the
company and the third to be appointed
by Governor Holcomb. in the belief
that in that way we could both secure
one man who would be absolutely I'M
biased in any way.
This final proposal was made in a
meeting at which We're present, in adj
dition to the men already mentioned,
five directors of the Shore Line, in
Guiding three executors of the estate
u.s. we believe. absolutely fair, and as
far as any seh-respecting body of men
can go. and we desire especially to call
attention that. this proposal, or one
almost identical with IT, was made in
the early days of the discussion, and If
there had been any spirit of fair play
on the part of the other parties to this
controversy the trolley riders of east
ern Connecticut would not have been
put to the Inconvenience which has re-
suited from the strike.
| only have to repeat what I have
said once before. that this strike is a
strike against the people of eastern
Connecticut. Our employees are get
ting. as has been shown, all the mon
ey that we are collecting that does not
go to the payment of absolute necessi-
ties in co injection with the opera ton.
and the only way that more money
can be paid is to take II from the
pockets Of the riders and our whole
contention has been that we cannot
agree to turn that money over, for, as
shown In. the statement of yesterday.
W eneed something over s17s,eoo of
revenue in excess of what we collected
in the last six months to meet those
f<~o IT,