Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-01-17

elicit them, the writer proceeds to say
Judge Poland. Of Vermont, has by no
means spotless reputation in regard to
railroad legislation, az his record while on
the bench in Vermont clearly shows. We
are indebted to q correspondent from Wash
ington, who i familiar with his history, Tor
q recital of that gentleman record, the
substance of which Is as follows; Law
renee Brsnerd, Of Vermont, father-in-law
of Governor Smith. OF that State, owned
the Vermont 4 Canada railroad, road per
haps twenty miles in length, near the
Canada line. Brainerd and Smith were
both. also. directors in the Vermont Cen
tral railrOad Under the management OF
these gentlemen. lease of the Vermont
Canada road was made to the Vermont
Central, upon terms plainly rulnous 10 the
latter company; the conditions OF the lease
being that the Vermont Central should pay
ten per cent. upon the stock Of the er1n9nt
& Canada road, and keep the road and ITS
rolling stock in complete repair, - 70 the
acceptance Of the Nermont & Canada
directors" In default of payment OF the
ten Der cent. or Of keeping the rolling
stock in repair, " TO the acceptance atore-
said. the Vermont and Canada road was au-
thorized TO take possession Of the Vermont
Central, and to hold possession until all
claims under the lease We're liquidated. As
the Vermont Central was not earning any
thing al that time. it could not pay the
stipulated ten per cent upon the st0ckof the
Vermont and Canada. and in due time the
directors of the latter road also alleged that
the rolling stock of this road had not been
kent in repair to their acceptance. One
day. the Vermont and Canada company sud
denly seized upon the whole line OF the Yer
mont Central with It's equipments, and took
possession Of the same, under the provisions
of the lease. Certain stockholders OF the
Vermont Central, perceivng that they were
being robbed by Smith and Brainerd. inSti-
tuted proceedings to test the Legality OF the
fraudulent lease, and recover possession OF
their road Judge Poland, then on the
bench. made decree restraining all pro
ceedinr> and confirming the Vermont and
Canada road in their possession Of the Yer
mont Central. This decree was regarded as
mopstrous in law. and flagrantly partial
and unjust.
Poland became SO odious, through this
transaction. that it was deemed expedient
for him 10 leave the bench. Smith. who was
then Governor. and who, with Brainard.
controlled the legislature. got law passed
confirming pOland's decree, and also had
sufficient influence in the State 10 secure
poland'S nomination and election 10 Con
,-res,. smith afterwards became President
of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company,
which Office he latch resigned IN c0nseq
of the notorietv he had gained IN connection
with his operations III the NerInont mi
road, Il wa, feared his presidency OF the
road might iniure the sale OF the bonds OF
that concern He retains. however, a. much
Of the actual mana cement Of the Northern
Pacific a. before and tins road l. luSt Il
much interested a. the other PacIhc road IN
asv investigation touching matters of rail
road legislation il Congress. Smith has
therefore a. much interest in the present IN
guirv into the operations of the Union Pa
cihc road rs Cakes Ames himself and a.
smith and the railroad interests are repre-
-ented by Poland, the appointment Of the
latter a. chairman Of the committee has
rather a suspicious look
1t would be difficult 10 crowd more false
and Inaccurate statements into as many
lines. To pick ont only the main mi-state-
ment- made above, Lawrence Brainerd nev-
er oeed the Vermont d Canada road,
which j. not twenty. but foriy-sercH miles IN
length. We believe that Brainerj and
Smith were never directors in tn. Vermont
Central al any rate, it was under no man
agement Of theirs that the Vermont &
Canada was leased to the Central That
lease was in effect made before the Vermont
& Canada was built and wien GOV. Paine
was the controlling spirit of the Central
The funds for the construction of the Yer
mont & Canada were secured by the Gem
tra's guaranteeing that the Vermont
Il Canada stock should pay n, ten.
hut AMT per cent. the Central at the
time taking "a lease Of the Vermont a Cana
da. The transfer Of the Vermont Genital
to the Vermont 4 Canada was not bya sud
den seizure, but by due legal process, in ac-
c0rdancr with the tsrms Of the lease. Jadge
Poland made no decree Of the kind de@crib-
ed. .r that was regarded as ''monstrous,
etc. OF course he did not become oslouS
through any such Transaction nor leave
the bench il conseq uence thereof On the
contrary he was never more popular and re-
spected il the State. than when he left the
bench. GOV. Smith never got law pa--sl
confirming such decree, nor dad he - 81
cure Poland : nomination and election 10
Congress" Judge Poland went t. Con
gre-s first. ~ United States Senator. by ap-
poiutment Of Gov Dillingham;. 70 FL the
vacancy oecasioned by the death Of Hon
Jacob Collamer The contest in regard -
his return to the Senate 1t the expiration Of
the term. and the way in which Mr.. Poland
and Mr Morrill, changed places, Mr. Nor
rill succeeding Poland in the Senate and
Poland succeeding Morrill, in the House, are
familiar 10 all Ycrmonters. who have yet TO
learn that Governor Smith secured or
tried to secure these results. or either of
them.
The concluding graph of thi- precious
piece Of malicious laundering. contain. the
solitary fact to be found in the whole
article. viz. .thatGov. Smith becamepresident
Of the Northern Pacific. Auelseis fcaor.
Gov. Smith, it Is well known, resigned the
presidency Of the Northern Pacific, against
the wishes Of most Of his associates. because
the Vermont Central needed his entire time
and efforts, The Northern Pacific bonds,
we believe. have never sold better tran they
were selling when he resigned In snort
what of the Jnioz article Is not outrageous
i wilful fabrication, and the
Uaion owes it to itself ami TO it. readers, a
well a. 10 the gentlemen thus attacked. to
look up liz facts and correct the SANDERS
Of II. Washington informant.