Board of Railroad Commissioners records

During the first half of the nineteenth century, the General Assembly appointed individual commissioners to monitor Connecticut's early canals, turnpikes, and starting in 1832 its railroads.¹ Safety legislation passed after the Norwalk drawbridge disaster of May 6, 1853 called for three general railroad commissioners to monitor all the companies and oversee compliance across the state.² Each year in July or August, the Board would hold an organizational meeting to elect a chairman and secretary and, in the early years, to assign specific railroads to each commissioner for the reporting of accidents.³ In 1874 the commissioners became the Board of Railroad Commissioners now appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate.⁴ Legislation in 1877 further specified that one commissioner be a lawyer and one a civil engineer, both with ten years experience, and the third "a good practical business man."⁵

In 1884 the General Assembly established the Asylum Street Bridge Commission to plan and supervise the elimination of a dangerous grade crossing in Hartford. It's five members included the three railroad commissioners.⁶

The Board's mission was to protect the public interest in matters of safety, property rights, and accommodation. Street railways came fully under its jurisdiction by 1901, as electricity turned local horse railroads into an interurban transportation network that rivaled the steam railroads.⁷ Among its duties, the Board was charged with approving the locations of new lines and certifying them as safe to open; inspecting all the railroads periodically; investigating accidents that involved personal injury; holding hearings in response to petitions and complaints; researching newer safety technologies; and, reporting back to the legislature.

Individuals, municipalities, and railway companies could petition the Board for redress. On receipt of a petition, the commissioners would set a date; give legal notice to the parties concerned; take testimony, under oath if necessary; deliberate and announce their finding; and, hold additional hearings on appeal. Always limited by statute, the Board's powers to order improvements, rather than merely recommend them, evolved over time. Though it had to work through the courts itself and its determinations could be challenged there, the Board's rulings were usually upheld.

By the turn of the century, the increasing numbers of electric, gas, water, telegraph, and telephone companies brought the need for increased regulation and an agency with an expanded scope. On September 9, 1911 the Board of Railroad Commissioners became the new Public Utilities Commission.⁸

Two of the longest serving Commissioners were George M. Woodruff (1874-1897) and William O. Seymour (1887-1911), who died in office. For a complete list of Commissioners, see the 59th Annual Report of the Railroad Commissioners, 1911, p. 130. Long time clerks were George T. Utley (1874-1893), who died in office, and Henry F. Billings (1893-1930). The Commission maintained an office from August 1871 until November 1878 in Room 67 of the Charter Oak Life Insurance Building, and from November 1878 to September 1911 in Rooms 41 and 43 of the State Capitol.

See also the Department of Public Utility Control Agency History.

Endnotes

¹Resolves and Private Laws, 1832, title 33, section 7, Boston, Norwich and New London R.R. Co.

²Hartford Daily Courant, May 7, 1853, p.2; Public Acts, 1853, chapter 74.

³RG 041:001, series 1, volume 5, p. 1, 144.

⁴Public Acts, 1874, chapter 77, sections 1, 3.

⁵Public Acts, 1877, chapter 144, section 2.

⁶Special Acts and Resolutions, 1884, number 185.

⁷Public Acts, 1901, chapter 156.

⁸Public Acts, 1911, chapter 128.