Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-01-24
Vermont Central and View London Northern Rail-
raadS
A FEW FACTS, INCIDENTS AND EXPLANATIONS.
tn The E,J,,or Of tbc Horfc,rd Courgnf -

Vermont Central and New London Northern Rail-
roads.
PEW FACTS, INCIDENTS AND EXPLANATIONS
To the Editor fthe Hartford Courant -
1t seems as though our up river cousins OF
the Springfield papers had but one ear and
enemies of the Vermont Central railroad
had entire possession of that. However that
corporation may have sinned, it is certain
that these papers have published some state
ments concerning the management OF the
New London Northern, recently, in which
they must have relied on their imagination
for their facts.
Soon after the recent snow blockade,
which was as bad on the Boston and Albany
as on the New London, the Springfield
Union said that the Vermont Central cor
poration paid off their help with checks, to
be redeemed at sight moreover, that the
checks were not good for their face IN that
region that man was around Springfield
Offering to sell $50 check Tor $40, and
could find no one to assume even that
risk
The facts are these The paymaster of
the Vermont Central has a great many
hands to pay off between Ogdensburgh and
New London, and to obviate the necessity
Oh CARRYING mOutN lut tutNh -N9lt htA-
been adopted The funds are subject to
draft of the paymaster to prevent their be-
ing stolen When the train hands, station
men or section men receive their checks, they
can take them to any station agent or con-
ductOr on the road, and by presenting the
check, indorsed with their name, receive the
cash at once. These endorsed checks are the
same as money to the station agent, who so
reckors them, and at the proper time sends
them to ST. Adams. If that demented fell
low with the $50 check, or the lunatic who
refused to take il for $40, will come 10 the
writer he will rejoice to cash any amount OF
Vermont Central railroad checks in that
way 1t was also said that there was very
little sawed wood on the line A.; and the en-
gines were obliged to use four foot wood.
The man who told that story must have
stood in the office of either the Boston and
Albany or the Connecticut River road, and
looked through the large end o! telescope
to see the state Of things. The facts again
are as follows during the snow storm
freight train, from the north, got fast on
the grade between Dwight's and Belcher-
town. They then ran back 10 Dwight's for
water, and there threw on some iour-toot
wood from pile near by. There was plenty
of sawed wood at Belchertown, the next
station, and at Amherst, Montague and
Grants After careful inquiry the writer
can positively say that that Is the only oc
casion when four-ioOt wood has been used
anywhere ON the line of the New London
Northern road this season. The New York
Central have many time broken up fence
rails to use in similar circumstances.
The New London Northern has had trouble
enough without being falsely accused. And
it is quite common opinion that these mis-
fortunes are magnihed by the influence Of
certain competing railroads. There is no
desire to disguise the fact that the past
year has witnessed many accidents to trains
and many definitions also. But no passen-
gers have been hurt. The accidents have
been wrecks of freight trains, and the
breaking down Of passenger trains, con-
fined to over-worked locomotives. The iron
of the road is light and there has not been
time enough Vet u put down new and
heavier rails a. Is intended. The iron is ar
irving and will 90 down a. soon as the sea
son opens The amount u. fr,ight traffic has
mare than d0Hbied SINCE fhc Vermont Central
took The road. OF course the pounding Of
such heavy trains has strained the track TO
the utmost and the smash of a freight
train on Wednesday of thisw was owing
to that cau>e-a broken rail. Other roads
are not free from such accidents. The New
Londan Northern road had ordered a half
dozen new locomotives before the Vermont
Central management leased the line. Every
mandatory of good locomotives in the
country i behind It, orders. And these en-
gines ordered for last winter did not begin
to arrive till last midsummer and are not
all received yet. " it'll the great Increase
Of work last year there was not motive pow
err enough and it could not be got. The
master nee banjo of Boston road told the
writer Of sending to four locomotive build
ers before he could get aS many engines for
his immediate wants. In some cases one
engine had % do double work going out
with fresh men a. soon a. in from regular
trip. II twas ease of sheer necessity ; the
equipment Of no road could stand such q
strain 80 engine after engine broke down;
the shop was filed all the while and By the
time the new locomotives arrived they were
put on double duty as the old had been.
The writer, who lives ON the line, and has
suffered inconvenience himself has no de-
sire to whitewash, but thinks injustice Is
done the present management IN many
gu ,rter> through ignorance of the facts.
The division superintendent says d" II we
can only get through this severe winter
safely. as soon u the frost l. out the new
facilities viii be quickly supplied and the
public shall see whether the road cannot he
safely and successfully managed.
Here i. an incident Of the recent snow
embargo. \ freight conductor left his train
at Brattlehoro. The superintendent imms-
diately went there and himself took the
train to New London. The engineer, who
was n young fellow recently promoted, had
been out all the previous day and night. 1t
was after eleven O'Clock the second night
that they left South Coventry Between
there and Willimantic the superintendent,
who was on the engine. saw the engineers
head 90 5obbing about and finally 90 over
backwards He stepped over, took hold Of
throttle of the engine and run the train into
Willimantic himself \ sudden Jolt of the
locomotive woke up the sleeping man, who
appeared very much confused. But he was
told to take the fireman seat and get a nap,
The superintendent-condu did
the switching and ran the train to South
Windham, when the engineer, refreshed
with his little sleep, took his post again and
kept it till they were housed at New Lon
don at clock the next morning Letany
of those who 20 tlippantly criucise railway
management stand on the foot-b board of
locomotive for forty-f0ur consecutive hours,
and then see what they have to say ; and
add to that, also, the worst snow blockade
of ten years. and You have a trying expert
Iience.