Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-09
consolidated DepOLs.

| ~ TtS A1NttVf " dtt Outty hlPy'
| Having read remonsrrance to the legislature
on this subject, lately published in your columns,
the writer is animated by the hope that before
it is too late our citizens may become aware Of
the sacrifice of independence that they will
make in allowing all their railway termini to
pass into the control of one powerful corpora
ton.
The interest of the citizens of Worcester in this
subject should be determined wholly by their
view of the effect which the discontinuance of
the Foster street and Junction depots and the
| consolidation of all the roads upon the land of
the Boston and Albany railroad will have upon
the prosperity of the city. A change in the use
ofpublic thoroughfares by railway companies
is required, but very different method of relief
can be adopted from that offered by the Boston
and Albany corporation and those interested in
advocating their plans.
The history of the movement for uniting the
depots will be interesting at the present time.
The policy of the Western railroad before con-
solidation with the Boston and Worcester was
for many years source of complaint to cit.
zens, and our people were obliged to submit to
uncomfortable accommodations and imperfect
facilities at Washington square, while all tinan-
cal transactions were as much as possible
diverted from beneftting Worcester merchants.
After the Boston and Worcester was swallowed
up by the Western railroad, in the face of the
almost unanimous opposition of the Worcester
stockholders, and to the present day, no change
in the policy of the management as affecting
Worcester has become apparent, except the initia-
ton ola scheme for centralzing all railroads upon
its own ground and thus revoutionizing the bust
ness of Worcester and subiecting it to control
The scheme presented by the Boston and Albany
was diversion of railway termini from their
present locations to land of said corporation,
by the consummation of which Worcester would
be but way station, not alone on that line Of
road but also on the lines of all the roads lead
ing from thecity. Nor this only, but the various
roads were to be assigned such accommodation
and to be subjected to such conditions as said
railroad might allot them. Without little ex-
animation it might escape notice that the real
blow is aimed at the Foster street and junction
depots, and the Punishment of all railway ac.
commodations from convenient localities.
Worcester has become such as we know it
from the facilities offered TO its mechanics by the
different lines of railway. viii it gain by allow
ing all these lines Of travel to pass into the control
of one corporation, whose power has already be-
gun to be felt and feared in the legislation OF
the state? VIII it be more agreeable to our
citizens to have fold more dangerous accu-
mutation of tracks at Washington square than at
| Springfield, with the additional objection of
being quite removed from the convenient use Of
three-Quarters of the iuhabitants2 The control
of the other railroads TO be obtained by settling
/ them upon its own ground, subject to such rules
as it should prescribe, must be the purpose OF
this corporation Are we prepared TO allow
this point to be carried when other and better
remedies are within our reach2 In the old cities
OF the world do we hear OF consolidated depots,
and yet we know that the various lines OF
railway OF London and Paris diyerge from those
cities from different depots without crossing any
Of the streets at grade, aud this desired result Is
accomplished by tunueling and bridging. a
method which is perfectly feasible in our own
case, and which would more perfectly relieve
our city of inconvenience from the PASSAGE Of
trains.
Passenger trains alone should enter the cit,
limits, freight and freight trains should be mad,
up outside This would require some of III,
roads to construct freight houses and numerou
tracks on land outside the thickly settled poi
ton of the city. If such course were pur
sued a more satisfactory depot could be con
structed to replace the structure in Foster street
and at a much less expense the public would b
better accommodated.