The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-08-31
TROLLEY AND
BUSMEN REPLY
CONTINUED from Page one)

Continued from Page One)
obligations to furnish passenger trans |
portatione7overs said lines. SO failed to
perform it's duty in that respect that |
it's cars were insufficient. in number. !
irregular in operation. often insuffer-
ably and dangerously overcrowded
and in many other respects a nuisance
rather than a convenience to the trav-
ling public.
People on every hand were COM
planning of this Inconvenience and
nuisance, and demanding some reliel-
The buses came in on account of this
need, and in response to this demand,
and in large measure under very
trying conditions, in all kinds OF
weather, in spite of thoughtless and
ungracious criticisms and hostility on
the part of those interested in the
trolley monopoly. and at a large ex-
pense to the owners have relieved our
citizens of the sufferings imposed
upon them by the negligence Of the
trolley company.
The travelling public in response to
this relief resorted to bus traffic.
Thereupon. the Connecticut Company
began to whine about its loss of bus
mesa direct result of its own negli-
gence, and impudentfy demanded Of
| the City Government an ordinance te
| suppress bus competition and give the
Connecticut Company a full monopoly
| of passenger traffic on all highways
where its tracks were laid, and threat
ened that unless this was done, it
would ignore its legal obligations and
discontinue the operation Of its cars
over those highways. Because the
proposed ordinance did not accomplish
| this demand of the Conn ecticut Com
pany, it has unlawfuIly ceased to run
| its passenger cars 1t has been fe-
quently pointed out and cannot be
disputed that this Conduct of the Con-
| nectiout Company is an insolent def
ance not only of its charter obliga-
| tions and af the Statutes if the State,
| but post immoral and indecent
| attitude towards the travelling pub
hc and al OUR citizens at large
It is no fault of the bus owner, or
the Bus Corporation or of any other
bus association. It is wholly and I'M
questionafbly the fault of the Connect
icut Company that this unsatisfactory
lcondition of public service Transporter
ton exists. The Connecticut Com
pany is violating the law. That is the
whole trouble
The talk about beseeching the trolley
to come back, negotiating with these
law breakers, requesting them with
our that's off to stop their law-break-
ing career and return to their duty, is
simply disgusting. The Aw is in force,
| the remedy IS at IIduu- IuI65o Vioid-
tors of the law ought to be taken by
the nape of the neck and laid across
the knees of Justice and thrashed I'M
til they screech and beg for mercy.
That is the way to deal with fellows
of that sort, and not to invite them
= to consultation with the City Govern
r n1ent and entreat them to behave
| and least Of all is it fitting decent
f to blame the buses for a condition
they have not improperly caused, ane
+ endeavor to strange them in their at
$ tempt to perform the service they
4 have been licensed to render and have
y right faithfully performed
You ask US to make a statemen
as to what we are prepared to guar
g antee the public with our form o
| transportation in the immediate fu
| ture, and what they may REASONABLE
I | expect to its permanency GOVERN;
: both service and maintenance of tn
n five cent fare.
We say that we do not recognfZ
| any obligation on our part to ente
= into any such guarantee. We ar
| not to blame for present conditions
. but we will say that if the city O
: | Bridgeport will give us a reasonabI
:. | assurance that no further attemp
a will be made to throttle us, and wi
h | put this assurance in the form of
: contract with the Bus corporation
: the crporation will agree that GU
g buses shall be run in the future i
such number and with such regu
n larity as the public can fairly de
Al mand with large cross-seat buses an
q proper regulation, and that the f1v
h | cent fare shall continue so long a
Il | prices of fuel and labor will pei
l. nit.
In the meantime we would like I
"a be informed how long and often, tn
.r Connecticut company is to be pei
5 mitted to raise it's passenger rate
II and sulk and buster because som
o | one else sees fit to use the publ
= highways.
ID Very respectfully yours,
70 THE BRIDGEPORT BUS ASS.
y By Harry Frank, President
r MAYORS REPLY.
"a | Mr.. S. B. Price.
Elk. Sec'y Bpt. Chamber Of Con
Al nerce, City.
Of Dear Sir
r Your communication of the FL
inst. has just claimed my attention
A.. Concerning the matter about whic
l. you wrfte,sI beg to advise you thu
,e the special committee which was al
81 pointed in compliance with votes tai
en- by the Common Council has NJ
10 yet completed its report, but expec
A. 20 do so within the next day or tW
/ at which time I shall be glad
III communicate with you.
ar Yours very truly.
(Signed)
CLIFFORD B. WILSON,