Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-11-12
RAILROAD HEARINGS.
The Arguments Of Mr. Writers and ex-
Gov. smith.

JOINT fhlIuuu committee took up House bill
i5i, which forbds railroad corporations TO
raise highway bridges which are situated in
any Incorporated village Congressman
Stewart, in behalf Of the town of Middle
bury, favored the bill. aud stated that if the
two highway bridges in that town were
raised the street beds would have 10 be
changed much to the Inconvenience Of the
town and adjoining property owners. He
thought the railroad company ought rather
to lower the bed of their track. Further
hearing Of this bill was deferred until even
ing.
The committee then took up the question
of n rnilrund commission. G.. W. Writer'S
Esq, attorney of the Central Vermont rail
road, said that Senator Bates bill is framed
| after the Massachusetts law; senator Clark's
after that of Connecticut the Higbee bill
is widely different from either. That of
Massachusetts is advisory. Ii simply stands
between the people and railroad companies
as a mediator, 10y afiording them an oppor-
| tunity to report any grievance to the attor-
ney-genera. He showed how the Higbee
| bill differed from other laws because of the
| penalty of Imprisonment or "A 5000 fine
|. He thought the originators of the Higbee
bill must have had some hard feeling against
the railroad, or they would not have pro
vlded "a penalty Of Imprisonment for neg
/ lect Of duty. He did not object to a com
mission like that Of Massachusetts, but it
was unreasonable 30 pass bill like the Hig-
bee bill which made il penal offence not to
keep all books and accounts as prescribed
| 10y that board. In the case Of the Central
| Vermont railroad, who carry $500, 600 worth
| of way freight and 50 900 900 Of through
| freight annually, much confusion would en-
sue from an attempt 10 keep all books and
| papers IN accordance to rule prescribed
| 10y commission. since they must be kept
| IN accordance with the methods of the
| Grand Trunk and their connections. The
| charters too of the leased lines were differ
! ent. Each charter was statute in itself
and each railroad had different one. If
the eight different charters Of the lines Of
this state were complied with every EN-
| ploye would be- in a great dilemma and dan
| ger of being sent Ia Windsor The Higbee
bill treats the whole railroad fraternity and
officers n criminals Mr.. = W. Clement
Of Rutland presented some further facts
from the point of view of the railroad cor
porationS as against any inequtable law
At the railroad hearing on Tuesday night
cN Gov. j. Gregory Smith. president Of the
| Central Vermont railruad. spoke at consid-
cradle length qn the subject Of railroad
cral. He thought that experience showed
that there was mo- need of a commission tu
settle disputes and expedite the affairs of
| railroads Railroads have always settled
| disputes between themselves without any
! commission and It was best 10 leave it u
| them. The people seemed 10 want it, and il
| the Legislature were determined To have a
commission law. care should be taken not
"a engraft upon 1t certain pernicious meas
ures which some of the bills before the leg
slature contained. Gov. Smith spoke Of
several of the provisions which he regarded
a. dangerous ones
First, as a. the provision giving the com
mission power 10 examine the books, ac-
counts. etc. Of IA railroad and ~ demand
| copies of private papers uf the corporations
Gov. Smith said that this was IA dangerou.
thing which could benefit no man but the
enemies of the railroads outside Of the state
| Nothing would better please competitors
outside than to know the terms and contracts
made 10y the Central Vermont with its pa
irons. Information obtained would be used
by spectators to raise and lower the valu,
of securities for purely speculative purposes
Information obtained is CARRIED and used
for purposes injurious 10 the railroad and
the people. The Central Vermont would
not object Ia n true statement Of its affair,
and accounts. but it did object 10 giving a
person liberty to take "A partial statement
and make It public The statements were
Just what were wanted by spectators and
a knowledge Of "A roads contracts etc.
were just what was desired by roads at war
with that road
As 10 rates. Gov Smith said that thi,
was the only complaint that had been mad,
against the railroads on the part Of the peo
pie, but these complaints arose only becaus,
the subject was not generally understood
II the facts in the case were only known
It would he seen that the Central Vermont
road actually carried Vermont freight foi
less per ton per mile than il carried through
freight. Many asked why the road did MOI
have IA graduated tariff A strictly gradu
ated tariff would be unjust to the farmer an,
oppressive 10 the people generally A rat,
of 20 cents per ton at White River Junction
would give 81 per carload at Rouses Poin
and - per carload at Burlington 1t woult
he unwise 10 have a strictly graduated tariff
and the rates established by the road wer,
the result of the experience of the most skill
ed men in railroad affairs small rat,
was made at some lower point ON the road
and increased III decreasing proportion al
higher points, 50 that shippers at the lattei
places could afford u ship. Hence the rate
made brought distant points together anc
helped the producers all through the state
As to through rates from Chicago as com
pared with local rates Gov. Smith said tina
if the matter could be understood il woul,
not Ice wondered at that these rates wer,
not in pruportion to local rates A car of Chi
cago freight is taken 10y Central Vermont
engine at st Johns. and the only cost in
CURED in hauling that car was that of fue
and pay of men while in the case Of loca
freight the company had to maintain sta
tons and take total charge Of such freigh
from the time it was brought To the station
until 1t was carried 10 its destination, an,
this extra expense, when reckOned up. wa
So much that it actually cost the road NOR,
per ton per mile than it did for through
freight short haul hill would shut off al
through business of the Central Vernon
and send II to competing lines, giving II,
benefit 10 the people, but rather it would b.
a disadvantage To Nermonters for il is
fact that the amount Of produce, etc
brought into the state is four times VIVA
goes out. A short haul hill would he an in
jury to the farmers, and il was these fact
which Congress stumbled over when a shor
haul bill was before them. The presen
law OF the state gives u more complete an,
summary law than any commission bill.
As 10 the clause in certain bills compel
ing the adoption of uniform system q
keeping accounts, he said that such a thin
would he impracticable The accounts O
different roads were different in form an
the accounts of each were ADAPTED To tn
situation of each road. The provision tina
the expenses of the commissioners Shout
he borne 10y the roads was unjust. A com
mission would be made 10y the state and tn
state ought to pay for it, The Central Yer
mont pays $40, 900 annually 10 the state
which was e-quarter of the total stat
tax Was this not enough The stat
ought 10 pay her own officers, and not La
additional burdens on the railroads VIII
had not been niggardly in their relation
with the state.
1t was difficult To see the reason for an
change in the policy Of the state in its rail
road laws. The Massachusetts law ha
been often spoken of, but there was not tn
same reason here for a commission tina
there was IN Massachusetts, and certainl
not for one with powers which some pro
visions of the law Of that state gave it
commission Massachusetts adopted com
mission, not because there was complaint q
the action of railroads, but because tina
state was large stakeholder in many o
her roads, and some officers were needed I
look after her interests Hence the com
mission of that state was given the right +
examine the accounts of railroads Thi
does not apply TO Vermont roads The leg
islature and its committees would not ac
without some reason being shown. No ar