The Connecticut labor news., 1923-12-15
One Man Trolley Cars Under Fire
 In Capital City
Alderman Presents Resolution to Revoke License to Operate Them in Hartford Alleging They Are Unsafe Trolley Union Interested
 Because of Reduction of Men
 Involved By Increase.
Especial to The Labor News.)

Hartford, Dec. Swallowing the failure of conference between Man ager Nathaniel J. Scott of the Con- necticut Company and a committee of the local Trolleymen's Union to agree on the limitation of the num- Der of one-man trolley cars in use in Hartford streets, a resolution was introduced in the Common Council on Monday night by Alderman Thom- as J. Conroy to revoke the license given the Connecticut Company to run such cars through the city streets.
 The reason for the revocation is that the new big cars being put on are unsafe in that one man cannot operate them safely and at the same time attend to the passengers, fares and the like. The resolution was re- ferred to special committee for a public hearing on Monday night If endorsed as believed likely, and the must be taken from the streets after a six months notice, under the pres ent agreement with the company
 The last action taken by the conn cil on this matter was in Mayor Brainard's administration when the company. was given indefinite exten- sion of the use of these cars, and the city bound itself to give six months notice before revoking the permit The number of one-man cars has grown to B and the company is planning to put a dozen more such cars in operation here shortly. The trolleymen's union also objects to the use of these cars on the ground that they are unsafe.
 Manager Scott of the Connecticut Company notified Mayor Kinse1la that no compromise had been reach ed and the action of the council fol- lowed.
 Aside from the claim of unsafe ness, the trolleymen's union is, of course, interested because of the re- duction in the men the one-man cars bring about The union desired the company to agree to keep the mum Der of one-man cars in use, the same as at present instead of increasing 1t, but this the company declined to do The company has ordered, it is un- derstood, many more such cars and intends to install them as soon as possible. Every car put on means a man laid off.
 The city itself is interested because some aldermen and traffic officials claim the one-man cars delay traffic especially in the central streets, where stops are frequent and large numbers of people constantly getting on and off. The one-man operator has to stop to make change, watch for the crowd to move by in and out, give transfers and otherwise delay, with the result that following cars, autos and trucks line up behind until the one-man car speeds on. Then again the officials claim the distrac- ton caused the operator makes him nervous and liable to accident.
 The movement here against the one-man car is but part of a state wide ,and 1t is said, countrywide movement to curtail their use of these cars on safety and economic lines. Indeed it is stated among trolleymen here that similar resolutions are to be offered in the councils in New Ha- ven, Bridgeport, Waterbury and oth- CT cities where the company is in creasing the number of one-man cars. Not only are the trolleymen inter ested in this move but police and other officials are backing it up, ac- cording to reports.
 The other cities in Connecticut are not so we'll situated to handle the matter as Hartford, however. Hart ford, under the charter granted the railway company and Gvhich the Con- necticut Company assumed. not only gets a percentage of the gross re- ceipts for the privilege of using the streets but under the same charter has control over the operation of the cars. Therefore the city can dictate simply by revoking the permit to use the one-man type of trolley. In the other cities, no agreement exists un- der the charters except the state law providing for street repairs, and the company can virtually do as it pleases unless special ordinances can be en- acted to prevent this type of cars The outcome here will be watched with kene interest by tro1leymen elsewhere.