Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-11-19

change of power, SO far as Directors were con-
cerned in the Vermont and Canada Railroad
Comrany The old Directors, Vermont men,
such as John Wheeler, Joseph Clark, Law
renee Brainard and John Smith, who were
the pioneers in tho enterprise, without
whose aid the Vermont and Canada road
would not have had an existence, who had
large recuniary interests involved in it's pros.
perity, who were heavy stock holders, men
who had always maintained the obligations
of the chartcr-who had always claimed with
out exception that the road ought to be COM
pleted into Burlington, had been dropped,
and their places supplied by those having no
interest in the road-made stockholders
upon stock given to them to make them ELI
gible as directors.
Foreign stockholders thought it not for
their interest to have the completion made,
and hence new men were put into power to
prevent any efficient steps being taken to
that end.
| The time had come for tho Legislature Of Yer.
mont to adopt the policy that Vermont railroads
should be controlled by Vermont They were
Institutions created to further tho public interests
! of the State; they should be in the hands Of men
| who should consult those interests.
1t was said that the Vermont Canada company
could not build the road as required BY this bill,
| that the corporation was poor-its whole property
| in liti cation; and that the present Board could
| not raise the $685. required to be expended
before the next session of the Legislature. 1t
perhaps true that the present Board, having little
or no pecuniary interest in the matter, having no
n al nrp anti tnAa oY,tr md
recton ofthose who could make or unmako them
at pleasure. were helpless and poweress; but lot
tho stockholders place the property represented by
81 100000 in unincumbored stock, and debt of
100000 secured upon one hundred sixty miles
of railroad, in the hands of the men from whom
they took it so summarily year ago, and there
would be no difficulty about raising the money;
place tho property in the hands Of the State Treas
urer, to be used as security, and the parties in
terested would raise the money.
The power. granted to this company had
returned to the Legislature that conferred them.
1t was asked of the Legislature that they should
confer them again. lie was willing to grant the
prayer of these petitioners, but he would do it
only upon terms which would afford " indemnity
for the past and security for the future"
Mr.. GLEEp said the amendment proposed
by him would not defeat, but help bring
about the desired results, if the only object
was to secure the iulflment of the original
obligations of the Charter. The Company
ought not to be obliged to 60 by specific
route, imperiectly known. If that route
was the best, of course it would be taken--if
not, the Company ought to be allowed to take
the best one. He thought the Vermont and
Canada and Vermont Central Companies had
done the best they could under all the circum-
stances. He considered the movement of the
Rutland and Burlington Company for build
ing north Of Burlington, said to have been
stopped by injunction, a mere pretence-
that they never designed to build this con-
nection at their own expense; the proceeding
was humbug got up for effect.
lie thought the talk about gamblers and
stock .jobbers foreign to the merits OF the
case, and unjust ~ tllvse from abroad who
had expended their money to build Vermont
Railroads. Justice should be done to all
| concerned.
1t is unjust to the stockholders in and out Of the
state to impose on them and difficult burdens,
| than those imposed by tho original chatter. Dut
it is claimed that the locating tho road Is necessary
in order TO nforce the fulflment Of the original
Charter. But this is not true in fact; if they do
not build the road according To their original
Charter. then, Of course it is forfeited.
If we pass an at that cannot DO complied
with, the Charter must bs forfeited, and that
would bs deplorable result.
Mr.. BUTLER objected to the amendment
1t is said tn: bill locates road which the egis.
lnure cannot safely or intelisibIy doi but it will
DO seen that ere is no attempt at location more
than in every other Of granting similar privi
eyes. The points of cJmmencement TERMINATION
md general direction are always given in such
grants, which is all that is done by this bill.
Mr.. EvERTs adverted to tho concurrent
testimony of all tho engineers in favor Of the
route proposed
In 1854, it said by that company that this
was the best ronte, Campbell, their engineer, had
sworn before the committee OF this Legislature, at
the present session, that it the best route So
had Allen, another engineer who had surveyed it.
The evidence was all one way-no other limo was
proposed.
He supposed the opposition to the line
proposed in the bill was to favor the adopt
ion Of a line by the way of Esser. No man
of sense would give his consent to any such
connection, We must regard the public in
terest, as well as the interests of Rail Road
corporations. He was opposed to the amend
ment and hoped the Senate would reject it
and all others having Al tendency to defeat
the meritorious character Of the bill. If the
charter to be extended at all, it should
be so amended as to relieve the public of a
great nuisance, and do justice to other par
ties concerned besides the Vt. Central
Mr.. Wilson, Of Franklin county, recapitu-
lated the main points in the history of the
case, spoke Of the concurrent and repeated ties
timony of all the eng neers of all parties in
favor of the route laid down by the bill In
reference to the remarks of Senator Gleed,
that only the Rutland and Burlington rail
road and few persons in Burlington favored
the passage of the bill, he said the interest
of all Franklin county had suffered to very
great extent for want of the conne1ion to be
made under the charter
In requiring the company to build the road
according TO the provisions Of the bill, We are
requiring the company to do just what they
have repeatedly acknowledged was right, both in
respect to the location of the road and
the demands of the public. And he
insisted that the stock owners in the Vermont
d Ca ada company, who reside in this State are |
still willing to carry out the provisions of this
bill, and they will build the road in spite of
the influence of foreign stock owners. lie was
wiling to grant to foreigners who have invested
their CAP tal in Vermont railroads, the right to
protect their Interests, but they should Be re-
quired to discharge tSsr obligations to tho oiti.
Iens Of this State, which are justly secured to
them by the provisions of the bill.
MI Clarke Of Windham Co., also approx
cd the amendment and advocated the bill
The amendment was defeated on the 18th,