New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-23
A SHARP RAILROAD FIGHT.
BUSINESS WITH THE NEw-YORK.
NEw-HAVEN AND HARTFORD.

The Philadelphia, Reading and Central New
England Railroad is about TO enter into aggTes-
sive competition with the New-York, New
Haven and Hartford Railroad Company for the
freight business of Central and Northern New
England For time the company has been
preparing to take tEis step. Fer this purpose
it has constructed fourteen mile branch from
Tariffville northward to a point on the Boston
and Albany Railroad three miles west Of Spring
field. it has relaid with eighty pound rails the
main line from State Line eastward; II is
placing all of the wooden bridges with iron
structures and ii IS about to reduce two grades
near the New-York State line and add heavy
mOgul engines TO it's rolling stock.
This information was given 10 a Tribune
porter yesterday afternoon by officer OF the
Central New England Railroad Company He
said that the field lucrative one; that the
Central New England Railroad Company was
in position to transport freight at low rates.
and that it was determined TO get its share or
the freight business "amicably IL we can, Dy
cutting rates If we must The plan which he
outlined for accomplishing this object is in brief
as follows. The railroad has two termini on the
Hudson River one at Rhinebeck and the other
at Poughkeepsie At Rhinebeck II controls 1000
feet of water front. At Poughkeepsie II has rail-
connection with the bridge across the Hudson
River. Its access TO the Poughkeepsie Bridge
makes il the only all-ran route between the
Pennsylvania coal fields and New-England south
of Albany. The company will use the bridge as
a means of competing for the business OF trans
porting coal into New England. Its wharves at
Rhtnebeck will be used in handling New-Eng-
land freight for New-York. steamboat will
transport the freight from Rhinebeck TO this
city, and the boat will begin TO run as soon as
the river is open for navigation
Chester W. Chaplin. president of the New
Haven Steamboat Company which is competing
with the Consolidated Railroad for New England
freight business by means Of steamboat SER
vice between Providence and this city controls
the Central New-England Railroad He said
yesterday when seen by Tribune reporter at
his office in the Washington Building, No L
Broadway that the steamer Continental, one OF
the older boats belonging to the New-Haven
Steamboat Company, had been overhauled and
reftted for the purpose Of operating between
New-Yor5 and Rhinebeck in conjunction with
the Central New England Railroad. The boat
he said. will commence running as soon as the
river is open daily service will be main
tanned The success of the scheme depends upon
the branch connecting the Central New-kng,
lands line with the tracks OF the Boston anu
Albany Railroad Company.
The two roads have arranged a forty year
traffic agreement which will go into effect as
soon as the branch is completed.
The Central New England Railroad Is one OF
not controlled by the New-YOrk. New-Haven
and Hartford Railroad. Its eastern terminus
is Hartford where ii has no outlet except over
the tracks of the Consolidated. In order 70
surmount this difficulty the Tartfville branch
was projected. This branch. fourteen miles long.
is completed with the exception OF so feet at a
point near the Connecticut line called Granby-S
Notch. The company is prevented from build
ing this short piece OF track by the obsttnacy
OF a man named Montague in whose name Is
the farm across which the company desires 20
build The railroad has carried the matter into
the courts with success so far The case is now
before the Supreme Court OF Connecticut and a
decision is expected in about a month. II IS
generally believed that the farm is owned by
the Consolidated Railroad. as the nominal owner
refused TO sell at any reasonable price, and was
defender in court by attorney of the New
York New-Haven and Hartford Railroad The
land is situated at a very important point IN the
LAYOUT of the branch. The company owns the
land about the disputed piece and in case OF
necessity can build around II, but only at great
eNpenSe