The Connecticut labor news., 1924-09-20
NEW HAVEN REGISTERS
 VIGOROUS PROTEST ON
 ONE-MANNED TROLLEY
ThrOng That Overfows City Hall Chambers Tells Aldermen That It Is Opposed to Com pany Plan of Operat- ing Large Double Truck Cars-Punder- ford Declares City Has No Jurisdiction.

The proposed extension of the operation of one man trolley cars in New Haven by simply closing the rear door on the large double truck cars and having one man do the work of conductor and motor man at the same time, as being put in operation by the Connec- ticut company, received a severe jolt on Thursday night WI hen crowd that overfowed the large chamber in city hall and extended away out into the entrances, re- gistered an emphatic protest when hearing on proposed or dinance which would bar such ad- ditional cars from the streets was held by the aldermanic committee on ordinances. There were so many present all anxious to speak against the proposal that Chair man M. F. Brennan of the com mittee,- had to limit the speeches that other matters up for hearing might also be attended to.
 The ordinance was submitted to the board about month ago and III the meantime the company stepped Tn and began putting its plan into effect by starting the large double truck, one manned cars on two of the lines pass ing through the center. This action immediately resulted in 22 trolleymen on the lists of regulars" being shunted back to the extra" lists and a cores bonding shunting of all down the line of the heretofore extras" If the com panys plan go through as intended 1t will mean cutting the operating forces practically in half thus throwing many men of families out of work, or putting them on part time.
 The opposition was led by Attorney George w. Crawford who drafted the ordinance which declared the main ways and limits operation of oneman cars through them to the small cars on two lines that have heretofore been using the central streets. General Man ager Punderford opposed the ordinance and declared the city has no jurisdic tion over the car operations. MT. Crawford disputed this saying that the ordinance was in the interests of the safety of the riding as well as general public, was to reduce traffic conges- ton and the city had all rights to en- act ordinances to so provide.
 He quoted President Storrs of the company as saying that the one manned cars were satisfactory from an economic standpoint and assistance to the cofnpanys treasury by reducing operating expenses, but he declared the company had duty to safeguard the public as well as to bolster up its treasury. He declared the substitu- tion of one man or two men on the large double truck cars as the com pany Is doing IS not and cannot be safe, that one man cannot do the work of a conductor and at the same time oper- ate the cars while all the protection the riding public has in case of an emer- gencv or accident to the operator IS cord strung through the car that, if someone might have presence of mind to pull it would stop the car and open the doors With 75 or 100 persons in a car. it could easily be imagined what would happen if anything occurred O the operator. The cars have no auto matic safety devices such as are in stalled on the especially built one-man cars, he added, and the confusion that would certainly resut in the motorman- conductor having to make change, is- sue transfers and do the other work necessary woud make New Haven streets bedlam and practically block i them to all other traffic
 Continued on Page Eight) i