Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-25

Few words from the chief Engineer.
We have been shown private letter writ
ten from Buffalo, N. v, under date of the
10th inst, by Mr.. w. A. Haven, Chief En-
gineer of the Brattleboro & Whitehall rail-
road, to gentleman of this village, and are
permitted to take from IL the following ex-
tract It was very far from Mr.. Haven's
thought that any portion of this letter would
ever appear in print, and the statements
which he makes may therefore be accepted
as his plain and unadorned opinion in regard
to the use of hemlock ties, the location of the
new railroad, its manner Of construction and on
other points upon which it has been attempt
ed to create n distrust of the management
Dear Sir Il have received copy Of the
Reformer Of the nth inst. thought at first
that l would rush into print in reply but con-
tent myself with writing this hasty note For
the information of &c. N. D." would state
that the Western division Of the Erie rail
road has at this date nothing but hemlock ties
and on the Middle and Susquehanna divisions
about oue-half the ties are hemlock. As to
trestle work. l never, during my experience
Of 80 years. had anything to do with any new
railroad where there was 50 Ute trestle aud
pile bridging per mile as on the Brattleboro
Whitehall narrow gauge. As to masonry,
it has been my boast that we were getting
better masonry, both for bridges and com
mon culverts, than was ever built on any new
road in the country and great deal better
than the average of masonry on any railroad
in New England, with perhaps the exception
of few roads within 80 miles of Boston,
where they have cut stone work. haven't
the paper before me- so cant take up the
charges in detail regarding the rest of the
'shammy" work But &C n. D. calls for
an investigation. by all means let us have
an investigation let us Cat the eTpenSe 81
sc. ". H." and of the three directors" who
have resigned on account Of fraud-and, by
the way, who are they y get committee of
eXperts-I mean by this a committee of en-
gineers and contractors and railroad road
masters people who have passed their lives
in doing this kind of work, and who know
what they are talking about II &C. N. ID.
and the editor of the Reformer and their
will pay the bills, will agree TO have an in
vestigatug committee appointed by the Amer
lean Society of Civil Engineers, TO 60 over
the line and report on the location, grades,
alignment and manner of construction, and
ask their opinion as to what railroad such
as is being built, and in the manner our work
is being done, ought TO cost in this year 1879.
For my nun raputntinn and 10 silence forayei
the class of croakersr pre- sentedby &c. n. d., -
ask nothing better than the report Of such
IA committee by all means let us have it,
and the true men Of the executive committee
and their supporters in the board of directors
will without doubt be Overwhelmingly sup
ported in every move they have taken since
they abandoned the idea Of building and for
ever maintaining the route via EsteyVille ant
MILESTONE brook. If this investigating com
mittee is to be appointed by reclamation,
nominate as n disintereSted gentleman one
whose name was frequently mentioned last fal
in Brattleboro, viz. l.. n. Morrison, ESD
| of Lock Haven, Pa, or Mr.. Charles ii. Fish
or, Chief Engineer of the New York Contra
! n Hudson River Railroad, Albany, N. Y. lie
class man and an expert entirely disintcrest
ed, and let us have their report published ~
soon as possible.
/ suppose the great trouble, however, il
that the Brattleboro Il Whitehall railroad wa
at last located upon route that brings it t.
the present depot grounds entirely independ
ent and uncontrolled by any other railroad
company that it can land freight and passen
gers in Brattleboro without asking the per
mission to do so of any other company. .
did not intend writing at such length
but this thing made Inc indignant when
knew so well the thorough manner in which
the work is being done so much better THAI
was intended and 30 much better than al,
other narrow-gauge railroad III the country.
Yours truly, w. A. HAVEN.