The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-13
The Central Investigation.

Now that the investigation is ended, We
are able to judge Of the results, and form
an opinion Of the guilt or innocence of
the parties implicated in the charges made
against the management Of the Vt. Cen
trail Railroad.
There is still = feeling that they were
not entirely wise ia their policy, but the
charges Of corruption and peculation were
clearly not sustained. We confess to
feeling Of regret that an agent with money
at his command was kept at Montpelier
during the Session Of the Legislature to
resist adverse legislation and that dis
bursements were made. We regret the
secret service fund, the wholesale feeling
of lawyers and some other disbursements
Of money taken cut of the business of the
State in high frcights; but do not sec
that they have exceeded their power, or
been guilty of pecuation or corruption.
The Rutland GloJe says:
THE testimony, Invested of all color
ing, shows that in 1869 Mr.. Hatch only
spent at Montpelier one thousand dollars
including his personal expenses.
An average Of the expenses for legal
services during fifteen years, commencing
in 1859, was about $4,000 per annum,
the total being SSS,000
These two items seem to dispose Of the
question Of legislative corruption. They
are unusually small, even for railroad
companies never accused OF corrupt rrac-
tees.
There was secret service fund. but as
that proved to be used to employ detec.
tives for the catching Of thieves who had
been committing depredations, the I'M
carthing Of it added no force to the pre-
sumption Of deliberately accumulated
corruption fund.
The next point Of inquiry was as to car
wheels, 1t was shown that the price was
raised from sic TO S24 and S25. But
it appeared also that the car company had
been required TO make all wheels of new
material, in the very best style, to deiv.
err them at the railroad shops, to keep
them on hand, to war; ant them, aud 20
take them back if not satisfactory. Be.
sides this it was proven that railroad iron
is now higher than it has been in five
years. Two Yeas ago it was $50 ton.
now it is $50.
1t was charged that royalty was paid
on these car wheels to W, G. and j. G..
Smith, and there was such testimony on
Saturday but on Monday evidence was
introduced in explanation which left the
royalty to ". G. Smith alone, it having
been reserved in selling his interest in the
foundry According to the evidence the
Governor had no interest in the business,
nd had never received q dollar from it.
1t was charged that the Montreal and
Vermont Junction railroad was put into
the Vermont Central freight line at 81
miles when it was really 43 miles But
this was explained by the fact that the
Montreal line ireighis were paid in gold
and the Vermont Central in greenbacks
and the concession Of nine miles was al.
lowed for any difference.
Objection had been made that there
was more profit on the Montreal and Yer.
mont junction railroad than Oh the Yer.
mont Central, but the former is easier ia
operate and proportionately less expensive
yet it has not paid 7 per cent. on the in
vcstment, as estimated by witness.
Thus taking up the evidence and con.
sidering it, we perceive that the charges
melt away into insignificant results. The