Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-04-03


We have been requested to publish the following
article, which was distributed to the members of
the Legislature As there was no debate except
on the part of those interested in the Rutland and
Bennington road, this must be regarded as in fact
the official statement Of the other side OF the
question;
RENSSELAER, & SARATOGAR AILROAD co.
STATEMENT
As several statements have been made in the
public prints as to the position of the Rensselaer,
~ Saratoga Railroad Company, in the controversy
between the Western Vermont and the Tcoy 81
Boston Railroad Companies with the eyident in
tention Of impressng the public with the idea that
the Rsns seaer & Saratoga Railroad Company is
attempting to force a sale Of the Western Vermont
Road to themselves their own terms, to gain
some unfair advantage over it, it is considered
proper that you be made acquainted with simple
statement of the facts in the case. They re-
specially submitted for your consideration.
About the middle of June, 1860, the Rensselaer,
& Saratoga Railroad Company leased the Rutland
d Washington Railroad, and at about the sams
time made a mutual contract with the Rltlanl &
Burlington Il lilroal for the transportation of the
through business-that is, the business carried
the whole distance-between Troy and Rutland
The Legislature Of Vermont subsequently, passed
law in reference 70 contracts of this ch iracter,
which proved TO be imperative to the contract
referred to. About thirty days after leasing the
Rutland & Washington Rilroad Mr.. Park the
owner Of the Western Vermont Railroad, cana
into the Office Of the Rensselaer, & Saratoga Il all
road Company, in Troy, and solicited an offer to
purchase or consolidate his road. The matter
was fayorably considered, but nothing definite was
agreed upon. A short tims after that the Pres-
dent OF the Rensselaer, & Saratoga Il ,ilroad Com
pany offered Me. Park Sj)0,0O) in their stock,
(Which had beea in the market at above par for
tna lat fssa \ fn hta rad hiu,
$3.50 900, which he declined For the next six
months followed the sharp composition between
the Troy & Boston and the Rensselaer, IL Saratoga
Railroads for the Z" through business, the Troy
~ Boston bending all its energies Co keep the
trails on the line OF the Western Vermont road.
In the winter Of 1866 a suit instituted by the
Troy a. Boston Railroad Company, in the Yer
mont court, at Bennington, TO break up the con
tract between the Rensselaer, a. Saratoga aud the
Rutland & Burlington Railroads, and thereby give
the through business TO the Westera Verm lHt
line, and while this suit was pending, Mr.. Park
being in fall harmony and acting with the Troy &
Boston Railroad Company, unbeknown to that
Company, opened negotiation with the R,nsso-
laer N Saratoga Railroad Company TO sell out TO
them the entire through traiIil OF the road, Of
iering Tor II consideration TO be agreed upon there
after, to surrender his claim 10, and composition
for, such "through business. To this the Eensse-
laer q Saratoga Rlilroad assented in general
WINS bhb iO lAieN Wse hA1h NVAhesil HSAtAeA
upon
In a short time after this the Troy & Boston
Railroad Company made contract with the
Rensselaer, q Saratoga Railroad Company, under
which the q through business was concentrated
on the Poultney Cor Rutland & Washington) route
Immediately Afterwards the Rensselaer, & Saratoga
Railroad Company offered to continue the negoti-
alton with Mr.. Park for division Of the profits
of the {" through business as ii no contract had
been in existence between the Rensselaer, Y Sara
toga. the Rutland q Burlington, and the Troy &
Boston Roads, the presdeot Of the Rensselaer, Il
Saratoga offering 10 give Mr.. Pack his proportion
of one-ihira Of the profits OF such through bus-
ness--the equity Of this proposition being based
on there being three distinct lines out OF Rutland,
to Troy, viz the Rensselaer, & Saratoga, the
Rutland ~ Washington, and the Western Ver-
mont routes To this Mr.. Park, acknowledging
that the offer Of the Rensselaer, 4 Saratoga was
liberal and just, did not dissent but coupled with
it the demand that the Troy 4 Boston should give
him much more than pro rata share on all To-