Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-01
A NEW ELECTRIC RAILROAD.
Il. G. Crosby Is one of the Prime Movers
---Amherst and Northampton 60 be
Connecteh--.CapItals tock sI5O.OOO.

Il. c. Crosby Is One of the Prime Movers
---Amherst and Northampton TO be
Connected---CapItsIs stock sI5O,OOO.
When f. C.. Crosby sold his interest in
the firm cf E Crosby d Co. few months
ago the fact Of the sale and the knowledge
that he was one Of the large stockholders
in the Brattleboro Street Railroad company
and the Springfield Electric Railway com
pany gave rise TO the suspicion that he
would devote his time TO booming electric
railroads. That belief is now practically
substantiated, it having become known
this week that he has subscribed SlOOOO
toward the construction of an electric rail-
road from Amherst TO Northampton and
that he has in view at least two other loca-
| tions concerning which something is likely
to be made public later
The fact that for some months past the
/ formation of a company has been in pro
gress for the construction of road from
Amherst to Northampton has been en-
/ tirely unknown by the public and, although
! the building of such road has been ag-
tated for the past two years, the matter has
come to a head in an entirely unexpected
! quarter.
A company was formed and an applica-
! a double track was made last spring The
! Northampton aldermen refused to grant a
! franchise for a double track, but signitied
their willingness to grant franchise for a
single track. The company would take
nothing less than a double track franchise,
consequently the matter was dropped and
| to all appearances had been sleeping ever
since.
The new company, of which Mr.. Crosby,
NJ. A. Coolidge, who built the Brattleboro
road, and r. 5. Coolidge, his father, are
members, took up the matter secretly, and
not a word was dropped until the organi-
cation was completed. Meetings were held
at Northampton Friday night and Satur-
day morning, when the affairs incident to
launching out for business were perfected.
Legal notice of the organization of the
company has since been published The
capital stock is placed at $50, COO and SIS,
600 has already been subscribed. while the
stockholders, of whom there are Is, at
present stand ready and are able to sub
scribe for the balance at any time. Those
who have subscribed for $4,000 worth OF
stock each are L. c. Crosby of Brattleboro,
f. 5. Coolidge and NJ. A. Coolidge OF
Fitchburg, +. F. Blodgett, George L. Da.
mon and A. S. Daton of Leominster. The
| directors are F. 5. Coolidge, W. Dwight
Cowles of Amherst, +. F. Blodgett, b. E
Cook, jr., l.. ). Davis and II. l.. Williams
of Northampton and Charles Cook OF
Hadley.
The route of the proposed road will ex.
tend from Northampton across the Con.
necticut river and along the highway "a
Hadley and thence to Amherst, crossing
the tracks Of the Boston q Maine rail.
road. A new bridge will probably be built
to span the Connecticut. The distance
from Amherst 10 Northampton is between
seven and eight miles and the land between
the two places is level and especially
adapted for the construction and use Of an
electric railroad. The highway is macad
amized nearly the whole distance with the
exception Of strip 10 feet wide on one
side which was left with the expectation
that some time an electric railroad would
be built there.
Northampton has 1000 inhabitants
Amherst 5000 and Hadley 1900. A large
amour: OF patronage would also be had
from the Amherst and Smith college stu
dents. Applications for layouts and fran.
chises from the three towns have been
made and If they are granted in season
work will begin this fall.