Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-12-30
THAT ELECTRIC STREET RAIL
ROAD.
Hon. ~. u. Harris states hts objections
20 Its Construction.

tute of public spirit, venture To ask
space in your paper to suggest a lew PLAIN
considerations to the people of Brattleboro
why the scheme that appears TO have Sc
cured your enthusiastic support, Mr.. Ed
tor may not, after all, be altogether de-
sirable one for individuals or the public TO
engage in
/. The charter under which it is pro
posed TO build this road was granted for
"strret railroad" I'm lSSS, at which time, 10
is safe to say. not q single member of the
legislature had in mind, or for moment
supposed he was voting for, anything but
the ordinary horse tramway The street
encumbcring and IN many ways dangerous
appliances OF the electric-mOt0r road were
as remote from the thoughts OF all mem
bcrs of the general assembly, as was the
idea that the charter granted was 10 be, or
possibly could hc, used legally Tor the run
ming of ordinary railroad trains, with
steam locomotive through our streets.
II the one can bc built under TINS charter.
then why NOT the other' The streets in
this village and the highways throughout
the town were built and are kept IN repair
exclusively by taxes collected from citizens
of Bratiiehur- Not one cent ha, ever
come. ! think. from the state or any out
side source for this purpose. What moral
or equitable right, them has the state 90
turn over streets and highways so built and
maintained. tD the use of private partie,
tor private gain, greatly to the Interrupt
ton and dctriment of their use tor all oril-
nary purposes and that too, without com
pensaiiOu or so much as saying ''bv your
leave to the rightful owners thereof?
say Owners because those who create
md ratrf fftlr fqf
As that term properly apple, to rights and
property in highways. Being no lawyer.
shall not undertake TO determine to what
extent, if any bald legal power can bee
prostitutcd to crush out equity: but to an
untutorcd mind it seems plain that char
ter granted clearly with the intent that it
shall be used only in one way. cannot le-
gally be used IN a radically different way.
All these points ought TO, and no doubt
will bee solved by Judicial decisions before
our streets will be given over 10 the uses
proposed
. What is the call for and where is
the patronage TO come from to support,
such a road The population of this vii
lagc is very cOmpactlv IoCated-at least
uiueteeu-twrutieth~ of 10 being within
easy walking distance of our principal in
duStries and place, OF busiue>~-aud would
therefor, have very little Use for such q
road The population of Western avenue
TO and including ihe village of West Brat
tleburo may probably amount Go from 800
90 700 persons oft both sexes and all ayes,
between the cradle and the grave tonlv q
small fraction of whom could 40 best boz
lbs regular Customersl. and upon this
small cHentagc the road must mainly RELY,
/ 10 Is evident for ITS chief support; Obyi-
ousiy 10 is much TOO small TO boz thus sately
/ deueudei upon These facts. showing the
/ comparatively few persons who may be
supposed 10 have direct personal interest
I iu the construction of the road. must nee
esSariiy pe also accepted / think. as ap.
proNimatc proof. at least. that there is NO
/ adequate reason for building the road at
all. Neither is there any argument ju %,
/ favor 90 bc drawn from a predicted con>id-
cradle increase of population ar IVES,
I Bratteboro on account of lower prices for
I real estate There; because. even now, good
/ residence property IN many parts of this
/ village, and notably m Es'evvilic, and
+ within convenient distance Of workshops
and stores, B., selling at less price, than a,
West Bratlleboro No doubt many men
believe the proposed road will pay. al least
running expenses. but unquestionably
orally supposed 10 carry level heads on
their shoulders who would decline 10 ac-
cept the proposed plant as a gilt when
completed iu all respects a. outlined, and
agree TO run 1t for 10 years as proposed
thus showing the existence of a wide diff
ference OF opinion
o. Outside of their charter-aud ~ Is
clear none Wa, intended 10 be granted
there-where do the promoters OF this
( scheme ind authority To erect posts and
put up the necessary plant iii cur streets
tor an electric road' The law governing
all instructions of like nature is strict and
explicit. Even telegraph and telephone
poles can only be erected with the sanction
OF the local authorities and these. IA com
parisOu. are almost understandable and
harmless Il is not 10 bee supposed, then,
that our citizens will stand idly by and Sc,
the cumbersome, obstructive, unslghtly AM
dangerous appliances oi an electric rOd0
plant erected in our streets, except undel
full warrant OF law Then they Will sub
init because they must, and not because Il
is right The serious and dangerous inter
ference of such plant with the ordinary
and everyday use OF our narrow streets
by citizens and strangers alike, is a matter
that deserves grave consideration. Tn,
danger 20 property, limb and lite iron
frightened horses will hardly be overesti
mated: and the long established practice %
hitching horses al the sides of the street
by those doing business in the neighborin.
stores and shops would have 10 be abau
dOned, both Tor safety and lack OF room
To what extent this would diminish bust
Ness Others can judge better than l. Ii
winter, especially Just when the rOal
would be most useful, will this interference
be most troubiesOme-that is. it the roa.
should hoe regularly run al that season
which is not probable, because IL could no
then he run except al a cost tar eXceedin!
any probable revenue But suppose /
should be, what would be the condition o
the business part OF Main street, for In
stance2 An citizens know that the accu
mutations of snow and ice there are fire
quentiy two feet deep and more and TN
highway is only kept decently pasSable b.
rounding 10 up in the centre II rail
road track is 10 be kept open. it can onl.
be done in one of two ways, either b.
throwing the snow and ice from the centn
TO the two sides OF the street, which wOul
make them practically impossible 70
teams, or by hauling the entire snowfall
from the whole width of the street, whic
would cost a large sum, and then sleds an
sleighs, with good snOwpaths elsewhere
would run on bare ground in Main street
Another thing we have Just entered up
on a systematic plan of street and high
way Improvements which promises to Civ
us in the near future roadways OF great en-
celence DO we WISH can we afford, [
have this plan interteTed with and its Der
} etits practically nullihed on several of gu