The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-20
TO FIGHT THE LEASE
IN LEGISLATURE
The New York CentraI-AIbany
Deal viii Be Opposed BY
The Fitchburg interests

The Boston Advertiser says that the
proposed lease of the Boston and AL
bany road to the New York Central
would be opposed by many democrats
from the eastern part Of the state in
the coming session of the legislature
has been well understood for some time.
A new factor is now looming up in the
opposition of the interests representing
the Fftchburg road, which are evident
ly not satisfied with the outlook. The
state directors of the road are plainly
making ready to fight the lease on gen
eral grounds, as affecting the policies
and conditions of Massa chusetts, and on
special arguments as affecting the in
Vestments and the welfare of a Massa-
chusetts railroad.
The state directors of the Fitchburg
are j. R. Lesson of Newton, and James
Renfrew and c. T. Plunkett of Adams
These gentlemen are interested as rep
resenting the states investments in the
Hoosac tunnel, and also as being direct
ors in a road of which about so per cent
of the securities are owned in New Eng
land. That they do not consider the pro-
posed lease of the Boston and Albany
to the Central advantageous to the
commonwealth is evident from the steps
which they are taking to oppose it. AS
they have much influence in the direc-
torate and most of the other directors
of the road seem to share their appre-
tensions. it is safe even now to predict
before the legislature has convened,
that they will oppose the bill and that
the officers Of the road will take the
same attitude.
FORMIDABLE OPPOSITION.
The representatives from the cities
and towns In the northwestern part Of
the state will probably support this
movement against the lease, If the ar
guments of the Fitchburg representa-
tives are sound. This would imply that
Fitchburg, Gardner, Winchendon, Bald
winville, Orange, Athol Greenfield,
Shelburne Falls, North Adams and the
neighboring towns will be arrayed in
the legislature against the lease as it
now stands. Taken with the expected
opposition from the eastern democrats
this seems to imply rather more for
midable opposition than had generally
been expected.
AS rumor in the past had taken 1t al
most for granted that the Fitchburg
interests would give the measure at
least .tacit support, an effort was made
yesterday to discover the reasons which
inspired the new movement in opposi-
ton. AS yet, it is considered that the
time had not come for specific state
ment in detail as to all the plans and
arguments Of the opposition; but in
general way it is possible even now to
give the impelling reason which has
brought the Fitchburg interests to their.
present stand.
The position Of the F7itchburg road is
that there is always in existence con-
tract between the Albany and the New
York Central roads, and that this con-
tract in the past two decades has given
to the former the cream Of the Massa-
ehusetts business In such a way as to
allow the Albany to earn about IL per
cent profit portion of which has been
devoted to building up the towns and
cities in the territory through which
the Albany runs; and that the effect of
this arrangement has been to dwarf or
retard the development Of the northern
territory, through which the Fitchburg
road runs
DISCRIMINATION.
1t is further claimed that If the two
roads had been allowed to share equally
in the business taken from the New
York Central, there would have been
no discrimination against the northern
section Of the state, and that the in
vestment made by the state in the
Hoosac tunnel would even now be re-
turning fair rate of interest. In effect
the claim is set up that the towns all
ready mentioned have been sufferers for
the past 20 years from an unfair diver
sion of profitable business, and that the
state has been deprived of a fair rate
of interest on its investment in the
Hoosac tunnel
The Fitchburg interests claim that if