Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-07-15
RAILROAD SCHEMES.

Last year. in spite OF lobby agents and all
The direct and oblique influence, brought to
bear On members by the Railroad Corpo-
rations. the Legislature of this State refused
to relieve the Vermont and Canada Railroad
Company from termination of its charter
(then near at HANDY, except under provisions
that it should proceed to the fulflUpe7af, in
good faith and within a reasonable time, Of
the simple conditions on which its charter
was obtained, and without which it never
would have been obtained. The steps to be
taken in that fllflment were severally
pointed out in the act of last year, and so
plainly that there could be no mistake as to
their purport OF their effect.
We were glad to see that conclusion
reached by the legislature not from any in
dividual feeling or interest in the result, tfor
we had very little of either,) but because it
was in its substantial features a Just one
and one which the public had a right to e2-
pect. We were glad again when, in con-
formity to tho acquisitions Of the act Of last
year, the Directors Of the Vt. & Canada R.
R. Co. voted within the required time to ac-
cept the act of the Legisature-aad when
too, in May last, the Stockholders, at meet
ing called for that purpose, authorized the
Directors to proceed in the execution of the
further provisions Of the act, and to raise
money for that purpose from the rents due
to tho Cooperation by the Vt. Central R. R.,
(sorne $500 coo, to S60O,O 900, if we are
rightly lnlormed), and from mortgage Of
the road if necessary, and when the Di-
rectors accordingly proceeded to survey and
locate the route for the direct connection be-
tween Burlington and Milton, and made
provisional contraction very favorable terms)
for the grading of the Road. Such action GER
tainly looked as if there was to be an honest
and fair compliance with the provisions of
the charter of the road, and as if railroad
operations in the Legislative halls Of this
State, having for their object to (rusirate
charter provisions, or to subject the public
good to individual profit, had reached ter
mination.
1t seems, however, that the old game is to
be played over again, if VIC are rightly in
formed OF the doings at a specia! meeting of
the stockholders, held at Mortified. a few
days ago-a meeting called to consider the
report ola sort of committee of Stockholders
and Trustees, appointed to see what could be
done to end divers points of disagreement
between the Trustees of the Vermont Central
and the Directors of the Vermont and Cana
da. At this meeting, few wealthy Stock
holders or the representatives of few, from
abroad, vino held controlling number of
shares and proxies in their hands, coolly
proceeded, by stock uote, to disallow the pro-
ceedings Of the Directors Of the Vermont and
Canada, carrying out the requirements of the
act of 1858, and to forbid them to take any
further steps in that direction. Furthermore,
they entered upon plan to bring the next
Legislature to undo the acts OF last year,
under pretense Of inablhty 10 get the money
needed to comply with any of the requisi-
lions Of that act which should make neces-
sary the expenditure of any noticeable sum of
money. They did this, although the Direct
ors said expressly, at the meeting, that they
,ce,e alcare Of no serious difficulty in raising
The necessary means, eroept tOhat had come and
,yould come from obstacles nirotcn IN hci, ,cay
6v thc parties to thlS neto Increment "a move
ment whose object is TO Illustrate the objects
OF the act of 1858, and to leave the rights of
the public III the mercy of the same corps Of
managers, who had so long shown that they
cared nothing for those rights, but only for
their OWE pockets.
Other strange decisions are said to have
been made at the meeting. by the same stock
rotes. evidently for the special benefit of a
few individuals concerned in the manage
ment Of the two roads, and without regard to
the benefit Of the stockholders in general,
which we do not stop 70 particularize. 1t
seems to be plain that the managers referred
to feel strong enough not only to disregard