Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-07-06
VERMONT VALLEY FARES.
The Hearing Before the RniirOnd COM
mi--iOner- Je-terdnI.

The hearing before the board Of railroad
commissioners IN the matter ui the eNces
sivc fares alleged 10 he charged over the
Vermont Valley road, took place at the
Brook, House last evening Commissioners
rm.rrc aud Clark aud Mr. Watson, the
clerk of the board. We're in attendance.
There were present on the part of the rail
road company. \ T. Harris. the president
aud Superintendent Muligau aud General
Ticket Agent Watson Of the Connecticut
River company The petitioners were rep
resented 10y Hon. j l.. Martin, assisted by
his partner. Hon f. L. Waterman The
claim ui the petitioners, As stated hy Mr.
Martin, is. in short. that the rate ut ! /
cents per mile, charged between Brattlr
huro and Bellows Falls, j, unjust and rNtor
tluuat". s. evidence in proof the pub
lishrd tariff Of the company was accepted
n> sufficient and satisfactory Mr. Harris
defense ou the part of the company i, that
set zap iu his letter tn the board year a-,u.
which has ulr,al, been printed ia TIA, Pho.
ni> and other new spaprr- His clam u.s..
ia short that the local traffic over the Val
r, road Is not such n- to warrant any re-
du tiun His figure, show that while the
average number Of passengers carried hy
each train ON the New York New Haven
and Hartford road Is . and ON the Con
urcticut River road Is the number on the
/ Valley j, only ..i In an adjustment to
make these railroad pr"prrtie, equally prof
/ table the Valley rate would have to br
raised rather than lowered
But this, Mr. Harris said, is not the main
/ consideration. To reduce the Valley fares
to 3 cents mile would in itself involve
a loss Of only about 500, which he would
/ Ice willing 10 meet, but the rate Of local
/ fares on the Valley road is the basis for dis
| tlibution Of the proceed, II the through
/ business with the lower roads, aud il the
/ rate on the Valley road was to be lowered
/ it would involve "A los, ON through business
/ of Sl2 900 which the company cannot at
I ford to bear.
uu being questioned by MIR. Martin, Mr.
/ Harris admitted that the line below Spring
field would not be- affected los such a change
/ IF basis, and that the matter lay entirely
/ between the Connecticut River aud Yer
mont Valley companies 1t Was a mistake,
/ hc said tu suppose that these two coinpauie-
ARE mot separate and distinct. for they are
entirely $780, The stockholders are different,
and the roads are operated under one man
agemrut simply hccau,, such "a family ar
ran.rurut 3, mutually convenient and prof
table
twas shown during the hearing that the
VALLEY road is now organized ON a capital
. llatiuu of II 600 900 uu which sum it pay,
3 per cent semi annually Mr. Harrl, SAID
the present owners paid 5000, 900 cash fuI
the half million dollar, of first mortgage
bond, lac did not know What wa, paid ful
a like amount Of second mortgage bonds
but dill hut dispute the suggestion that they
were bought for - 10 ~ cents ON the dollar
making the actual total investment som,
SGOD, 900 or $500 Wh
1t WAS urged on the part of the petition
ers that 81 high rate ns I cents per mil,
Is not only contrary To- the spirit aud ten
dency of the times and UNJUST tu the mas
of common people WHO cannot afford to IN
vest IN mileage tickets, but that It II detrI
mental to the business interests and goo,
name "i til" communities affected 10y 1t.
la answer MIR Harris said that all posi-
BILE announcement had been given Ia luca
travel Toy issuing mileage tickets at three
cents mile and round trip tickets, goo'
for tire" days, at three cents "A mile. lie
would lee Willing To- extend the time ol
these latter tickets to seven days and i
not used within the prescribed time Ia al
low the amount prid above the price nf on,
ticket nj tariff rate, toward the purchase %
another ticket
Evidence was introduced showing tina
rates a. high rs four or tive rruts IA mil,
are charged on certain sections Of the Cen
tral Vermont aud rn>sumlsic lines
Briefly stated, the position of Mr.. llarri
is this He is willing and anxious to max
all pc, ,lh" concession, to our local public
hy means Of mileage tickets ISSUED ~ bear
err and round trip tickets, but he object
To- reducing the turift rates Tor single fare
hrcau~e It would cause serIuns loss IN pro