Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-05-03

Specifications of Route and COnstruc-
tiOn to he Filed as the Law of 1904
Provides---a situation that should he
Met i'm Spirit Of Fairness by Both
Sides.
When the board of selectmen learned
last week that the contract for the con-
structon of the electric street railroad had
been let they notified Z. G. Crosby, the
president of the road, that the company
had not complied with what they consid-
cred to be the plain requirements of section
one of act No. Sc of the laws of 1894. To
this Mr.. Crosby replied that in the opinion
of the directors they had filed all the state
ments and specifications required by that
act. In order to fully protect the public
and to leave no doubt of their intent in the
matter the selectmen sent to Mr.. Crosby
Tuesday written notification informing
the company that before the construction
of the road could begin a statement must
be filed defining the kind of track to be
laid, the kind and quality of ties and rails,
the manner of locating and constructing
the track and roadbed in the streets and
highways, the number and length of turn
outs and their location, the number,
length and location of switches, the pro-
posed manner of improving and strength
ening bridges and culverts to be crossed by
the railroad, the kind and quality of poles
and wires to be used, with their proposed
location, and such other matters are as re-
quired in the law referred to. The direct
ors were further notified that unless this
requirement was complied with the select
men would feel it their duty to oppose the
construction of the road in the interest of
ha 10 rho kof et,
tice to the company Wednesday.
1t would seem that there can be no doubt
about the correctness of the position thus
taken by the selectmen and bailiffs. The
provisions of the law in question are ex-
plicit. The law was modelled upon the
provisions which were incorporated, for the
protection of the public, into the charter
granted last fall to the Bennington electric
railroad company, and its purpose was to
give the people throughout the state a like
measure of protection. If the road is to
be built it is as important for the railroad
company as for the people that it should
be built in the best manner and under wise
restrictions, so as to obstruct the use of
the streets and the convenience of Ordinary
travel as little as possible, and so as to win
popular approval rather than inEite oppo-
sition.
1t may be safely accepted as a fact that
whoever lives five years will see the legis-
latures and the courts in all the states tax
ing measures for completely protecting the
rights of the public and defining those of
the electric roads. a tendency in this di-
rection is already apparent; the Vermont
law of 1894 was one feature of it. While
believing in the proposed Brattleboro road,
and therefore being favorable to it, the Sc
lectmen and bailiffs would fail in their of
fcial duty should they allow the road to be
built without a wise oversight in behalf of
the public rights and interests. In order
to inform themselves of the bes: methods
of constructing such roads and of the con-
ditions which ought to be imposed, DR..
Webster and f. H. Putnam of the board
of selectmen and John Calvin of the bai-
lifts have gone to Rutland and Burlington
to see the roads there, and it is understood
to be their intention TO go also to Orange
and Athol, Mass.
Since trolley road is to be built in Brat
tlebOro We believe it should be done in a
spirit of mutual good will and conciliation
There is no Disgusting the fact that there is
a sharply defined division of sentiment on
the subject. The opposition does not
come as has sometimes been said, simply
from men who are opposed to what
ever is in the line of progress and public
improvement, but there is a strong under
current of feeling among the eve-headed
active men of today that, aside from a nat
| ural and unavoidable dislike to seeing the
streets filled with trolley poles and trolley
wires, the business of the town does not
require a street railroad, and that it is
more than doubtful whether the enterprise
can be made to pay. These men have
been unwilling to see the town drawn into
fight on the question, but their opinions
are none the less pronounced on this ac-
count. With the public sentiment thus
strongly divided the projectors of the road
are assuming grave responsibility in de-
termining to push its construction. But it
must be conceded that they also are pub
lic-spirited citizens who desire only the
best good of Brattleboro. They are en-
titled to fair chance to prove their faith
by their works, and they on their part
should do their work in way to conciliate
opposition and invite good will rather than
repel it, At the very best the road will
need all the good will there is to make it
earn satisfactory dividends.
The Question of Motive Power.
Up to this time no agreement has been
arrived at between the electric light COM
pany and the street railroad company for
furnishing power for the road. The pro-
| position of the electric light company is in
substance to furnish power for running two
cars 10 hours day for $12 day, and then
to pro rata upon this sum the cost per
thousand watt hours for running addi-
| tional cars or time. The company requires
| also a sufficient bond for the fulfilment of
the contract for term of five years. The
| proposition of the directors of the railroad
company is to pay price which will yield
a fair profit" but without naming a
basis on which the profits shall be figured.
| Their proposition is, further, to allow the
| agreement to terminate upon six months
notice by either side, the railroad company
to take the electric generator used by the
! electric light company at whatever may be
| its value at that time. The electric light
company holds that the price has been
| figured at the lowest point consistent with
business principles. The railroad company
claims 10 consider this price exorbitant
and the directors say they will put in their
| own generating station unless it is modified.
NJ. A. Coolidge is in town today engaged
in making preliminary survey for the elec-
trio road
Henry Liscom and d. p. Prescott have
the contract for furnishing the ties for the
electric road. The contract for the rails
has also been made.