New Britain herald., 1923-02-20
CITY WILL FIGHT SPUR TRACK ON CHESTNUT ST.
sc0atiaasa From First Page,

property owners and representatives
 of the school board had been heard,
 the petitioner was given leave 10
 withdraw. The Connecticut Co, then appealed 10 the Public Utilities Com
 mission and a second hearing was
 held, The F, [. c. reversed the eity's
 decision and gave the company per-
 mission to proceed, An appeal was
 taken at once by Judge kiTkham in the eiiy,s behalf,
 Following are the claims set forth,
 Conn. Gompsny's Claim,
 At the hearing both parties were represented and were fully heard, The superintendent of the Connecticut company testified that additional stor' age facilities were necessary al New Britain and that the proposed spur track would afford a means of supply ing such necessity, Under existing conditions the company is obliged daily to shift passenger and work ears to and from the White Oak secs ton so-eailed. q distance Of two and one-half miles resulting si an eN pense for platform labor alone of about s2oo a month. The ears. are stored in the open at White Oak and are without heat when first operated in the morning, The company desires to use the proposed spur track for storing its miscellaneous equipment such as snow blows. sand cars. etc. which are now housed in the car barn, thereby making 1t possible to store the passenger cars now housed at White Oak in the space thus made available. This would effect a saving to the company and would eliminate the inconvenience 10 passengers from cold cars. The company also claims that switching operations on Chest nut street would be greatly reduced If the proposed spur track were con- strueted and available for use."
 City's Claim.
 Your petitioner is aggrieved by said order in that the same is in- equitable, unnecessary, inexpedent, | not required by public convenience and necessity. Your petitioner is ag- grieved by said order in that it will render said highway unsafe. for pub lie travel and the lives and property of the public will be endangered be- cause said switch track being in ad- iition to numerous switches of the Connecticut company in the same To- 'ation will constitute public nuisance. prevent the use of said street and thereby cause congestion 'f traffic on other streets: will render 'aid street still more unsafe for the arge nu'nber of school children at- ending the Central Grammar school 'n said street: because the present witch track should be removed from aid street, instead of adding addi- ional instructions and dangers to he use of said highway; because by he Connecticut company using said l treet as switch area and parking 'lace for its cars is contrary to pub- c policy; because the monopoliza- ion of the use of said street by the company causes a serious ecrease in the market value of real { state abutting on said street and { iminishes thereby the amount of tax { eceipts of said city, and because any urther increase in the number of i witch tracks on Chestnut street, oc- I upying as they do almost the entire [ 'idth of CheSnut street will prac- a cally deprive the public of the city r New Britain and the City of New ritain of the use of an important a rtery of travel in the center of the ( ty." f