New Britain herald., 1921-07-14
Member of The Associated Press.
THE PASSING OF. THE TROLLEY.


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 e>.. .ez= =..-=.<>===.zE=.z= THE PASSING OF. THE TROLLEY. Mayor Curtis expressed himself as of the opinion at the recent meeting of the Common Council, called ito con- s-der the jitney matter, that trolleys were due for the discard, that the gasoline bus was the coming method was right and the belief will be ech- oed in many circles.
 The trolley company, itself, in our opinion, foresees that the cumber- some electric vehicle, confined to track and compelled to run less often than the smaller machines. is due for the discard and is preparing for the jitneys. The trolleys will accommo- date a larger number of people, they must carry a certain number before they begin to pay, and therefore they run with more time between cars. They must let the passengers accumulate before picking them up. This is not so with the jitneys. which can give better service because they can carry fewer people and make money. Evil cences are plenty that the connecti- cut company plans to go into the jit-~ nsy business within short time, they may, eventually, displace all of their 1ryt@ f6n 1v11S Scn course this means the scrapping of a large amount of valuable property, but valuable property is valuable no longer when it ceases to be a money making proposition. Naturally z the Connecticut company will relin- ouish it's roadbed and cars only after desperate struggle.
 In London. about as large as New York in population and probably sev- eral times it's area in size, there are remarkably few trolleys. There is busses. The taxis of London have long been a subject of wonder for the rest of the world. The people of that
 
 place are spread out in smaller houses than there are in New York, yet they find the bus system an adequate means of transportation. There is one subway system, or tube" and while the actual number of surface trolley lines is unknown to us there is a noticeable lack of the trolleys in the downtown areas. The busses car- \ ry passengers for long distances for two pennies, about four cents Amer .can at normal exchange, and do , thriving business. When we figure the price of fares we must mber that there is driver and a "con- ductor' on each bus and that gaso- line, during the war, was dollar and a quarter per gallon. It is al. ways appreciably more in price than it is in the United States. The taxis carry passengers within good sized area for a shilling. about a quarter. and they are always readily procurabls. aa8aaI
 If the city of London finds its busses q convenient method of trans portation. even when gasoline and oil is costly, there is every reason why American cities, particularly those which do not have subway systems should do the same. After a towr reaches a certain size it will support the busses much easier than it vii the trolleys and there is no need o1 keeping up an expensive road bed ana a large equipment. Mayor Curtis wa: probably right, the time is comini when the trolleys will be scrapped Meanwhile we are laden with tn, problem of supporting a company il order to get any transportation at all
 It might be good plan for the city providing there are enough voters in terested, to try and operate a jitne, system of it's own. If it should b. found feasible the action of the Pub lie Utilities commission in support ing or refusing a permit for it's oper ation would be looked forward t with interest.
 LOCAL CHILDREN'S TEETH.