Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-04-04

THE RAILROAD CONFRovERsY.-Aso our
readers are interested to know all the
statements made upon both sides of the
controversy which caused the assem-
bling of the special session Of the Leg
islature, we publish below the state
ment Of the Rensselaer, & Saratoga Rail-
road Company, which was laid upon the
desks Of the members on Thursday after
noon
GAS several statements have been made
in the public prints as to the position Of
the Rensselaer, g. Saratoga Railroad
Company, in the controversy between the
Western Vermont and the Troy & Bos
ton R. r. Companies, with the evident
intention of impresslng the public with
the idea that the Rensselaer, q Saratoga
r. R. Co., is attempting to force sale of
the Western Vermont road to themselves
on their own terms, or to gain some un-
fair advantage over it, it Is considered
proper that you be made acquainted with
a simple statement of the facts in the
case. They are respectfully submitted for
your consideration.
About the middle Of June, 1855, the
Rensselaer, & Saratoga R. R. Co. leased
the Rutland e. Washington r. R. and at
about the same time made mutual con-
tract with the Rutland & Burlington r.
R, 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 8 law in reference TO
contracts of this character, which proved
to be imperative to the contract referred
to. About thirty days after leasing the
Rutland s. Washington r. R., Mr.. Park,
the owner of the Western Vermont r. R.
came toto the oGce of the Rensselaer, &
Saratoga R. r. Co, in Troy and solicited
an offer to purchase or consolidate his
road. The matter was favorably con-
sidered, but nothing definite was agreed
upon. A short time after that the Pres
ident of the Rensselaer, & Saratoga R.R.
Co. offered Mr.. Park 100000 in their
stock, (Which had been in the market at
above par for the last FIVE years. for his
road, costing him s950,00O, which he de-
cliHed. For the next six months fol-
lowed the sharp competition between the
Troy g. Boston and the Rensselaer, &
Saratoga Railroads for the through"
business, the Troy & Boston bending all
its energies to keep the traffic on the line
of the Western Vermont road. In the
winter Of 1865, o suit was instituted by
the Troy & Boston R. R. Co., in the YER
mont court, at Bennington to break up
a. k>,E h, p
Saratoga and the Rutland e. Burlington
railroads, and thereby give the through
business to the Western Vermont line.
aud while this suit was pending, Mr..
Park being in full harmony and acting
with the Troy & Boston Railroad Com
pany, unbeknOwn to that Company,
opened a negotiation with the Rensselaer,
& Saratoga R. R. Co, to sell out to them
the entire Through" traffic of the road,
Offering for consideration to be agreed
upon thereafter, to surrender his claim
to, and competition for, such through
business. To this the Rensselaer, g. Sara
toga r. r. assented in general terms, but
no price was then definitely decided
upon.
10 short time after this the TROY &
Boston r. R. Co made q contract with
the Rensselaer, & Saratoga r. r. Co.
under which all the Through" business
was concentrated on the POultney Tor
Rutland g. WashingtOn) route. Imme.
diately afterwards the Rensselaer, e.
Saratoga R R. Co. offered to continue
the negotiation with Mr.. Park for
! division of the prOfi,s of the Through"
business as If no contract had been In
| existence between the Rensselaer, & Sara.
tOga, the Rutland & Burlington, and the
Troy & Buston roads, the President Of
the Rensselaer, 81 Saratoga Offering to
give MIR. PARK his proportion OF one
third of the profits of such through
husiness-the equity of this proposition
being based on there being three distinct
lines out of Rutland 60 Troy, VIZ the
Rensselaer, g. Saratoga, the Rutland 4,
Washington, and the Western Vermont
routes. To this Mr.. Park, acknowledg
ing that the Offer of the Rensselaer, &.
SaratoGs VAS liberal and Just, did not
dissent, but compiled with it the demand
thai the Troy & Boston shonld give him
much more than pro rata share on all
local" business Il It Manchester
ticket, for Instance OF 81 80 the Western
Vermont To draw Sl40 or pearty six
cents per mile on irs Is miles. and the
Troy & Boston 1890, or three cents p4r