The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-11-21
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION.
Report of the Board for the Biennial
Term Ending July i Last.
Some Facts and Figures.

The seventh biennial report of the boar
of railroad commissioners is very neat,
we'll arranged and comprehensive docu-
ment. Owing to the absence OF Chairman
Foster and the illness of Commissioner Mil
Ter the work of preparing the report has
very largely fallen upon Commissioner
Watson, and may properly be attributed to
him In compilation, tabulaton land state
ment. The report in part says:
Many and great improvements have been
ade in the ply sical condition Of the trunk
line railroads OF the State, during the past
two years, and it is safe to say that sltogeth-
or the railroads were never in so good phys
ical condition as at the present time. New
and heavier steel rails have been subtituted
Tor old and lighter weight rails iron bridges
OF increased carrying capacity, to meet the
requirements OF heavier equipment, have
replaced most OF the old wooden ones and
some Of the iron bridges of lesser strength
on the main railroad thoroughfares of the
State; passenger depots have been rebuilt
or repaired; and the rOadbeds of the various
railroads have been greatly improved by an
unusually large amount of ballasting and
renewals of cross-ties The Central Yer.
mont Railway Company probably leads all
others in the amount Of work done in the
way OF permanent improvements during
the past biennial term. The company has
expended more than four hundred and
twenty-five Thousand dollars upon its sys-
May 1st, 1899. Large expenditures have al
80 been made for permanent improvements
on the lines of the Boston & Maine Railroad
and the Rutland Railroad in this State by
the management of the respective systems,
during the last two years.
Notwithstanding the large outlay of
money by railroad companies to insure
safety, expedition and comfort to passenger
traffic, and quick shipments of freight traffic
the average receipts per passenger per
mile and the average receipts per ton per
mile by the railroad companies of the
State, have gradually decreased during the
past ten years, so that passenger fares and
freight rates on the railroad lines of the
state will compare favorably with those in
other states.
Regarding the tendency toward consoli-
dation, the report says:
The progress already made in the di-
rection of consolidation gives unmistaka-
BILE indications that practically all OF the
minor and independent railroad lines in the
State will sooner or later be absorbed by
lease, consolidation or purchase by one OF
the three great trunk line railroad systems
now operating here-the Boston q Maine,
the lGrand Trunk, or the Rutland-and
obtained. we confidently believe. in the
light of experience ia this direction, that it
will be with no disadvantage to the public.
Small. local railroad lines, however eco
nomically and well manag d independent
ly, and notwithstanding the fact that they
may form integral paris of routes by which
through traffic shipments may be made,
have not the power and influence necessary
to command the business, the favorable di-
vision of rates, and the concessions, which
can readily be secured by large systems,
and cannot be operated 30 that the percent
age OF expenses to gross incon Q will be 80
small as it would be under system manage
ment. Consequently. it is absolutely i'm
possible for such independent lines TO meet
all Of the demands OF discriminating and
exacting public, and to reach the railroad
standards OF the present day, which would
be possible under system management, and
at the same time pay rate OF dividend on
the capital invested in them such as to ac-
cord even reasonably with the decreased
earning power OF money at the present time.
Branches and
Main line Spurs in
Electric RAILWAYS. in Vermont Vermont