The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-13
WANT LOCAL LINES APART
 FROM STATE
(continued from Page one.)

', ed the state a large sum in taxes , assessment. He estimated that they i needed 31 per cent more revenue and 1 said they needed S1,50O,000 more next i year.
 MT. Seeley then stated that the zone 1 system had increased the revenue $12s,00O in one month and 67 per cent of the revenue came from Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Haven and Hartford.
 MT. SeeIey after this resume read the councils original protest to the Utilities Commission.
 Mayor Wilson was called to the stand and imme eSately threw a bomb into the ranks of the Connecticut company. He first stated that he would try and conf1ne himself to the realms of facts as he had not been sworn as a witness, and he sad that he appreciated the Connecticut com pany coming here and said he was sorry he was out of the city when the other hearings were held.
 Mayor Wilson was most particular to ask the commission to divide the state into certain districts where the fare rates could be easily determined and Bri geport, Waterbury, New Ha- ven and Hartford were considered by him as fit districts for five cent fare.
 Mayor Wilson said that the real company was the convenience 1t af- forded the public. When that ceases the mayor said, the reason to justify the existence of a franchise for the company ceases to exist. The mayor went on to state that the whole trou- ble was more of a local nature than the fault of the system.
 He then said: 'sWe in Bridgeport want a five cent fare because the people want 1t and the company can exist on it's
 Mayor Wilson said the reasons for the increased fare was because the people of other parts of the state did not patronize the tro1leys so freely He stated further if the Bridgeport lines were run as a unit by them- selves they would pay we'll and he believed that there was room for the jitneys and the trol1eys to live side by side and both continue to operate
 report of Captain Wheeler from the traffic department was then read which showed the amount of business done by. the jitneys and the mayor took up the question of delays on the trolleys caused by the zone system. He then pointed out that he had to give special permission for autos to pass street cars as the delays were so long they held up traffic at all points in the center of the city
 He said the people use the jitneys because they get to their destination quicker and cheaper He pointed out that if the trolleys came down to Y, oP+ petition would result and the service would be better. He closed his ap- peal with asking the commission to give Bridgeport the five cent fare il deserves. He then passed on show. ing how the jitneys were limited by l regulations and gave figures to show their numbers.
 Attorney Berry then asked if he would approve If stopping the troll l leys from running altogether and Mayor Wilson said they were essen- l tial at this time but in 10 years wh en | the development of motors has ad. | vanced he would not be surprised Chairman Higgins asked if the l larger cities were given the five cent l rate how would it effect the suburban | lines and the mayor said a rate per | mile would be a fair thing there He l 1 trollev's aid shou'.7 be borne by the 1 entire state and not by the working g | people saving that those in towns
 who have no trolley system but use | them just the same should pay with l the rest Of the people
 l Judge N. C. Downs, of Stamford l opened the case for the county towns
 by swearing in Major Charles E. 1 Hunter en~ineer of the Stamford 1 Rolling Mills company. Major Hun- 1 ter testified that he had been con- i nected with the Brooklyn Rapid 1 Transit company and Albany New l York electric roads and was formerly l chief en@ineer of the Public Utilities i Commission in the State of New York second district He showed by fig ures that no two zones of the Con-
 nectirut company between Stamford and Sprfngda1e were the same Iength and charged that the employees of inc l Rolling mills were being discrinfnat- 1 ed against as shop cars were run , to the Yale 8z Towne factories for six
 cents while the general zone rates
 prevailed to the Rolling Mills. He also said from figures which he had
 com mpiled that the riders could trave
 a shorter distance for eight cents or
 the SpringdaIe line in Stamford than
 on any other line.
 Edward J. Ouinlan corporatfon counsel for the City of Norwa1k. fol- loved presenting Deo77te Davenport as the principal witness of that city MT. Davenport pointed out that the
 town of Rowayton had just griev-
 aDce as it cost them 12 and 14 cents
 to reach South Norwalk and Norwalf
 where 1t use7 to cost them six cents
 He also po.nte"7 that they used to pay
 IS cents fare to Stamford and it is
 now less under the zone system thar
 before, being but 16 cents to Stamford
 while the rate to South Norwa1k is 1:
 cents.
 Attorney William F. Berry, repre-
 sentirg the Connecticut Co.,, inquired
 about the number of zones betweer Norwalk and Rowayton and Rotor Point. Chairman of the Public Utili
 ties Comm *ssion R. T Higgins asked
 for suggestion to relieve the situa- ton and MT. Davenport said that ht believed that the company should i'either establish a flat fare rate or is sue communication books to those 1ivins in the outskirts of cities.
 . Attorney Quin1an then stated Nor walks case and claimed the lines O