Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
THE GRAND ISLE RAILROAD.
An Indignant Islander Frees His Mind.

To the Editor of the Free Press
1t is time that the citizens of Burling-
ton, more especially the business men.
were made 20 realize the feeling Of indig-
nation that has been aroused throughout
Grand Isle county by the refusal of the
Board Of Aldermen to grant to the Grand
Isle Railroad right of way into the city.
This feeling of Indignation is increased
by comparing this refusal with the usual
courtesy extended by Burlington to the
outlying towns on the mainand as the
bonding of the 1amoille road, the cnthu-
siPsm aroused by the Hinesburgh road
project, and many other enterprises which
simply facilitate a trade already gained
and which must necessarily come TO Bur-
'mston The Islands on the other hand,
are competing points, Plattsburgh getting
at least three-fourths of the whole trade.
The remainder being divided between Bur
/ lington and ST. Adams.
/ Inc great ter part of this profitable trade
was formerly held by Burlington but her
indifference, not to say hostility, to the
islands and at the same time to her own
interests has gradually turned the cham
nels of trade to the New York shore. This
unnatural and suicidal hostility was
shown by fighting the islands in their en-
deavor to build the shorter road and the
. pIlust utIosS the lSdlnOlle river by not
allowing the steamers that especially ac-
commodatcd the islands, IA free landing
at Burlington, and lately by dlscouraging
the building OF the electric road by not
granting right of way. and also by
sneers and slurs trying to beittle the
trade from the islands at the bidding of
the snake-like corporation which is
squeezing your city ever more closely in
its folds.
! The island people are loyal to Vermont
and would other things being equal, pre-
fer to trade in their own state. This Is
shown by their endeavors TO gain more
easy access to your city. They fought
Burlington, Milton and Colchester in the
courts for the privilege of building Il
shorter road and a bridge across the La
noble. They built the road and
bridge at a great expense as great pro-
portionally as for Burlington to build out
Of her own pocket, the entire electric
road They have now given the sand bar
bridge which was built at II cost of So
100 TO the electric road for the sake of
aiding that enterprise, while Burlington
refuses the use of the lower road because
she wants to give 1t to Il corporation
which already possessing it, chose to
throw 1t away, and now wishes to regain
1t only because 1t does not want the Grand
, Isle railroad to have II. The islands how
ever can subsist without Burlington, we
have an equally good and at present
much more convenient market in Platts-
burgh and also, thanks to the courtesy of
; the Board of Trade. a steamer to st. Al
bans.
There are to be meetings called in
Grand Isle and South Hero for the pur-
, pose of taking action to divert trade still
, more toward Plattsburgh and St. Adams
and away from Burlington; and many OF
the moro influential citizens are ready TO
pledge themselves to buy no more goods
! In Burlington and also to buy of no mer-
chant who trades in Burlington.
AN ISLANDER.
Keeler's Bay, VT, Sept. q, 1895.