The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-17
tBY THE OUT EAsTER)

The introduction Of the new
street buses labeled, &c. r. g.
l.. co. Lines" takes us back to the
days when the old trolley cars out
this way and In other parts OF the
city bore similar degniation. This
was In the days when the late
John Il. Sewell was the general
manager, with the late Herbert l..
Wales as superintendent, and
when the company's main office
was located In lower Bank street
opposite jackson street.
Or the inside happenings Of all
OF the transaction that brought
back the old name once again,
we doubt II even the members OF
the Connecticut Public Utilities
Commission know. Certainly the
average laynnan lacks proper
knowledge. As O public utility, the
people have a right to think the
Public Utilities Commission,
would be cognizant Of everything
connected with the affair, but
thus far no ofiicial announcement
has come forth In explanatory of
the reason Of II all, from that
important body. Perhaps, who
knows but their deduction Is, TITS
none Of the public's business"
tH, Sold Horse Cars
This being the case, The Out
Easter, and others Of Waterbury
have O right to their view Of It all.
In the first place, the old Con-
iiecticut Railway and Lighting
Company was organized or
scheined Of by the late A. M.
Young, O '. aterbury man, assist.
ed by the late George u. Terry, O
lawyer, and some others. It was
they who arranged for the sale OF
the old horse railroad to the Wa
terbury Traction Company at the
time electricity was installed dur
Ing the middle nineties and then
to the Connecticut Railway and
Lighting Company.
The @. r. 81 l.. controlled the
traction lines and the electric
lighting Of the city. The U. q. /.
controlled the Waterbury Gas
Company. The U. G. !. also got It's
finger In the Connecticut Railway
and Lighting Company, and real
ly was the guiding power behind
II all, as we understood the set
up back many years ago. Then
the thought Of dispensing with
the trolley lipes was considered,
and o decision reached. The New
Haven Railroad wanted to run all
transportation In Connecticut. It's
officers made a good offer for the
trolley lines to the Connecticut
Railway and Lighting Company
The trolley company accepted the
figure, with the old time style
bond forming an important part
OF the whole proceedings. OF
course there was O sale price, and
O time fixed for the redemption
OF the bonds. The New Haven
Company formed o separate unit
under the name Of the Connecti-
cut Company. Business fiourished
for years, and the Y1ickels rolled In
by the ton load daily. The factory
hand had to walk or ride. The
automobile wasn't as popular then
as now, and besides, 1t was o rich
mans luxury.
Shared Melon
The melon was cut In the right
direction, and the eaters rubbed
their hands In great glee and
merriment as their share OF the
booty" was dished out. But the
old New Haven Railroad was be-
ginning to slip. There had been
some costly collisions on the
main line, and the damages as
paid were heavy. Washington
also started proceedings to learn
something Of the inside doing Of
President Charles w. Mellon and
his board Of directors. Trouble
was ahead. Hearings were held,
and some hot" testimony was Of
fered before the inquisitiye con-
gressional committee. This is all
o mater Of record to those who
know anything Of the history Of
the Connecticut Railroad.
Anyway. the New Haven Rail-
road company went to the wall,
financially, under the federal
bankruptcy law. Right away, the
concern we always thought was
dead and buried, bobbed up. Yes,
Stree, the Connecticut Railway g.
Lighting company was still &C
tive. Why, 1t had only been In
cold storage for these many years.
The long term bonds the New Ha-
ven Railroad had issued wkere
now of no value. Well, says the
Conn. Rwy. 81 Ltg. Co., we never
never disappeared legally. so we
want back the property that we
originally delivered over to the
railroad. The court had to pass
on the question. But there was
no objection. and SO the railroad
turned back to the Conn. Rwy.
q Ltg. Co., what trolley lines IL
had acquired years ago. and where
the tracks were abandoned, why
the railroad said openly, frankly
and manly. "take the lines, too.
where we have established buses"
The whole thing. In the open.
<1s14ssfk faka n<sas. half AN Hn1lP THE