New Britain herald., 1922-09-28
TWO LOCAL PROBLEMS.


 TWO LOCAL PROBLEMS.
 The Common Council has spent a great deal of time in discussing trans portation on Arch street, whether the Connecticut Company should resume running its cars or should be forced to remove the tracks if they are to be abandoned, or whether matters titney monopoly on the transporta- tion on that street This has been a vexing question for some time, and now, with it. comes that of the Mu- nicipal garage, a source of perpleXlty and complaint ever since it has been opened. Last night the Common Council again took up these matters.
 There are occasions when it is well to eliminate from discussion the things which should not be done leaving only the things which it might be wise to do upon which to concentrate It would seem that it would be unwise to have the Arch street car tracks removed. Such action would give the jitney a monop oly, practically, for all time. Once removed it would be a different mat ter indeed to have them laid again If the time should come when trolley on that street came to be recognized as vital necessity. With the devel- opment of that section of the city that is bound to come, it is believed that trolley transportation may be- come a necessity.
 It seems equally evident that, at brought to bear upon the Connecticut company to resume operations of trolleys on that line. The disposition of the present public utilities com mission has been plainly shown to be against compelling the company to reduce it's farl even over such short runs as that on Arch street from Shuttle Meadow avenue to the Center. Were a resumption of operation of trolleys on that line to be decreed. there is no question but that the ten cent rate, or the three-for-a- quarter rate would obtain. This would add to the daily expenses of those who must travel on Arch street. and would, in addition, so eat into the jit- neymen's receipts that improvement in their service-a thing which should be demanded when it is shown to be deteriorating be practically impossible. The immediate necessity may call for improvement in the jlt- ney service. but no action should be taken which will make practically operation on that street when the time comes that the public utilities commission and the Connecticut com pany see the possibility and the wis dom of reducing the trolley fares at least on these short runs. In regard to the Municipal garage 1t would seem that the trial of the new arrangement there, under a new mechanic, has not been sufficiently thorough as yet to make 1t wise to entertain any proposals for a change The amount of money which has been spent on that institution in the past should have no influence on the judgment formed as to the success or failure of the present plan. Hes itancy on the part of the council to authorize the purchase of new cars for the departments, and the resultant endeavors to keep the old cars going may have been expensive to the city. It would seem that a more thorough trial of the present plan would be wise and the emphasizing of the fact that every department should see to 1t that those who use the cars of each department feel that trying to keep those cars in condition, or seeing to 1t that need of proper repairs is re- ported promptly is just as much part of their duty as other regular, routine matters of the department