Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-03-15
THE VERMONT PHOENIX.
THE TROLLEY ROAD.
A New Workers. Idea of what Its In
PRODUCTION into Brattleboro Would

not tar from BraJtleDOrO. resident Calleu upon
an executive officer of a savings bank and made
application for a mortgage loan upon his home
stead. He had the reputation of doing well in
his business, owing no money except for current
purchases, and being thrifty and successful. The
following dialogue is said to have occurred
Bank officer.-"I was not aware that you were
indebted to such an extent as to necessitate mort
gaging your homestead"
Citizen.-Ohl don't need it to pay debts with.
shall put the money right into your savings
bank"
Bank officer. But you would have to pay us
six per cent interest, and we can allow you but
three and one.half per cent. of course, il you
want the money we will make you the loan, but
isP''
Citizen.-"well, I'll tell you A lot of my
neighbors have mortgages on their places, and
I'll be CARL dar' ed if I'll let any Of them get
ahead of me-
This instance of business acumen occurred to
me when l learned, within a few days. of the
projected trolley road in Brattleboro. To encum
Der the streets of your beautiful village with the
unsightly and hideous juggernaut and its accom-
panying poles and wires can have no possible
purpose unless it be that the favoring citizens
view it as a necessity in the light of enterprise.
Business prudence would seem to demand that
any man, before investing should investigate the
results of similar roads in other places There is
probably no trolley road in existence today
which, from q business standpoint would be so
perfect burlesque as that projected in Brattle
boro There is no necessity for il, and there is
no clientele to sustain It. Therefore, in making
the suggested investigation, it would be necessa.
ry to go to larger towns, covering greater area,
with a more abundant patronage to sustain and
with outlying districts to be connected. feel no
hesitation in saying that the result of such inves
tigation would show that from a financial point
of view, large majority of such roads are fail
ures that the business advantage of them is, in
very many cases, questionable that, to major.
ity of the citizens, they are nuisance; and that
most of the Inen who invested Those who had no
personal axe to grind sincerely wish they had
their money instead of their experience.
If, however. the result of such investigation
fail to frost the enthusiasm of the proposed in
vestors and, as business men, they can see any
normal rdiSOn detre, then let them consider the
matter based upon existing conditions. 1t is, as
| understand it, proposed to build an electric rail
way starting from the valley of Brattleboro viii
lage and traversng hill and dale to West Brattle
bOro. with, probably, a mental reservation to III
timately extend through thriving farms rail-
road having an unwilling terminus u quo-a neb-
ulous.progresson and. an unnecessary terminus
dd quenl-might, as a matter of village pride, lie
defensible, even though its chief result were to
annoy taxpayers and terroriZe animals; but
when we count noses and find that, even If the
inhabitants en- route patronZed the road a
matter of duty, there are not enough of them to
make such an enterprise remunef tive, with a
very strong probability that it would not pay fix
ed charges, it becomes a serious question how
enough sane men can be gathered together to
furnish funds necessary to sustain enterprise
the conception of which presages loss, and tie
birth of which assures bankruptcy.
purpOSely avoid considering the question of
the right TO build this road; of the license to take
the highway without compcn alton; Of permits
sion to impede traffic by tracks; and of the au-
thority to erect unsightly poles and string wires
heavily charged with dangerous fluid Actuated
by native pride and influenced by the glowing
program laid out by the manufacturer of cleo
trio apparatus, enough gentlemen, will ny to hide
their talents in the earth, may be combined to
construct, largely on credit, this proposed rail
way; but ii may be well to consider what the re-
suits must be TO the non participating citizens
vb NJ n MAJ ia Ili1r
al months of each year the streets must be made
practically impossible 10y mounds of snow tht own
from the tracks, the duty to remove which de-
wolves on no one. During these winter months
winrows of snow will obstruct access to dwell
| ngs. Have store'keepers considered that these
| impediments of snow must be removed from in
| front of their premises, or customers he deferred
| from dealing with them: Assuming that the cars
will be running on sundays, have the church
gUers considered what the result will be- Nearly
all the churches in Brattleboro are on Main
street. and this projected trolley road is to pass
| by them. Imagine the Episcopal clergyman
| opening his service with the solemn words: THE
| Lord is in his holy temple let all the earth keeI
| silence before him"-and the motor man getting
| in his work and pressing his weight on the lever
of the gong Think of this devil 5 bell Gathering
| night and day the cars buzz by the houses oc
| cupied by sick and dying loved ones. Consider
| wives and daughters being made sacrifices tC
| progress and the excitement of runaway
| horses guided by women's hands. | can almost
| see the sportive spirit of the motor-man as h,
| puts on the full current with a determination tc
/ n
| most Imagine one of our turf gamblers "openinl
| books" in front of the Brooks House and selling
pools on the daily races. The work Of the prima
| ry school teachers will be made less arduous, fo
| imagine that mnthers, who have not more chill
| dren than they need, would be 10th to trust thei
little ones to navigate the streets; and 1t is no
| impossible that these same mothers may throw
| garandS of flowers and choice gifts ia the mo
tors pathway-just as other mothers in lndli
| seek to propitiate the man-eating crocodile. Law
| yers,who make specially of damage suits SHOULD
hail the road with satisfaction, for the casualties
| would, of course, be provided for by sinking
fund of at least - per cent of the receipts.
You may think that l do not treat this matte
| seriously, but assure YOU | feel it so. There ar
ties that draw me very closely TO Brattleboro, an
| it had been my intention, If the time ever cam
when | had earned the right TO rest, TO max
| Brattleboro my home; but | would be as apt T.
| locate In locomotive round house as in or nea
| a village cursed by trolley road do not inten
| to urge this an argument for or against tn
electric road; but l think there are probably
| number of others who feel very much as do OF
the subject-persons who have already Located
there.
II the progressive citizens of Brattleboro, anS
iOus to daily with transportation, really desire I
spend some monty II might not Ice a bad idea 10
them to exert some of their surplus energy an
invest some of that money in inducing the steam
railroad companies 20 improve their schedules $
that BrattlebOro will not be cut off from Nei
York, practically, for Is hours during eact week
If man could get into Brattleboro from thi
city after p. ~ on Saturdays, and not be in
prlsoned there after 4:iO p. NJ ON Saturday, Their
are many who would make Brattleboro summe
home, and who now avoid it. Such people brin
money into town and are of indirect benefit /
every tradesmanHnd farmer in and around il.
If the more progressive elements of Brattl,
boro are anxious to introduce hara-ki into the
civilization, there would perhaps be no objectio
to it, except for the fact that there exists larg
conservative quota of taXpay ers who object
being obliged TO adopt the custom. Until the b.
lief is forced upon me, | shall doubt the sturd
good sense of Brattleboro as a community, pc
uniting the introduction of so unnecessary an
foolish an eXcrescence as a trolley road
Very truly yours
JOHN A. BALESTIER.