New Britain herald., 1924-03-04
ALL DAY ARGUMENTS l. ON RAILROAD FARES Commuters Before P. U. COInmiS,
 sion on Increased Rates
 EXPLANATION BY AUCKLAND
Nicc-pIS.sid,nt of New Haven Road Is First Called and He Goes Into De-
 tails As 10 Necessity Tor In-
Connecticut State Libra hi, m Advt. Dept, ay Hartford, Conn.

day Eafltofu, lohn.
 utiiii .-., s~-.,nl.aaiuu lu tho old senate
 chamber Of the state capitol today on
 the protest of the commuters com
 mittee against the action of the N. r.,
 N. II. and H. Railroad Co.,, in in-
 creasing the rates of communication
 within the state. There were fewer
 than 90 persons present when the hearing was called to order at 10:40
 n. m. by Chairman Richard T. Hig-
 gins ot the commission. Commits
 sioners Elwell and Alsop were also in
 attendance.
 1 Chairman liiggings called attention Ito several petitions that had been filed
 which covered practically all lines in the state. Counsel for the railroad
 called attention to the fact that rates
 on the Central New England had in
 fact been lowered and should not be
 considered as concerned in the poti- ton.
 N. $. Buckingham and c. NJ. Sheafe, Jr, Of New York, appeared for tho railroad company. James F. Cannon, Joseph Manfrieda, Henry r. Fletcher, Arthur Futile, Miss Manfrieda. Frank Lantanza of New Haven and William II. iloyt, president of the Milford Chamber Of Commerce, appeared for the commuters.
 Calls Raise Illegal
 Mir. Cannon. for the commuters in- formed the commission the commu- ters would endeaSor to show that un- der section 377b of the general stat- ures revision of 1918, the increase In rates Is illegal, and also would show the rates arc unreasonable.
 Mir. Sheafe to eliminate the ne- ccssity Of introducing witnesses, ad- mitted the new rates went into effect February IS. He informed tho com mission tho railroad claimed the branch lines New Haven to East | Hampton, Hartford down the Con- l necticut valley and Hartford to Haz- | ardsille could not be involved be- 1 cause these roads had been built since | 1865. He told tho commission he | would base his claims on discrimina- ton on certain lines which have been In operation for several years and 1t | Is the purpose of the railroad to have of rates throughout New England.
 He declared that Hartford division provides about 50 per cent Of the business but falls short )y about s65,000 year or revenue received on other lines. Mir. Sheafe 'eferred to the transportation act which permitted railroads 10 increase he rates and which permitted rail- 'oads to earn per cent on their in- -estment.
 Chairman Higgins asked Mir. Sheafe or waiver as to technicalities in the Hing Of the petitions. IL developed me petition was filed four days before he rates became effective. others 80 ! lied had been relied. Tho waiver was z iven. h
 Edward G. Buckland. vice. resident ( f the New Haven road, was the fret ritness called. He has been an off, 2 cer Of the company for 25 years.
 He carefully explained his festi- r lony would pertain only 10 the rail- { cad lines and not to outside "unwise" $ Investments. He did not include the | { 'oston and Maine. Rutland, Connec- u cut Co. Massachusetts troIleys, | ihode Island trolleys or New York l 'olleys. ' Vice President Buczland finished ( Is statement Of the financial condi- | on Of the New Haven railroad at ! clock and the commission took \ cess until 2 ). m. when Mir. Buck nd was to be crosse examined by n ,unsel for the commuters. ti Mir. Buckland showed that operat- | g revenues had increased from s i5.d2a.f41 in 1915 to sIS3.g4o,5S6 ls
 1923. but operating expenses had 'rrespondingly jumped from s44,- II '5.30s in 1915 10 s10T.s1s,O4s in tl 23. The table showed that in 1920 D r the first time in the history of 1T e railroad fl operated al q deficit. d. e loss being s2.SS4.e7s. The rate ',
 return had steadily decreased r om 1915 when if was IA per cent e
 1g20 when there was a deficit. and
 now again on the gain due 10 cffi- a' sncy in management. he said. st ages and fuel showed the greatest tt ri Of the increase in operating ex- q nsts. To stress tho cffeciency of so engagement he called attention 10 tf Q fact that Z.56S.412.Ig3 ton miles gi
 freight were hauled In 1929 as sT ainst e.343.04o.109 in I9f2 but II Iuired less car miles and less train les to haul it.
 The statement of net income for n, g3 showed deficit of s2.sfT,t05.ss. i big deficit for tho first three ''' ,nths being somewhat overcome in U. U last months of the rear. Jann- a, : 1924 showed an improvement <; IT January 1928 Of s1.s4s.ooO. =, Mr. Buckland said that on Monday ao
 had filed a petition with the in- state commerce commission for a pening of the express rate hear
 that the eastern group of rail- ds. particularly the New England Co ds and more particularly the New cx ven" might share in the increased set 'ress rates. no