Norwich bulletin., 1922-06-28

It, ana the Connecticut Company would thereby be benefitted.
 Mayor >iullfoile of Waterbury asked President Storrs to outline eond.. .ns. m order that th= matter might be discussed from all angles. President Storrs said his company appreciate the weight of the claims for lower fares but it should be borne in mind that the law of econ onlics operates with respect to .transpor- tation utilities just as it does in other industries and business. He quoted fig ures showing expenditures, receipts debts and other information of a finan- ciaI nature, pointing out that in the maintenance of the Connecticut Company new money must be invested freuuently, l because it would be unfair to compel car riders to pay for improvements such | as new cars, new tracks, new switches, 1 etc., which will be of service to car rid eds for years to come. The company is doing much more to- improve the physi- cal equipment about the state than ever before, he said, believing that a we'll i maintained public utility is an asset to any city.
 1 Mayor Paonessa asked President | Storrs if it is true that the trolley fares today are 100 per cent. higher than they i were in 1915, and MT. Storrs said they are not. In Bridgeport, this true, but so in any other places in the state. As sistant Corporation Counsel McKone of Hartford inquired if it is true that re- ceipts of the company in some cities are used to pay debts of the company in other cities where patronage is poor | It might be conceivable that that would be fact" MT. Storrs replied Mayor Paonessa asked how great a saw | ing has been effected by the change to one-man cars and MT. Storrs said he dr1 not know. In reply to. MT. Murphy of New Haven, Mir Sterrs said he does not | know whether there will be an extension l of one-man car service. Mir. Murphy l said he knew one-man cars are not as safe to ride In as are the others be- cause he and ten others were injured while riding on the former style of cars.
 No Cent Fare Yet.
 Mayor Paonessa quoted Governor Lake as having said that it is only a question of time when scent fare will be put l in effect. There is no possibility of a 5-cent fare during a period of double cost i of operating over the cost of operating when scent fare was in effect, MT Storrs replied. In reply to Judge Kirk ham of New Britain, MT. Storrs said il has been proven that the increase of pa | tronage under a 5-cent fare is not enough to offset the decrease in revenue. Mr Murphy of New Haven pointed out that the Connecticut Company has practised economy in several ways and he wanted
 Mir. Storrs to tell the conference approx
 imately when a fare reduction will be
 made. This Mir. Storrs would not do
 saying the financial obligations of th(
 company must be borne in mind
 ..Is it not true that if your company
 did not have the protection of the pub
 lie utilities commission, that is. if vol
 feared competition. you would go abou
 this matter in a different way?" asked Mayor Paonessa.
 'No. I think not, MT. Storrs replied
 What percentage of the gross reve nue is used to pay the interest on you
 bonded indebtedness? MT McKone ask
 ed.
 "A very small percentage" MT
 Storrs replied.
 Mayor Meade of Ansonia asked wheth CT the local line in Ansonia is pay ing proposition. MT. Storrs replied tha
 it is paying operating expenses an
 taxes. 'Is there any possibility tha I the trolley line from Derby to Bridge
 port will be a paying proposition" May
 or Meade asked.
 "I don't know I hope it will be-" Nil , Storrs replied. ''I want to make it plai f to you gentlemen that the Connection t Co.,. is always ready and willing to co ] operate with the public in the citie l where we operate. We do not wish |
 antagonize. The officers and employe | of the companv have that impressed O
 them every day"
 Can you promise to reduce the troi :. ley fares by Sept. 1 ?" asked Mayor Pao
 nessa.
 'No, there will not be any reductio ', by that time" was Mir. Storrs' reply. Then do I understand that you do nc
 want our moral support" the mayor cor
 tinued.
 "On the contrary. we do want tha
 support" MT. Storrs replied. ' MT. Murphy of New Haven ~suggeste
 that it might be well to adopt far ' system by which a lower rate would | l. charged at certain hours of the day. NJ $ Storrs said that would not be feasibl
 He repeated that it had been prove
 many times in many places that a d
 crease in fares does not increase patrol age enough to offset the loss in rev, ' nue. That is out of the question, I