Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-07-13
The Central vermont ana wells River
Hearing.

The Central vermont ana wells River
Hearing.
The following very complete statement Of
this very interesting case the first under a
new law is copied from the Boston journal
One of the most important cases in the
history of railroad litigation in Vermont,
outside OF the Vermont Central cases, was
that which the supreme court has Just heard
and decided in the matter of the petition of
the Central Vermont railroad company " the
Montpelier Wells River railroad in which
the Central invoked the statute law TO com.
pei the defendant road to make such connec.
tions rs to allow the running Of through ex-
press trains between Montreal Saratoga and
the White Mountains during the season Of
summer travel
This is the first suit instituted under the
law passed by the last legislature providing
for the appointment of commissioners, with
power to determine the time when passen q.
ger trains Of connecting roads shall connect
with each other and make all necessary rules
respecting the same and award thereon. The
hearing on the petition of the Central Yer
mont before Commissioners j. NJ. Tyler,
William II. Walker and @. b. Eddy, and the
confirmation of tho material part of the award
of the commission by the supreme court of
the state, has naturally excited much interest
in Vermont
For four years prior to 1880 the Central
Vermont railroad company had arrangements
for running special fast trains for tourist
travel between Saratoga and the White
Mountains via the Delaware a Hudson road,
Central Vermont, to Burlington and Mont
pelier, thence via the Montpelier ~ Wells
River road and the Boston, Concord n Mon.
treal railroad. Through tickets were sold
and Pullman cars were run between these
great summer resorts. Similar arrangements
were also made for running fast trains with
parlor cars, between Montreal and the White
Mountains via the Montpelier ~ Wells River
road. These routes were direct and conven-
lent for the public and were popular with
tourists
At the close of summer travel in 1879 the
Southeastern, the Passumpsic the st. Johns
bury Lake Champlain aud the Boston,
Concord X Montreal railroads entered into
traffic arrangement for cline business be.
tween Montreal and the White Mountains
and other New England points. In May,
1880, a supplemental contract was formed in
which the Montpelier Wells River railroad
was the party Of the second part This last
compact served to close up the Montpelier a.
Wells River road as a link in the lines by the
way of the Central Vermont, and its purpose
was to divert therefrom travel between Sara
NNbhi hlpuAltul huI lut huilt 1lOuulhluh 10
and over the other roads The Central Yer
mont managers were consequently notified
that no through tickets from Montreal, Sar-
atoga conference.-the points would be received
by the Wells River company, and that the
running of the usual White Mountain and
Saratoga train would not be resumed in the
summer of 1850 In consideration of the
Wells River roads refusal to form a line or
make direct connections with the Central
Vermont, it received an annual indemnity of
$1,000. This state of affairs continued up to
the present season. Last May the @, ntral
Vermont managers pcttioned the supreme
court for the appointment Of commissioners
under the new law to ascertain aud report the
facts regarding the questions at issue in re-
gard to existing contracts and previous traf-
tic Arrange mcuts between the roads men
toned
The main thing they petitioned for was
that the Wells River road shall run trains to
form close connections at Montpelier with
the passenger trains Of the Central road from
Saratoga and Montreal, and that it shall re-
coive parlor and baggage cars, with their pas
sengers, and transport the same to Wells
River in not exceeding one hour aud thirty.
five minutes, aud connect at Wells River with
the trains of the Boston, Concord n Mon
treal road, and also make similar connections
and perform the same service on return
trips; also that the Wells River road should
accept all through tickets between these
points issued by the Central Vermont.
Tho commissioners sat several days aud
heard testimony from the officers Of the cor
poratons interested. Their report was duly
filed and arguments were made by able coun-
sci before the full bench Of the supreme
court at Burlington, June -. The commits
sioners award substantially that tho arrange
mtptA eylstipp hatUat.p tIt (4t,fral
and Wells River roads prior to 1850 for fast
trains between Saratoga aud the White Noun
tains be renewed, and that through tickets
be received by the Wells River road
The supreme court in its decision confirms
the award Of the commissioners and orders
that the Wells River road put on fast train
and connect with the Central Vermont ex-
press train, commencing next Monday
The distance between Saratoga and
Fabyan's by this line is 20 miles. The Cen
trail Vermont will put on their White Noun
tain train July $. From Saratoga it will ar
rive at Montpelier At l:20 r. NJ. Under the
order of the court the Wells River road is re-
quired to run this train over its line so as 70
reach Wells River about O'Clock. This
will be in season to connect with the White
Mountain train from New York, which
reaches Fabyau's about 9 o'clock II is as
serted in some sections that the Boston, Con-
cord * Muntreal railroad will decline to take
the parlor and baggage cars Of the Saratoga
train at Wells River, and that orders have
been issued to run the New York and White
Mountain train around the "Y" without stop.
ping. II this is true another complication
will arise. There is widespread interest man
fested to see what the outcome of the mat
ter will be. 1t is pretty well assured that the
Saratoga cars will be taken to Wells River,
and if they are left there over night by the
Boston, Concord a Montreal road the affair
will assume an interesting phase. The main
facts stated here are embodied in the report
Of the commissioners in the case