The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-11-08
THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONS RE-
PORT.

the report out twenty monthS had pass |
ed since the board entered upon its du-
ties, and for this reason the members ,
determine cautiously upon conclusions
and radical suggestions of innovations ,
in railroad legislation and methods"
1t shows how intimately every cit zen
of Vermont is concerned in the railways
of the State. They are almost the only
means of carrying urplus products to
market and bringing in the necessaries
or luXuries from other sections or coun.
tries The railroad has become neCes
sity to the convenience, comfort and
prosperity of the whole The relations
of people and railways are absolutely
dependent In view of the close
reciprocal interest of railroad and pa
tron, it seems almost amazing that acts
of injustice and oppression should ever
have found place between them, but the
last forty years are replete with contro-
versies and litigation between corpora
tton and patron, and omission of duties
and trespasses upon rights have been
found as frequent in these lines of bust
ness as in many others; and the faults
have not been all on one side. The old
principles of Justice have had to be ap
piled to the new order of things IN the
railway world by the enactment of
railway code. The equitable features
which the law, by reason of its uniVer-
salty, does not always reach, are still
open. as they will always be, for the de-
termination in each particular case of
differences, honest or otherwise, that
Will arise in the carrying trade OF the
land.
COMPLAINTS.
The board has considered and deter
mined sixteen cases upon complaints OF
persons aggrieved. No complaint
where the board had jurisdiction has
been unheard. Some complaints have
revealed grievances which come to rail-
way officials knowledge for the first
time. These have been corrected. The |
larger number of complaints have been
adjusted through the board to the salts
faction of complainant aud respondent
and without the necessity for formal
trial
NOT PRIVATE ENTERPRISES.
In the more primitive days of rail
reading it was not so fully realized as
now that railroad companies are not
private enterprises, holding their great
privileges and franchises only for the
purpose of corporate gain. 1t IS now
recognized that their privileges have
been conferred largely IN consideration
of the duty which they owe to the body |
polite, The legislature has parted with
these rights of eminent domain only
sub mOdO, or in trust, and expects the
trust to be exercised by the corporations
in such manner as to inure to tue
benefit of the people of the State, as
we'll as to the reasonable and limited
profit of the corporation. The people
have right to demand this, 1t Is the
only basis on which the Legislature
could lawfully confer a charter. BY Its
acceptance the railroad company has
agreed to provide the public with all
such suitable and reasonable acccmmo-
dations as can consist with its continued
existence.
ANNUAL RETURNS.
The law requires that the biennial re
port contain "a statement of receipts ana
expenditures of railroads for the two
preceding years, the source of receipts
and for what expended. A special
value attaches TO a report having com
parative statements and tabulated re
suits, summarized from annual returns
of railways, showing cost, capital stock,
debts. expenses, earnings, dividends,
amount of business, fares, freight, traf-
fio. etc Much of this mas heen with.
held from the board for both years,
some for only the first year and but few
have fully complied with the require
ments of the board, The fiscal years OF
the companies end variOusly, but the
board has sought to employ the power
given it to bring the roads to adopt the
j0th of June, the day fixed by the inter-
state commerce commission, as the date
for the yearly returns to end.
GRADE CROSSINGS.
The board considers the auLiect at
some length. 1t earnestly urges the
propriety and necessity for legislation
which shall gradually abolish such
crossings as are now in existence. This
can be accomplished by comforting upon
some tribunal the power, either upon its
own motion, or upon application Of
railroad companies, or town or city au-
thorlties. to investigate; and where the
public safety requires, order change of
location or of grade, and to determine
who shall pay the expense, OF to appor
ton the same. This might be done by
way of amendment to the existing law
This power, If thought best, might be
limited by fixing the maximum amount
that should be required to be expended
IN making such changes, Oh the number
of such changes that should be required
o. any railroad in any one We r. 1t
fnrther suggests the prCpriety of law
requiring tlagmen, gates electric signals
where public safety demands,
PASSENGER FARES.
The ACREAGE rate of local fares for 1888
was, on the Bennington & Rutland, 8
CENTS Central Vermont, 2.S cents
Hoosac Tunnel d Wilmington, "a;
cents Rensselaer, & Saratoga, 8 cents;
Passumpsic, 3169 cents Wells River
cents. Vermont Valley, 3 cents.
FREIGHT.
The average rate of freight charges ,
per ton per mile for local freight for
1887 and 1888, was. on the Bennington ,,
Dc Rutland. 3 cents each year. Central ,,
Vermont, 2.72 and cents; Rensselaer, & ,
Saratoga, 1.62 and j36 cents; Vermont
Valley, 5,0S and 2.33 cents,
ACCIDENTS
For 1887 there were 100 casualties. of ,
which 43 were fatal, 81 Of the number
being in the Hartford Bridge disaster.
In 1888 the total casualties were Sc. of
which 30 were fatal, Six persons were {
killed while walking on the track in 5
1887, ~ in 1888. The board recon 4
mends a law making 1t misdcmeanor {
punishable by fine 10 walk on the track I
without right. i
CONSULTATIONS.
The following ConsOidations,ur leases {
of roads in this State, have taken place I
The Boston, Hoosac Tunnel and West {
ern and Troy and Boston have been !
consolidated with the Fltchburg. The
Connecticut and PdssumpsiC River rail +
road leased to the Boston aud Lowell. a
and later with the Boston and Lowell to !.
the Boston and Maine az a part of the !
Boston and Lowell system. The Cana ,
dian Pacific, under general manage I,
ment, has taken control Of, and now +,
operates, the Southeastern railroad and !
the Missisquoi Valley has been leased to /
the Central Vermont. Under this poll i
cy expenses Of management and opera a
ton have been reduced; more efficient !
train service and larger accommodations
TO the public have been furnished
better class Of equipment has been pre-
vided an improvement in the condition
of the roads. track and bridges has been I
made, and better and more convenient ,
facilities, by way of connections at ter /
minal points, have been provided. I
While in former years there may have ,
hnan well groupdpd faarr Of Ia,,,,ar 3 3, /,