Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-04-05
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
TO The
General Assembly of Vermont.
SPECIAL SESSION, MARCH, 1867.
Gentlemen ofthe Senate
0nd House Of Rllresenfafires

SPECIAL SESSION, MARCH, 1867.
Gentlemen ofthe Senate
and House Of Representatives,
Upon representa- ons made 10 me of tn,
suffering condition in which the important
business interests Of the Southwestern por
tion OF this 5 ate had been suddenly anC
Unexpectedly placed, by hostile acts Of Ger,
tain railroad corporations Of an adjoining
State, and which appeared to me to demand
immediate legislative relief, have Eel; con-
strained to call you together at this time, in
extra session.
deem 1t my duty to make to you a briei
statement Of facts IN relation thereto, as
they have been represented to me, and on
the correctness Of which have reason to
/ rely.
ltappears that in connection with the Rut.
/ land Il Burlington Railroad at Rutland there
have been, for a series Of years, three rail
road routes to Troy in the State of New
| York, forming connections there with other
railroads leading South and West that
these railroads have been to considerable
extent, rival roads, connecting with each
other Tor the freights and travel which enter
upon and pass over tho from other rail
roads, termed through BUSINESS. and that
each ui said roads depends mainly upon such
through business for iis support and success
iul operation. One Of these roads. which
was chartered by the name Of the Western
Vermont Railroad, and is now the Beuning-
ton Il Rutland road, runs sJutherly from
Rutland through the counties Of Rutland
and Bennington, to the west line Of t. State
near North Bennington, distance of fifty
four miles, its track being thence continued
by that OF another railroad in the State of
New York, about thirty-one miles further to
Troy, the latter road being under manage
mcnt Of the Troy 4 Boston Railroad Com
any. There is also q branch Of the Ben
ington j Rutland road to Bennington. five
miles IN length.
Another Of the rival roads, called the
Hutland x Washington Railroad, runs west
-ly from Rutland by way Of Castleton and
salem 20 Eagle Bridge, where 1t connects
Eith the Troy Boston Railroad, tue latter
road extended from thence to Troy.
The third rival road known as the Rens-
sclacr * Saratoga road, uses the track OF the
last mentioned road from Rutland e. Castle
,un, distance Of eleven miles, and from
thence 1t Iuns by way Of Whitehall and
'arat q Springs 10 Troy. THIS road is
welyc miles longer than either of the Other
NO, and does not seem 20 be the natural
cute iJr either tayo ur freight between
Kutlani and Troy
The Ruttart a " atuiug;ou railroad had
zen competing line with the Rensselaer, &
-ratoga road for through business until
7out two leaIs aEa, when It IL understood
lat the company owning tie latter road
made purchase OF TIE former, since which
line thclT rivalry hgs ceased, and they have
both teen under the direction and manage
ment, within this State as well as out OF it.
OF the Rensselaer, Saratoga Railroad Com.
pany, corporation existing under ami by
virtue of llc laws OF o., S,lte oi New York.
Tie Western Vermont, now the Benninc-
ton Rutland Railroad, was pat ia opcra- I
ZION IN the year 1852 and ior ten wears.
ending the 10th Of January last. had been
ascd u the II0y a Boston Railroad Com
any. and during that period had been Oh Z
,gated by them in connection with their I
road from the State liuo 10 Troy, before /
mentioned.
The Wosteln Vermont road had always |
been rival road to the Rutland S Wash |
ington and the Rensselaer, a Saratoga roads. |
until the month OF February, 1866. when a /
written contract vas entered into. 10 con- !
i4ue IN force for ten years, between the /
ltnsselaer s Saratoga Company and the /
10y \ Boston Company, by which il was /
,Iecd that no through business Of any kind /
snOuld be allowed to pass over the Banning- /
IN Rutland road the Troy & Boston 1
Company binding itself not 70 deliver to or
receive any through ircights from said Ben
nington Rutland road, and in order that
passengers might be efectually prevented l
from travelling over the Bennington & Rut-
land road it was further stipulated BIZ tie
Troy Il Boston Company that but one train
Der day each way should be run by that
company to connect with the said Benning-
ton x Rutland road, and those trains we're
run at such hours as would not allow tray
Cliers to connect with the trains Of other
Io .ds. This arrangement for diverting the
trough business from the Bennington i
huiland Railroad, was carried into eject
I ring the period of the lease Of the road
IL the Troy a Boston Company, and
sid company, IN ease it should ever again
connect with the Bennington Il Rutland
read, is under an obligation By lis contract
TO continue 1t Tor about nine years longer.
In the mean time two Of the citizens of |
thi, State, John Gregory Smith and John
B. Page, had become lessees Of the Benning-
ton d Rutland road, to commence at the eX- /
pirstion Of the before mentioned lease 10 |
the Troy & Boston Company, and had made |
preparations tor operating it, by sending |
engines and cars to the State line to connect |
With those Of the Troy & Boston Company. |
\ D such connection was however made, and |
although the lessees are dcsirous Of making |
such connection, and have applied to the !
managers Of the Troy 4 B ston Company
f,r that purpose, they utterly refuse to
asTee upon any terms OF connection, or to |
run their cars to the State line and since
the said 10th Gay Of January last there has
consequently been no railroad outlet 10 the
South and West, there being a break Of
about FIVE miles between the State line and
Hoosick junction, from which latter place
cars are running daily to Troy, distance Of
twenty-six miles. Tbs intermediate Eve
niles OF road is stated to have been, since
t-e 10th Of January last, permanently
irased to the Rensselaer, 4 Saratoga Railroad
mpany, thus placing all the avenues from
l,Itland to the South and West under the
] rfeet control Of that corporation.
The manufacturing interests that have
,rOwn up on the line OF the Bennington q
Rutland Railroad are very extensive and I'M
rtant, probably more so than sny other
section OF the State ai equal population,
,lnbracIng those Of cotton and wooden in
,heir various branches. Of Iarer Of iron
10y blast aud cupola furnaces Of ochrc for
paints; of machinery for eott,n, woolen
and paper mills; tanneries establishments
for making chisels, carpenters squares,
chairs, bedstcads, do0s, sash, and many
other articles Of both wood and ma.lls. The
railroad transportation required to furnish
supplies and 10 end to market the products
Of these establishments must b very great.
That portion OF the State il very rich in
marble and timber many thousands OF tons
Vi each being annually sent away by rail.
road. If these business operations, and
others connected with them, are to be +