Republican farmer., 1920-01-16
WANT LOCAL LINES SEPARATED FROM
 THOSE 0F STATE

1 ana CQdrSeO that Ill0 0InpiOy0S Ol lIlo Rolling mills were being discrfminat- l ed against as shop cars were run
 to the Yale & Towne factories for six I cents while the general zone rates prevailed to the Rolling Mills. He l also said from figures which he had | compiled that the riders could travel a shorter distance for eight cents on 1 the Springda1e line in Stamford than on any other line.
 | Edward J. Quinlan, corporation
 counsel for the City of Norwalk, fol- lowed, presenting Deodate Davenport las the principal witness of that city. MT. Davenport pointed out that the l town of Rowayton had a just griev- ance as it cost them 12 and 14 cents to reach South Norwalk and Norwa1k where it used to cost them six cents.
 He also pointed that they used to pay Is cents fare to Stamford and it is
 now less under the zone system than before, being but 16 cents to Stamford while the rate to South Norwalk is F cents.
 Attorney William F. Berry, repre- sentirg the Connecticut Co.,, inquired about the number of zones between Norwalk and Rowayton and Roton Point. Chairman of the Public Utili- ties Commission R. T. Higgins asked for a suggestion to relieve the situa- ton and MT. Davenport said that he believed that the company should
 either establish fiat fare rate or is sue communication books to those living in the outskirts Of cities.
 Attorney Quinlan then stated Nor walks case and claimed the lines of the company, particularly on West avenue were not run on any business like plan and said while the old rate Io1 1 af1 who lived within a short distance of the center it forced factory workers and those from the outskirts to pay r high rates which were discriminate ing and eXorbitant. He also said it hit the school children hard as near ly all were forced to come into the | center of. the city to attend school. Chairman Higgins put several ques f tions relative to the running of cars ] over the streets and bridges without i the company being forced to pay a 1 share of the cost of their construc- l ton. MT. Quinlan replied that the way they are now being run was a l detriment to the streets and bridges
 and saw no reason why they should l not pay their share of the cost as | the rider ultimately paid for it any | way.
 1 Attorney Berry for the company asked if a flat fare of eight cents was more acceptable and the reply was l that within the city it would be but l the outskirts and suburban towns should be graduated so that fair rate 1 would exist. It seems to be the gen. eral opinion of the Norwalk delegates | that the zone system rates should be reduced to one cent a mile or zone ] after the first two zones at price oi | six cents.
 l The case of the outlying towns was 1 completed with the protest being 1 heard from Devon and Milford. At 1 torney Gervais B. Brown represented ] both the communities and he called i c. O. Mathews, who represented the ] Devon Improvement society to the l stand.
 l MT. Mathews put himself on record as favoring eight cent fare rata 1 and said the residents of Devon ob- 1 jected to paying 12 cents to ride to 1 Bridgeport and 16 and IA cents to i ride to Milford when the extra high l rate to Milford was caused by thu l road winding through the beaches l He said the residents of that section 1 could reach Bridgeport for six and 1 seven-eights cents by buying a conn 1 mutation book on the trains. l Attorney Brown summed up Mill ford's case by stating that he failed to see why Milford should pay ex- orbitant rates for travel between either Bridgeport, or Devon when it was not the towns or the resident s fault that the road wound through the beaches. He says this road is one of the best if not the best road for revenue which the company owns. II
 was his belief an eight cent fare i @ ho Io present zone system.
 Just before adjournment Roger
 Davis of the Connecticut Chamber ot Commerce asked about state taxes
 and whether MT. Wilson favored re-
 lieving the company ofs that burden
 or not. such as are now imposed for 1 bridges and roads. The mayor re-
 piled that since there was no direct
 tax from the company coming to the
 city or town he did but if such tax
 could be levied to pay for the fran-
 cnise he would favor it.
 In closing Mayor Wilson was asked by MT. Alsop about delayed service and higher rates and if he thought
 that neither one was the cause of the
 discontent of the people. The mayor
 replied that he thought both were
 about the same, namely. the higher rates made the people sore and the
 delayed service aggravated it. An adjournment was then takeI
 until this afternoon. The meetins
 this morning was the largest attended
 in this state.
 The full Public Utilities Commission
 present, as follows: c. c. EIWeII, R
 T. Higgins, A. F. Alsop. Among those
 present were President of the Con
 necticut company Lucius S. Storrs
 general manager J. k. Punderford
 i Walter Flickinger, assistant to tn,
 president, corporation counsel Will
 liam F. Berry, Roger W. Davis of tn, Connecticut Chamber of Commerce
 Mayor Clifford B. Wilson, local man ager Joseph s. Goodwin, attorne, John B. Dillon, of Shelton who will W. Parker Seeley, the city's assistan attorney is prosecuting the case, Will liam II. Comley. Jr., city attorney Captain of Traffic Charles Wheeler Aldermen Ford, Burdick, Brown an Koehiss, Traffic Officer Bibbins re l presentatives from the various count
 1 towns including Stamford, NorwalI Rowayton, Stratford, Milford and De 8 von, James J. Eagan, president c