The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-08-31
CONTINUED from Page rwo.)

ing the best they to supply wants
which arose through the negligence
of the trolley company, which even
now is operating freight cars here
The company. which has been
derelict in It's duty has no right to
tell the city how the trouble may be
alleviated. They are violating the
law, ana the court could maxi them
violate their charter. We try to treat
them politely, but they demand y
monopoly. To grant their demands
would be shameful and disgraceful
Surrender of the city to unrighteous
raw breaking.
Attorney Davis of Norwalk again
took the floor for the purpose Of
answering some Of Attorney Merritt's
statements. Mr.. Davis said that the
1ftneymen might lie in bed in the
morning, but the trolley company has
taken off it's cars, and they cannot be
compelled to run either. The Cham
Der of Commerce endeavors to slim
| ulate trade through competition. but
1t does not want the jitney to compete
with the trolley on fair grounds.
eff you cater to the compar,, they
will get you by the throat, and squeeze
you to DEATH" was Attorney Davis
parting shot.
John B. Schwartz, fiscal agent for
the Bridgeport Bus Corporation, made
a strong plea for the jitney bus, sayins
that President Storrs promises moth
ing, but presses his demands.
William j. Flood of GIG Shelton
street, also spoke in favor of the jft-
neyss
John A. Orr then asked permission
of the chair to put two questions to
Attorney Marsh. and one to Judge De-
Forest. This was granted.
OF Mr.. Marsh. Orr inquired:
1--WE understand the trolley COM
pany would not resume operations
under an ordinance passed by this
board under regulations based on
recommendations of the Traffic Com
missions report"
Mr.. Marsh's reply was:
ct understand that is the position
of the trustees, who feel they cannot
resume service under an ordinance
such as the committee recommends
but are prepared to resume service
under one substantially along the
lines indicated by the ordinance on
July 18th
Mr. Orr, to Judge DeForest: rs
1t clearly understood that the city
government has no regulative powers
as to what streets jitneys may oper-
ate on?"
Mr.. DeForest: you misunderstood
tne. The city government has just
sne authority the charter gives it and
no more. Judge Banks intimated in
his decision that under that power
the city might have power to estab-
lish traffic rules for the Connecticut
company. To say they could go up
and down South avenue or North
avenue would be just as fair as to say
the jitneys can go on certain streets.
Mr.. Orr to Mr.. Marsh: Does that
agree with your construction or the
law in those respects?"
Mr. Marsh: MIR. DeForest said the
Connecticut company's attitude was
unrighteous 1t is not a question of
fairness or unfairneSS. 1t is queS-
ton of what is best for the city OF
Bridgeport L think it is only FAIR TO
the Connecticut company and only
reasonable that arguments should pc
directed to the powers which the
aldermen have. The board is not
resnonsibIe for things left undone
which only the general assembly
can do. l think they are only re-
'sponsible for what Judge Banks said
thew might do. We have been pretty
well down financially as a pubic
service corporation for some days.
We say it is impossible as a business
proposition to go on with the service
unless the city desires to make some
change in the situation. The board
of aldermen has powers to estabnsh
: routes as it may see fit within certain
limitations l do mot suppose the
council can make routes for the J1t-
news. / suppose they must be some
what reasonably, adjusted in way
that none of US lawyers know just
what They cannot be entirely ex-
cluded, but if the city sees fit, they
certainly can be excluded from GER
tain streets and make routes where
they shall run. even from the stand
point of safety, if necessary"
Judge DeForest replying to Mr..
Marsh's remarks: THE trolley COM
pany said they would not operate on
the streets they asked for unless the
city would give them monopoly of
the traffic on those streets. The city
government ought to consider in the
first place that monopol1es are
odious anyway. But. here is pro-
position to create a monopoly in the
public franchise which has been laid
out for the entire public. To make
an ordinance to exclude the jitney
bus from these highways, that is the
proposition. Even without regard to
the peculiar circumstances of this
case, 1 say it is illegal and upright
eous. They are lodging the question
and their legal representative truly
represents the dodge"
President Harry Frank of the
Bridgeport Bus Corporation was the
next speaker to take the floor. Frank
told the assembly that after five
weeks of trolleyless Bridgeport the
situation as far as he could see re-
manned unchanged and that there
could be no solution to the whole at
fair as long as President Storrs and
the trustees of the Conn ecticut Com
pany refused to lay their cards on the
table and tell the public just what
they intended to do. after tive
weeks of a trolleyless city" said
Frank. Mr.. Bo~ans and myself hap
pened to meet President Storrs and
he said Boys, we are having fine
weather but 1t Is going to rain some
day. as much as saying that we woul1
be unable TO handle the rush in storm,
weather Sure enough It rained tina.
night but we had more buses on TIL,