New Britain herald., 1920-07-22
R'S PAYROLL IS INCREASED MILLION
her Expenses Make it Ab- solutely Necessary For 1 Company to Secure Added Revenue.

Hartford, July 22.---Dcclaring that he zone trolle.' fare system is fail- re In Connecticut as a revenue pro.
 ircr. President l.. $. Storrs of the prnocticut company has filed pcti-
 n with the 2'Fblic utilities commis-
 bn stating that the company desires W establish a fiat fare rate Of seven vents 10 displace the zone system. Tho commission has ordered a hear Ing on the petition to be held at the capitol July go at 10 a. m. daylight kaving time.
 Tho new rate would not apply to : all the territory formerly covered by inc old hve-cent fare. but the com pany proposes it, and asks the public utilities conimtssion to sanction it. at the request Of authorities in various cities where efforts arc being made to restrict Jitncy competition.
 Moro Rcvcnuc Needed.
 The company says that more rev cnue must bs had to meet operating 'rxpenscs. tho payrolls for ra2O on tho rresent basis being likely To show m Increase of tt.oO0, 900 and coal bills reaching great sum in increased outlay.
 The company today put it's post lion on the fare question Into th~ fol- lowing public statement:
 i "fn order to meet increases in cost hf operating the street railway serv- ice the Connecticut company must obtain h greater revenue. The pay rolls for 1920 will be s1.o00. 900 greater than last year due to recent advances in -ates of pay. Coal which cost st per tou few years ago and s7 per ton last year is now selling for SIS per ton and at times even more.
 Proposes I1nt Rntc. Tho authorities in tho various cities where efforts are being made to restrict ruinous Jitney bus competi- ton have asked us to return to a Hat rato of fare collection and we are. therefore, proposing seNen-cent Hat rate of faro covering the largcat DOT ton of each city area. but not includ- Ing tho entire areas falling within the cid nve-cent fI re limits.
 "As we arc now obtatniug fares of right ten and twelve cents from a largo number of tho passengers whose payments will bc reduced to seven cents, n is clear that no lower rate will produce sufficient revenue. We have no means of determining whether the seven cent rate will he high enough. although it is possible that with n restriction of ruinous jit- hey bus competition and large use Of the cnrs VIC may bc able to cstab- hsh a lower rate.
 VIII Maintain Service. country areas but Of course sufficient tain service upon all the lines now operated. including all those in the county areas. but of course sufficient revenue must bc obtained to meet tho cost of operating the cars"
 'Tn accordance with the petition proposed schedule is submitted. The petition stntes that upon the petitions of the city, of Now Haven. town oC Manchester and other parties. tho utilities commission established a sys- tom of rates and fares to be charged by tho pany upon all its lines eN- cent those in tho Now London di- vision and that system was nut into oScration May Q, 1920 and has been in effect ever since. Continuing, tho petition says:
 zonc system Fails.
 "Thcush your petitionc- has made every possible endcavor to make such ,,ystem n success and tho same mas had a fair test. the system has not produced a revenue sufficient to cover tne cost of service with any return whatever upon a fair valuation of property and does not now produce  actual cost Of operation. Wherefore your petitioner prays leave to install forthwith n flat fare system of rates upon lines with base or initial fare of seven cents in accordance with then sarifr hcreto annexed"
 New Schedule of Hates.
 The tnrifr schedule of rates proposed by President Storrs ls as follows:
 Plat rate of fare. seven cents in substitmion for present distance Iurifr.
 on all rurul lines fare limits to De nscated at approximately 2.s miles apart.
 EOn all short city lines the Hat rato to apply to the entire line.
 On longer city lines the fare limit Co bc located at point not less than three miles from the traffic center of sAA city.