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

G0VERN0R'S MESSAG E
! to the
GENERAL AssEMBLY or VERMONT.
/ SPECIAL SESSION. MAR On, 1867.
Gentlemen Of tie Senate
and House of Representatives. .
Upon representations mad OF the suffer-
ing condition in which the important business in
terests Of the Southwestern portion of this State
had been suddenly and unexpectedly placed, by
hostile acts Of certain railroad corporations Of an
adjoining State, and which appeared TO me 90 de-
mand immediate Legislative relief, have felt con-
strained to call You together at this time in extra
session.
deem it my duty 10 make to YOU a brief
statement OF facts in relation thereto, they have
been represented to me, and on the correctness
Of which / have reason TO rely.
II appears that connected With the Rutland and
Burlington Railroad at Rutland there have BEEN
for series of wears, three railroad routes 20 Troy
in the State OF New York, forming connections
there with other railroads leading South and West
that these railroads have been, to a considerable
extent, rival roads, competing with each other for
the freights and travel which enter upon and pass
over these from other railroads termed through
business and that each of said roads depends main
y upon such through business for It's support and
successful operation. One of these roads, which
was chartered BY the name of the Western Yer
Rutland road, runs southerly from Rutland through
the counties Of Rutland aud Bennington, 10 the
west line of the State. near North Bennington,
distance of 6tty-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 the manage
ment OF the Troy and Boston Railroad Company.
There is also branch OF the Bennington and
Rutland road TO Bennington, q We miles In length
Another Of the rival roads, called the Rutland
aud Washington Railroad, westerly from
Rutland by way Of Castlotea and Salon TO Eagle
Bridge, where 1t connects with the Troy aud hos
ton Railroad the latter road extending from
thence TO Troy
The third rival road known as the Rensselaer,
and Saratoga road, the track OF the tst men
toned road from Rutland to Castleton, a distance
OF eleven miles and from thence it runs by way OF
Whitehall and Saratoga Springs to Troy This
road is twelve miles longer than either of the 9TH
er two, and does not seem to be the natural route
for either travel or freight between Rutland and
Troy.
The Rutland and Washington Railroad had been
a competing line with the Rensselaer, and Sarato-
ga road for through business until about two years
ago, when IL is understood that the company own
ing the latter road made purchase Of the former.
since which time their rivalry has ceased, and they
have both been under the direction and manage
mcnt, within this State well out OF it, OF the
Rensselaer, and Saratoga Railroad Company,
corporation existing under and by virtue Of the
laws Of the State OF New York
The Western Vermont, now the Bennington
aud Rutland Railroad, was put in operation in the
year 1852 and for ten years, ending the 18th Of
January last, had been leased to the Troy and
Boston Railroad Company, and daring that period
had been operated by them in connection with
their road from the State line to Troy, before
mentioned.
The Western Vermont road had always been a
rival road TO the Rutland and Washington and the
Rensselaer, and Saratoga roads. until the month
of February, 1866, when a written contract was
entered into to continue in force for ten years
between the Rensselaer, and Saratoga Company
and the Troy aud Boston Company by which il,
agreed that no through business OF any kind
should be allowed to pass over the Bennington
and Rutland road the Troy and Boston Compa-
ny binding itself not to deliver to or receive any
through freights from said Bennington and Rut-
land road, and IN order that passengers might he
ellectually prevented from travelling over the
bennington aud Rutland road it was further stipu
lated by the Troy and Boston Company that but
one train per day each way should be run by that
company to connect with the said Bennington and
Rutland road aud those trains were run at such
hours would not allow travellers 70 connect
with the trains OF other roads This Arrangement
for diyerting the through business from the Ben
nington and Rutland Railroad, was carried into
effect during the period Of the lease of the road TO
ever again connect with the Bennington and Rut-
land road, is under an obligation by its contract
to continue it for about nine years longer.
In the mean time two OF the citizens of this
State, John Gregory Smith and John b. Page,
had become essees Of the Bennington and Rutland
road, to commence at the expiration of the before
mentioned lease TO the Troy and Boston Company,
and had made preparations for operating it, by
sending engines and cars to the State line to con-
meet with those of the Troy and Boston Company.
No such connection was however made, and al
though the essees are desirous Of making such con-
nectiOn, and have applied TO the mlnagers of the
Troy and Boston Company for that purpose. they
utterly refuse 20 agree upon any terms Of connec-
tion, or to run their cars TO the State line; and
since the said 10th OF January last there has con
sequently been no railroad outlet to the South and
West, there being break Of about five miles be-
tween the State line and Hoosick Junction from
which latter place cars are running daily to Troy,
distance OF twenty-six miles. This intermediate
five miles of road is stated TO have been, since the
10th OF January last. permanently leased to the
Rensselaer, and Saratoga Railroad Company, thus
placing all the avenues from Rutland to the South
and West under the perfect control Of that cor
poration.
The manufacturing interests that have grown
up on the line of the Bennington and Rutland
Railroad are very extensive and important, proba-
bly, more SO than any other section of the State OF
equal population, embracing those of cotton and
wooden in their various branches of paper; of
iron 10y blast and cupola furnaces of ochre for
paints of machinery for cotton, wooden and pa
per mills tahneries establishments for making
chisels carpenters squares, chairs, beadsteads,
doors, sash, aud many other articles of both wood
aud metals. The railroad transportation required
10 furnish supplies and to send TO market the pro-
ducts OF these establishments must be very great
That portion of the State is also very rich in mar
Bile and timber, many thousands of tons of each
1 -. IL. L..
business operations. and others connected with
them, are to be permanently shut of from railroad
communications with the outer world, as they are
at present, it is easy to that all musI seriously