Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-11-02
VERMONT RAILROADS.
FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE
BOARD OF COM YlSSlONERS.
An Exhaustive Presentation of the Re!a-
tions Between the Lines of Transpor-
tation and the People-Statistics
and Recomm endations.

that of the railroad commissioners. Every
citizen in Vermont is concerned in the
railway affairs of the State, directly or in
directly, and for this reason the first BIZ
ennal report of the board is of especial
interest. The commission was created by
the laws of 1856 and at the time of placing
the report in press but one year and eight
months have elapsed. The report begins
by saying that the railroad has become q
necessity to the convenience, the comfort
and the prosperity OF the people and by
showing that the relations subSlsting be-
tween them and the other principal indus
tries of the State are absolutely interde-
pendent.
Every complaint that has been brought
to the attention of the Board has been
heard upon notice to the corporations, ard
an appearance at the hearing on their part
in every case but one, and in that by letter
explanatory of non-appearance.
a review of the record for the 20 months
of the effective operation OF the board
shows that IL cases, upon complaints of
parties aggrieved, have been considered
and determined; and in every case ready
and apparently cheerful acquiescence and
compliance with the recommendation of
the board on the part of The company has
been the result. In all cases of complaint
to he heard, the board has repaired by ap-
pointment, on due notice to all interested,
to the vicinity where the necessary teStt
mOny could be had with the minimum of
expense to the parties and the public, and
has adjourned to other points to get tur
ther facts us the economic interests OF all
required. Its rules and methods of elicit
/ ing the truth at these nvc5tigations have
! been simple and open, the aid OF all cili-
zens being solicited in the development Of
/ ilght at hearings. 1t has seemed to the
board that less of the formulas and lines
re
cations than in the customary courts OF
| law or of arbitration. PromptnesS in the
hearing of petitions and in the investga-
ton of the accidents has been deemed a
duty, and hence the technical rules fot the
admission of testimony and form" tiles OF
pleadings have been generally dispensed
with, and 'the law S delays" have been
avoided,
One of the specific requirements OF the
law in relation to the biennial report is
that it shall contain statement showing
the receipts and expenditures OF the sew
eral railroads for the two preceding years
the source from which the receipts are
derived and for what the expenditure
are made.
Inc board has taken paius through it
clerk to urge upon the managers OF the
several railroads the Importance to it, IL
the discharge of its duty of having these
annual returns reliably and seasonably
for the purpose OF tabulation and com
p4rison in order that many compreheu
sive deductions from them might be pre-
sented to your honorable body, at this ses
sion, in reliable form. Blanks were sea
-onably prepared and transmitted to the
companies. These called for report tul
the year ending June 3Oth, last, and WERE
required to be returned in 60 days there
from. Tie date of september lst belnl
found unsatisfactory TO the principal com
panles, and some fixed and uniform da'
for all being necessary, the board hXet
upon June 30th tor the annual reports Il
terminate, and the returns to be made b.
Septe lst thereafter. The BWllng
ton and LAmOille, Glastonbury and NJ Is
SsQuoi railroads We're the only oues th1
have neglected or refused to m Ike the re
qured returns for both years.
CONDITION OF RAILROADS
The requirement of the statute mpos
ing upon the Board the duty of eXamin
ing the railroads in the State has been ful
filed, and IN the months OF July and Au
gust of each year general Inspector
was made. There were found upon sucl
examination many things that did not It
quire expert knowledge to justly crltclse
particularly the light character OF SOM
of the older bridges, which, although
sound and sufficient for the traffic whe
cons lructed, are inadequate and insult
cient for the strains Imposed by presen
weight OF locomotives anu CAR .hdu
such bridges have been replaced wit
heavier and stronger structures durin'
the term of the Board and since the lir-
inspection, and others have been strength
ened by additional chords and truss llu
bers and rods, and otherwise and no at
cideut has occurred during the term O
the Board from any weak or deiectlV
bridge The Hartford bridge burned il
the accident of February ,, 1851, has bee
t replaced by an iron, riveted lattice drcl
bridge OF five spans, measuring b)J lee'
built by The Vermont Construction con
p4nY. Another feature of nearly all oil
, bridges is the ancient floor system, wit
short CrOss-ties far apart, and no EuaTt
l rail No bridge in the state has been cor
structed or repaired in the past two year
without remedyiug this defect by sno-t
tutiug long ties spaced four to e'ght lncf
-, with guard rails. with this mOder
; floor system, in case of derailment upon
bridge. The safety of the train As well q
I of the lpidge itself would be greatly pre-
NOTED.
Guard-rails should be extended upu
{ the approaches Of all bridges, and IN
+ Board suggests the prOpriety OF some les
p slatiou making the construction OF som
1 safety appliance for bridges ana the az
proaches thereto compulsory.
I CONSTRUCTION AND MILEAGE.
. During the year ending June 30, lSS
| there have been constructed and put
> operation l2s miles of new road VIZ
By the Central Vermont railroad, frol
l Barre to Williamstown, rs miles by I'll
Clarendon and PittsfOrd railroad comps
ny in the towns of Rutland, West Ru
land, and Proctor. five miles.
This new road added to that already e!
e isting and in operation, makes the tot'
/ main line mileage of the railroads in tn
t state, including : 0S miles of double tract
1}9 Sc, with IA 16 miles OF siding
a STEEL RAILS.
Steel rails have been substituted for ire
l. on the main lines of all the principal raj
I roads OF the State, and all tne ROADS Al
t laying steel ia place iron, where There
occasion to put down new rails. The
[ tre in all ahlu, as miles of steel no
laid, mostly 81 aud 60 pounds TO thu yar'
II but some Of the roads having the heavie
traHic are replacing rails of such weigi
!, with heavier steel No com nent is nece
- sary upon the great advantage ul sic
= over ,ruu 'or this purpose.
II STATIONS.
But one complaint has been made TO Il