Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-14

CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE WESTERN
AND BosToN & WORCESTER RAILROADS, as to
the division of the receipts for passengers
and freights passing over both roads, is, appa-
rently, not quite at an end. AS the question
is one of public interest, and has been the
subject of an article in the Springfield Repub
Gcan, to which we wish to refer, we shall
briefly state some of the facts, as we under
stand them.
! By statutes passed in 1S45 and 1857, the
legislature provided way for the appoint
ment of commissioners to decide just such
questions as have been at issue between the
two roads referred to. In 1857, Messrs. J. w.
Brooks, /. Hinckley, and w. HigCinson, were
appointed Commissioners on a dispute be
tween these two railroads. After hearing all
that both parties had to offer, these gentlemen
agreed upon terms which in their judgment
were equitable, and made their report to the
Supreme Court, in March, 1858. The West.
ern road then moved that this report should
be wholly set aside Afterwards the Court
heard arguments on that motion, and finally,
in November, 1859, gave its decision that said
award, with the exception of so much as re-
ferred to time anterior to the commencement
of proceedings, "is accepted, affirmed, and
established, and that judgment to this effect
be entered of record"
The commissioners were men of high ability,
and of large experience in railway questions.
We do not hear it complained that they have
pCf hpaf foir and
if the Springfield Republican is rightly in.
formed, that the Western Railroad Company
is much dissatisfied, 'is determined not to sub
NIT any further than it is obliged to-" is now
considering "what other means of redress are
within its reach" is thinking of an appeal to
the Legislature, and, what is rather more seri
Gus and questionable, is thinking, also, of
measures fsr revenge" 'among which is an
arrangement with the Worcester and Nashua
road, and the Boston and Fitchburg road, for
the conveyance of freight between Worcester
and Boston" Revenge is never a useful or
wholesome passion and, what is more, it can
not last long. 1t may put itself 10 great incon-
venience, for time but all disturbances OF
the cooler reason are necessarily transient
Therefore, it would be much wiser to do at
once what the calm judgment of reasen is sure
to enforce in the end. We think the Republi.
can must be mistaken, for we do no see what
there is to be avenged, nor how vengeance
can be executed on the court or the referees,
by sending freight from Worcester to Boston
| by way of Groton junction.
1t is represented in the article to which we
refer, that the award gives the Boston and
Worcester road more than the interests OF the
city of Boston should allow it to take, for lis
tendency is to divert trade from Boston," The
impression this statement makes, is, that the
award had something to do with the rates
charged, whereas, according to the Republican
ITSELF in this article, the question at issue re-
lated only to "the division of receipts" How
this can touch "the trade of Boston" is not
very clear.
| We hope to see all these matters amicably
and honorably closed; therefore, we trust that
revenge" will not be allowed to interfere in
any way. Revenge" cannot set aside the
Judgment of the referees and the court; neither
can it change the merits of the question in the
slightest manner.