The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1920-07-14
CITIES PLAN TO
GUST JITNEYMEN
IN BUSY CENTERS
Hartford, New Haven,
Bridgeport, Waterbury
and New Britain in Line
For Local Legislation.

For Local Legislation.
Developments in the street railway
and jftney competition situation yes
terday in Bridgeport, New Haven, Wa
terbury and New Britain indicated
that Hartford, New Haven and New
Britain would soon adopt similar To-
cal legislation, ousting jitneys from
the center of the city by an ordinance
similar to the one passed by the
Bridgeport city council early yester-
dy morning, says the Hartford Cour-
ant. The action of the Bridgeport
council. for the time being, at least,
precludes the curtailment of trolley
car service there by the Connecticut
Company.
The latest development in the state
wide situation occurred in New Bri-
tain last night, with the proposal of
municipal committee to license and
route the jitneys. The ordinance
would permit the chief of police to
license the jitneys, lay out the routes
and plan a traffic schedule. The pro-
posed fee is So with an additional 81
for extra cars operated by jitney
promoter. The ordinance was refer
red to the chief of police, the ordi-
nance committe, corporation coun-
sci and the police commission.
Other important developments yes
terday We're the following:
4. The chief executives of Connect
icut cities represented by the execu-
tive committee of the Mayors Asso-
citation of Connecticut formally in
jected themselves into the transporta-
ton situation by expressing a desire
for the protection of the public by the
regulation of public service vehicles.
Of he i
cut Company assured Mayor Wilson
of Bridgeport that the jitney ordi-
nance, barring the competitors Of the
street railway from the central streets
of that city, guaranteed full trolley
car service there for month at least.
3. An unconfirmed report from
New Haven that proper restrictions
against the jitney traffic would mean
a possible five-ccnt fare on lines Of
the Conn ecticut Company.
The action of the Mayors Assoc1a.-
ton was taken yesterday morning at
a special meeting IN New Haven of
the permanent executive committee
recently appointed.
The resolution adopted by the COM
mittee follows:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
the Mayors Association of Connecti-
cut, that the public must be protected
and the best interests OF the commu
| nifty conserved. To that end, the pub
lie service vehicles should be regulat-
] ed as to service, schedules, rates,
| routes. and liabilities as are the troll
| ley companies. All municipalities
should guard carefully their vested
rights to regulate traffic and thus
protect the safety of the general pub
| lie.
President Storrs of the Connecticut
| Company sent to Mayor Wilson an
| acknowledgment of the action of the
| board of aldermen in attempting by
l ordinance the restriction of jitneys in
| Bridgeport in which he said the COM
| pany would postpone discontinuance
of trolley service in order to see how
restriction worked out. The state
| rent follows:
| Having given full consideration to
your suggestion and having COM
| municated with those of the trustees
| who can be reached, in reply I will
| say, that we are uncertain whether
such regulation Of the jitney will In
fact fully protect the company, but
that if such ordinance be passed and
be made imme diately effective, the
company will postpone the discontinue
ance of service for one month in the
hope that the ordinance, aided by
strict enforcement of its provisions
and of other existing traffic regula-
tons, may prove effective, and in the
further hope that the citizens OF
Bridgeport may realize that patron
age and fair treatment of the trolleys
are essential to a final solution of the
transportation problems of the
city
i From New Haven advices were las
night to the effect that municipal &C
ton would await the arrival of Mayor
David E. FITZGERALD, who is on hi
way home from the Democratic ma
tional convention. Sentiment Their.
is for similar action against tn,
jitney traffic. In Waterbury trolley
men are understood to favor an ap
peal to Mayor Sandland for similar
legislation. Mayor Sandland is sal.
) to feel that it is matter for the cit,
; council to act upon. In Hartford
it is expected that the board of polio
commissioners will soon be ready t.
suggest a Jitney ordinance.
With lawyers of the jitney oper
= ators in Bridgeport and New Have1
prepared to wage a legal battle 70
the jitney traffic, employees of tn
= Connecticut Company throughout tn
I state are understood to be back of
L | movement which aims to impress
/ | upon the various municipal govern
+ ments the necessity of action agains
the jitney traffic on the ground tina
= jitney competition meant curtailmen
of trolley car service and loss of EN-
ployment by many trolley men.
q a