The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-29
President Bliss is
Non-Committal.
EVADES DISCUSSION
Engineers Talk and Make
Plans to Elevate Tracks.

| President William H. Bliss OF the
told the grade crossing commissioners
of Worcester what the railroad intends
to do, and he won't tell anybody He
| informed a Spy man of that. fact yes
terday in the course of conversation
| covering several minutes. President
Bliss received The Spy man cordially,
and was most affable during the inter-
view, but he parried every question
with far more ease than ever a French
fencing master turned sword thrusts.
1t was shown to the reporter that the
grade crossing commissioners were
in rather deep water when they
tried on President Bliss the diplomatic
scheme of sending the new route plan
60 ''Lraw out the railroads. About
the only thing which would have drawn
out President Bliss is steel hawser,
and even then the commissioners might
have been taken in.
President Bliss didn't make the
slightest objections to any question
which The Spy man asked and pre-
| served a smiling countenance all the
time but his answers We're about as
indirect as those of the Grade crossing
commissioners when Alderman O'Con-
nell was asking concerning depressed
tracks Thursday night President
Bliss got away from direct replies by
saying that the commission is doing
the work and knows all about It, The
smile was just as expansive when ne
MADE that reply as at any other time,
and it was impossible to detect whether
it yelled sarcasm or not
When The Spy man reached the Bos-
ton and Albany office, yesterday morn
ing, President Bliss was in consulta-
ton with engineers of the road ON
plans relative to the grade crossing
problem Of Worcester. The trip was
IN the inner office, and the plans were
Just within the range of vision, When
the president learned that a newspaper
man waited in the outer Office the door
was at once closed. The trio was clos
eted Tor half hour, after which the
plaIs We're removed, and then The Spy
man was admitted.
President Bliss was asked if he was
aware that the grade crossing commits
sion has completed it's work and report
ed plan for elevating the tracks. He
replied that he knew it.
The Spy man then asked if that plan
was satisfactory to the railroad. He
said that the railroad has not given
consideration to the plan. He then
turned the question by asking The Spy
man II the report was satisfactory to
the commission. The Spy man. rec
o9nlzlng that the object of the Boston
ana Albany president was to eyade an
sMerlLg by asking another question, at
once suggested that the commissioners
had reported the railroad as WORKING
along the same lines as the plan of the
commission. To this, President RIiss
replied by asking if the report was NOT
made by a truthful man.
Ffesldent Bliss said he had no desire
70 say a single word in reference to tha
IIlauIer. he said the grade crossing com
MISSION OF Worcester is doing the work
ana he did not desire to interfere with
IL one way or the other by making anv
comments. When it was suggested to
nm that the commission had reported
the Boston and Albany railroad as on
posed TO any plans for a new route or
Ior depressed tracks, he said the com
mission has given attention to the o1Ias-
is talking ''' IL
me spy man asked him if he consid
cred the commission capable of accom-
pishing anything, having in mind the
Statement of President Lucius futile of
the Boston and Maine that nobody can
10 ~, aIythlng until the time limit expires.
Preslqent Bliss replied that it was not
Tor him to say anything on that noint
Inc commission is doing its work and
that work does not concern him. 50 t1,af
ne would feel called on to make anv
comment f'ii'
After several more such eyasive an.
sWers the newspaper man was ushered
out with the same benevolent smile
that was present during the entire in
terview ~
Despite the retieence of the railroad
,lilagnate The Spy man was able to
Iearn that the plans of the railroad are
Ior elevated tracks Engineers of the
r ram. are responsible for the state
Iilent that President Bliss would not lis
Ten TO the new route or depressed
tracks plans. The engineers who came
mere during Thanksgiving week started
IN 10 work on elevated tracks and have
Inquired out the cost of a plan which
cans Tor substantial elevation. One of
u, 1ne engineers Of the road with whom
me spy man talked yesterday in Bos-
Ton SAD he thought it would be better
LOT worcester to get the tracks I'D 80
as not TO interfere with the grade of the
streets than have them down in a hole
ana be continually troubled by smoke
from passing trains. As this engineer
mas been at work on the plans If isn't
difficult to see that he had a photoera nh
OF the plan in mind when he made tba
remark. '