Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-11-02
RniIrond Commissioners, Report.

Railroad Comsni s-iOners' Report.
The belated report Of the board Of rail
road commissioners has been distributed to
the Legislature this week 1t makes "A vol
ume Of il2 pages and shows thorough and
painstaking work. 1t opens with "A brief
discussion Of the mutual relations which
exist between the railroads aud the people
and then passes To a statement Of the work
undertaken and accomplished by the board
during the first 20 months Of its existence.
Every complaint made to the board has
been heard in manner as informal a. pos
sible. In every case the corporation inter
ested has appeared 10y its representatives,
or, as IN one case, sent an explanatory let
ter. Sixteen cases have been heard on
complaint of parties aggrieved and in ev-
cry case cheerful compliance by the rail
road company with the recommendation Of
the board has been the result.
In the matter Of grade crossings the re
port recommends a movement toward their
gradual abolition. The construction Of no
more such crossings should be allowed, and
power should be given the commission or
some other tribunal to abolish gradually
those in existence with exceptions in the
less dangerous localities. 1t is recommend
ed that the erection Of uniform crossing
signs be made compulsory, aud the adop-
ton of the triangular form on a single post
is advised 1t is worthy Of consideration,
the commissioners think. whether law
ought not to be enacted aud enforced max
tutr g.. II
or be on a railroad track or bridge without
right.
The most important question discussed in
the report is that Of steam heat for passen-
ger cars. On this subject the board say.
after citing the horrible disaster at Hart
ford, this state, followed by that Of Bussey
bridge near Boston
The last winter has been notably one Of
unprecedented snow storms aud billiards.
and long stalled trains have been a common
experience in railroad travel. while the &C
cidents where fire has played any part have
been few. The revolutionlziug Of the sys-
TEN Of heating railway trains from the old
methods to the new involves great expense
and many officials of roads, who a year ago
were active to relieve themselves Of the re.
sponslbility Of inviting further accidents
10y fire, have moderated their zeal for the
introduction of steam heating under the
pretence that it is impracticable in the case
of snow bound trains as demonstrated dur
ing the storms of the past winter.
''At first it was claimed by that school Of
railway men, from principles Of false
economy, that it was chimerical and Wis.
ionary to think Of heating cars from the
locomotive, as it would 50 diminish its haul
ing force as to make 1t impracticable but
experiment under every form of steam
heating device has demonstrated the alb
surdity Of this objection. There are more
ways than one without invoking genius, or
the expense of any patent device, to take
care of this minor danger of freezing TO
death in snow bound railway coaches with
out keeping constantly with us the vastly
more imminent aud terrible danger of IA
frequent holocaust"
The board has made careful examination
of the several systems Of steam heat in use
and special mention is made of the Emer-
son system used ON Connecticut River cars
passing through Brattleboro
1T is the conclusion of the board from
it, investigation Of this subject in all its gen
eral aspects, that the utilization of locomo-
motive steam for warming passenger trains
is desirable for the more equabe heat
| it gives that it is feasible for all unmixed
passenger trains that it is safe, and its
adoption by all the roads of the state would
have been recommended last winter as con
templated, and suggested in the report of
the Hartford investigation, but for the dis
covery in its investigation Of the subject
that uniformity, or neutrality-suspicious. in
the steam couplers upon trains running from
| this and into and from the four adjoining
states and province became necessary
prerequisite To its immediate adoption
without imposing the great Inconvenience
upon the travelling public Of a general trans
fer at state line.
The board recommends the enactment at
this session, of law providingthat it shall
not be lawful for any railroad in the state
after the first day of November, 1899, TO
heat its passenger cars, on other than mix
ed trains, by stove or furnace inside or sus-
pended from the car, except in case of acct.
dent or other emergency requiring the use
of such stove or furnace, with necessary
fuel, while at rest providing, also, that in
special cases, the board Of railroad com.
missioners may extend the time for period
not exceeding one year, from Nov. / 1889
The S. II. Barrett system of electric
lighting receives favorable mention
III AhN ANNoih VI annual inspections OF Lne
roads commendatory notice is given of the
improved condition of the Brattleboro &
Whitehall road noticed this year and es-
pecially of the new iron bridge across the
West liver at Brattleboro, the new wooden
bridge between Newfane aud Townshend,
both sufficient for standard gauge traffic,
and of the new high trestle, 800 feet long,
between Townshend and West Townshend.
----
1t is held by the supreme court of the
United States that the state laws which i'm
| pose tax ON commercial travellers from
other states are unconstitutional This de-
cision, which commends itself TO common
sense, has just been delivered in a case
brought mp 10 the conrt from Texas
LEr rs mAyE IOEAAGGEt;.lGen. Grant.
] rs