Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1921-03-02
RAISES STORM OF PROTEST
g. FROM AUTO TRICK OWNERS


trucks presented solid and determined |
front against State Highway Commits |
sionef C. ]. Bennett this afternoon. when |
a hearing was held before the legislative |
committees on finance and reads, bridges |
and rivers, sitting jointly.
The bill given. consideration was that |
of the commissioner which proposed a re-
vision upwards OF truck license fees to |
an extent, In the case of big trucks, |
which before and at the hearing was de- |
clared prohibitive and exorbitant
Manufacturers, merchants and owners
of trucks, and counsel for or representa-
tiyes Of automobile and other associations,
not only protested against the Bennett
schedule, but declared that adverse leg
islation would not drive the big trucks
off the state highways, but would drive
them to registration in other states, so
that the state treasury would get moth
ing in return for damage done to Connec-
ticut roads. and instead of increased rev.
1nue being derived the contrary would
Be true.
The chief point in the opposition to the
bill was the concession made by all that
truck owners were willing to pay 100
per cent. increase over present registra-
ton fees, but not one cent more" One
speaker, declaring that an increase above
1e0Npsr cent would be fought tooth and
much applause.
Benefits Rough Guessing"
Some speakers declared that the state
highways were not damaged so much by
trucks as the commissioner claimed. that
the roads were bct built as well as they
ought to be, that Mr. BENEFITS argument
on wear and tear was not scientifically
deducted, but was merely rough guess
ing" that his schedule of fees was not
well prepared and that IL his ideas were
carried out the state highways would go
back and not forward.
Other speakers declared that the Ben
nett bill aimed to give life" to the rail-
roads by driving the trucks of the roads.
Apparently every point of the opposition
was brought out by the truck advocates
The house chamber was crowded and so
many men were in readiness to talk that
the committee allowed a limited number
of minutes to each. This compelled the
speakers to state their points tersely and
1t also developed many views Of the
grounds for opposition,
Bennett Presents Figures,
Highway Commissioner Bennett alone
spoke for his schedule of fees, support
| ing It by statements on the cost Of
| building highway surfaces to Withstand
| the tremendous volume of trucking across
! the state. the extent Of damage done.
| the bridges broFen down by excessive
loads on trucks. the cost Of maintenance
| and the general economic conditions. He
made his plea for his schedule on the
I grounds that the big trucks can easily
meet the figures because they are, have
been and will be large profit earners.
| While the opposition had the floor. Mr..
| Hauer, an expert engineer, who repre-
sented the motor vehicle conference COM
mittee of New York. started to rescribe
studies made of roads. the use of motor
vehicles on roads and the economic prob
lens involved. Senator Macdonald OF
Putnam interrupted to say that this Is
Connecticut question, to be settled by a
Connecticut legislature after Connection
taxpayers have been heard"
Mr.. Hauer replied that he assumed
the committee desired as much iHforma
ton as possible. He qualified as 9
representative Of a motor concern incor
porated in Connecticut. He briefly tool
up the scientific side of truck operation
on roads and methods Of determining tn
damage done. He said that action nov
would have influence for the next fifty
years He claimed that a 15-ton trucl
does no more. damage than a seven ant
one-half ton truck. and that as roadmafI
ers devise ways to meet highway dam
age. so truck makers will try to meet TIL
problem of damage to roads He sail
Mr.. Benefits bill would drive Connection
. trucks off Connecticut roads. as the nv
, states which haye high registration fee
have no big trucks of their own regis
| tration on their highways.
Mr.. Hauer said that Mr.. Benefits fee
were unreasonable and he baaed tn,
statement on facts developed in 400
tests made by the pubic roads de-
} paFtment at Washington.
Claims Law Unconstitutional.
Senator Brooks, one Of the speaker.
claimed that the auto tax law is un
constitutional. He said he believed
would be unconstitutional until ever
user of public road pays his part O
the cost. He was sorry that this poin
had not been fought out to finish whe
it was first brought up. He said tn
bill would drive Connecticut back fo
many years. The state had always bee
one of progress. but IL anything was dor
like this Connecticut would be a laugh
ing stock for the whole country as til
place where big fees are placed on a
automobile to pass over roads that Al
l. joke"
: Senator Brooks said that during IL
war it was impossible to get the raj
roads to carry freight and, 1t was IL
: truck which brought raw goods and ca
| rleu away lne nnlSned gooQS.
IF you are going to put on big fees
he added, "give us some rights on IL
= highways, A driver of an automobile
criminal when he starts out He
taxed from start to finish, and IL an
thing happens the police can get II
!. driver while the driver OF every 9th
;. vehicle on the road gets away with it,
Il A. P. Marsh Of New Britain said TIL
n some years ago men from the west ar
y south told US that railroads would 500
e be obsolete, but we in New Epslar
would be last to realize it,"
What Trucks Did In War.
e Where would we have been during Il
/ war If it was not for the motor truck
1t Mr.. Marsh asked THE aim of this b
IT is to drive the truck off the highway. v
admit the railroads at the present tin
e, can take care of business, but what
Re the futureY
IT Mr.. Hail of Waterbury, wholesa
IL grocer, and chairman OF the Connec
cut Automobile Association Legislati
COMMITTEES. said that he believed the sta
should pay a years license fee to true
for what they have been doing in t
h past two or three years.
d. Ralph o. Wells of Hartford for {
te Hartford Retail Merchants Associati til
es said that the bill would drive trucks
D. the highways. but would drive true
s. registered in this state off, and the sta
m treasury would not receive money for t
IL use Of the state highways. Counectic
is surrounded by states with low n
g. istration fees and such bill would
2, low wholesalers in Springfield to ia
-ic business away from Hart u1aroha n