The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-23
PRESIDENT rEomdxss CONTEMPT
The stubborn Fight OF the New Maven m,
Northampton Railroad Company.

HARTFORD. Conn, March 2l-The lcnp
fight between the manufacturers Of the town OF
Panisvillc and the directors Of the New Haven
and Northampton Railroad has ended beyond
the power Of further appeal. in favor of the man
ufacturors so far AZ the State " Connecticut If
concerned. Whether II win result however. in
bringing about what the man ufacturcra dcsire--
the stoppagc Of trains at the planisvillr depot or
noi--rcmains 10 be- srcn. President Ycomana lis
one Of those obstinate men who would spend
months in Jail rather than yield point. and If
the directors continue Of the sumo opinion as
they have all along, they viii share prison COM
forts with him.
The history of this long and bit,i ease is
briefly aA follows In 1869 the lease of the
road b. the New Yor, and New Haven road nv.
prod. and it was determined by the new BonrI
Of Directors to put II ln irst-class condition. II
nnd been sadly neglected Nv thr NV York and
Now Haven managers. They followed n pol,cy
81 simply accommodating local traffic. and hnd
buut Sheds and platforms wherever two or
thrrc persons said pot was needed In one
stretch ~ two miles tacfc wrr' nVo such sta
lions. The new management fclt that there
were posslhiit"s tor NC rom IN the way "
through traffic especially with the Hoosac
tunnel line. and one of thrir FIRST stems WA, To
abandon many Of these platform and shed
dcuots. and consolidate them at important con.
trn. points In the village Of runisvillc there
WIS % dcunt and a mill dbOyc. ~ Soutlinlton an.
they abandoned the Panteryili" station, and the
manufacturers prin 'ipahy Peck. Stowe 4 vii
cox. whose warTupnr arc In New York.
pat.tiOncd the Railroad Comm ssionnrs Ia re-
quirc the company to stop their trains at the
depot. hut tins aIHiled nothing. Then il was
made political matt r. and cont rolled the cleo
ton OF representatives from the town of South
ingion. The Legislature was appealed to in
1874. and powerful lobby hrOu.. mi To- bear on
the members on both sides The rnlroud lobby
proved The strongest and the pet ton WIS re-
ltriDd. Meanwhile the directors had hu "A "a flue
baffNg txrt, will 4
stopped thrir trains th"rc. Two years ago the
Legislature pissed a bill requiring the company
Ia stop trains AMI the town huilt nne drpot
The passage Of the hill WIS hailed by the people
with Joy rnnnons were llrg1. and flags flung
out but the trains did not stop. The ellis" was
taken to the courts and IN the summer OF 1876
tho courts decided that the Legislature had the
power Ia 'nmprl th" "nnrany Ia stop ia. trains,
lat no notice was taken nj their decision md
thereuron nm acton WIS thought to compel the
company tp stop trains Tue court decided that
tn trains must stop. Sun the decision WIS
brought against tho directors for contempt NJ
court. Judg" Granger decided them 10 be ia
contempt. and dcrrrcd that unless the trains
werc stopped ia twenty days the directors be-
confined in NV Haven iail.
before TINS power could be- served on the Iii
rcfpgs their counsel had served on the hhcr II
q writ of error. and claiming that this lasf took
prt",ien'-' OF Judgr Changers orirr. procured
from Chirf Justice Park an inIunt ton restrain
INK the Sheriff from impri.nnnrnt until tho
supreme Court decided whether the order Of
imprisonment was superseded 10y the writ Of
error, ami alter "a year the Court has decided
mat II was not. and eniorcrs the order OF the
Superior Court adIudsing the dlrotors in ION
t'mit Thc company hns not exhausted its
l"Enl resource however as the case has been tax
rn "a the L nib'd states COutrs ON the ground that
thr nrtion oi the Connect ut hex l~luture ten led
- lmphlr ~" validity ~ a contract, uui are con-
hdsnt oi a favorable decision. TINS may head
"a conflict between the State and national au-
tnoritirs. Tho company has spent a great deal 81
money. and President Woman. said last w.nta r
that ne proposed "a ight a. thu end.
~ the order for Imprisonment for cont nnpi
% 10 4f.. Ion h