General Statutes of 1902, asking for an investigation of certain complaints and grievances as to the inadequate service between Danbury and Lake Kenosha, certain irregularities of the service between Danbury and Bethel, concerning the use of trailers, the safeguards needed at the White Street crossing, and claiming the motive power to be insufficient for the operation of the road. The complaints were investigated on the 23d of March, 1903, an expert employed to examine the power plant and report its capacity for the work required of it, and on the 27th day of March we made such recommendations as, in our judgment, the circumstances required. The inadequate service between Danbury and Lake Kenosha, it appeared, was to be considered in an action then pending before the Superior Court, and which we considered the proper tribunal to determine the matter, hence we declined to consider it. The expert employed found the power plant ample for all ordinary requirements. We recommended that slip-frogs be placed on each side of the White Street crossing, and that the use of trailers be discontinued except for the lake and fair traffic. The irregularities of the service between Danbury and Bethel complained of seemed to us to be exceptional cases incident to the conditions prevailing at the time, and that ordinarily the service was reasonably regular and prompt.

HARTFORD & SPRINGFIELD STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.

On the 27th day of May, 1903, Thompson S. Grant, Albert H. Mathewson, Geo. T. Mathewson, and Arthur R. Leete of the town of Enfield presented to us their petition and appeal from the action of the selectmen of the town of Enfield authorizing the said street railway company to shift the main line of its track in South Pearl Street from the middle of said street to the north side thereof and to lay a turnout, or switch, south of said track, as thus shifted between the east side of Garden Street and the west side of Washington Avenue.

After due notice to the parties, they were heard on the 1st day of June, 1903, when it appeared that upon the application of the street railway company the selectmen of the town of En

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field granted said company permission to change the main line of its track in South Pearl Street from the center of the street to a point on the northerly side thereof, placing the northerly rail of the track fourteen feet southerly of the northerly line of said street. The appellants owning land on the northerly line of South Pearl Street claimed to be aggrieved by this change, claiming that it would damage their property, prevent convenient access thereto from the street, and inflict upon them an unreasonable damage without furnishing the public any additional facilities sufficient to warrant such a change. After a careful consideration of all the facts presented, and an examination of the premises, we decided that the center of the street was the best location for the track of said railway so far as all public and private interests were concerned, and therefore deemed it equitable to deny the petition of said company. We also directed said company to construct, maintain, and operate a diamond switch, or turnout, on South Pearl Street, extending from a point one hundred feet easterly from the east line of Pearl Street two hundred and twenty-five feet easterly on said South Pearl Street.

HARTFORD & SPRINGFIELD STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.

On June 5, 1903, an appeal for a similar reason was presented to us by M. A. Mitchell and nine other owners of lands and houses on the south side of North Main Street, and fronting thereon, in the town of Enfield, from the order of the selectmen of said town directing and authorizing the Hartford & Springfield Street Railway Company to shift its main line of track in said North Main Street from the center of said street to the southerly side thereof. After due notice, the parties were heard and the premises examined on the 9th day of July, 1903, and for reasons similar to those which existed on South Pearl Street we decided against the change proposed. Appeals were taken from each of these decisions.

NORWICH STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.

On Sept. 21, 1903, the Norwich Land Improvement Company, Augusta E. Gray, Charles S. Fairclough, and Emma E.

Woodmansee, all of the city of Norwich, presented to us their petition and appeal from an order of the mayor and common council of said city changing the location of the track of the Norwich Street Railway Company on West Thames Street from the center to the westerly side thereof in front of lands owned and occupied by said appellants. After due notice to the city, the railway company, and the appellants, we met in the city of Norwich on the 7th day of October, 1903, when the parties were heard and the premises examined. The facts presented showed that on May 25, 1899, the municipal authorities located the track in the center of West Thames Street, where it has since remained. On August 24, 1903, four years later, the municipal authorities then in office ordered a change in the location of the track from the center to the westerly line of said street, placing the westerly rail of the track within four or five feet from the curb line fronting the premises of the appellants. From this action the appeal is made, the appellants claiming to be aggrieved by the proposed change, which they said would damage their property and prevent safe and convenient access thereto from the street, without furnishing the city or the public additional benefits sufficient to warrant a change which would inflict upon them serious damage for which no redress is provided. After a careful consideration of the reasons presented by the city for making the change, we deemed it equitable to sustain the appeal, and denied the petition of the street railway company asking for permission to change its existing tracks from the center to the westerly side of West Thames Street and ordered said company to maintain and operate its track in the center of said street as now located.

MONTVILLE STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.

On August 29, 1903, Palmer Brothers et al. brought a petition in compliance with the provisions of a special act of the General Assembly, passed at its session January, 1903, which petition and proceedings of counsel and of this board to date appear in the appendix, pages 45-61.

MILEAGE OF THE STREET RAILWAYS AS EXISTING ON JUNE 30, 1903.

The mileage of the street railways in operation on the date named above was 611.261 of main tracks exclusive of sidings and turnouts, and 642.383 miles of single track, including same, showing a total increase of main track for the year of 93.807 miles. It will be observed, however, that the lines of the Worcester & Connecticut Eastern Railway Company, reported to be 51.114 miles in length, comprise 20.574 miles of road located in the State of Massachusetts not heretofore reported to us, and 30.540 miles in the State of Connecticut; also the Providence & Danielson Railway Company reports 26.090 miles of road of which only 1.980 miles are in this state. Excluding, therefore, the mileage located outside of the state it will be seen that the mileage of main line wholly within the state is 566.577, showing an increase for the year of 49.123 miles.

The Connecticut Railway & Lighting Company operates 169.894 miles, the Fair Haven & Westville Railway Company 104.139 miles, and the Hartford Street Railway Company 85.678 miles.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

CAPITAL STOCK.

The capital stock of all the street railway companies authorized by their charters is $33,482,000.00 and the amount actually issued $26,653,548.00, showing an issue of $45,122.96 per mile of main line.

BONDS ISSUED.

The total bonded debt of the companies is $20,633,500.00, being $34,931.36 per mile of road owned.

FLOATING INDEBTEDNESS.

The floating indebtedness of the companies is $2,714,030.82, which is $4,440.05 per mile of road. The total stock, bonds and floating indebtedness per mile of road owned, including sidings, is $71,728.50.

CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT.

The cost of the construction and equipment of the roads is reported as $47,711,830.14, being $80,773.45 per mile of road owned.

GROSS EARNINGS.

The gross earnings for the past year were $4,503,571.29, being $6,798.45 per mile of road operated and $0.214 per mile run. The largest earnings per mile of road operated were $9,917.99, by the New London Street Railway; the second, $9,816.32, by the Winchester Avenue Railroad; and the third, $9,732.59, by the Fair Haven & Westville Railroad. The largest earnings per mile run were $0.402, by the Montville Street Railway; the second, $0.298, by the New London Street Railway; and the third, $0.278, by the Norwich Street Railway and the Hartford, Manchester & Rockville Tramway, both of which companies earned the same amount per mile run. The three companies having the largest earnings were the Fair Haven & Westville Railroad Company (including the Win