St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-01-31
RAILROAD NEWS,

The Two Gent Mileage Book Statute
AnnuIIed.-The Fiichburg Lease tot
Boston IL Maine now PrOba ble.-COm-
missions for Coupon Ticket Agents
Abolished.
The law which was passed by the legis-
lature of 1898 compelling railroad COM
panies in the state to sell mileage books
at two cents per mile good to bearer has
been counted out. At the request of
bondholders of the st. .Johnsbury & Lake
Cbamplain and Rutland railroads, Judge
Wheeler of the United States circuit
court granted in 1898 temporary injunc-
tions which prevented the railroad COM
nissioners and states attorneys from
enforcing the law. The court held in ef-
feet, that the state could not compel a
railroad TO sell mileage books at a rate
per mile less than that for which they
were compelled to sell local tickets, and
that such course meant that a man
with $50 could buy mileage and travel
at a less rate than a man who only
bought 80 wor h of transportation.
Gov. Smith. Messrs. Foster, Watson
and Miller of the state railroad commits
sion, and Lieut.-Gov. Bates OF st. Johns
bury and F. l.. Fish of Vergennes, who |
were appointed by the Governor to de-
fend the cases brought against the state
railroad commissioners and the states
torneys, met at Montpelier last week
Tuesday to consider the advisability of
proceeding further in the cases, which are
set Tor hearing at session Of the court
to be held in Burlington Feb 81. After
discussing lie various aspects, including
a decision handed down by the United
States supreme court in case in Michi-
gan, decision was reached unanimous
ly that 1t would be useless to put the
state to further expense in attempting to
enforce the law and the cases will there
ore be dropped.
The Boston & Maine sprung coup
i etat" last week after it was sup
posed that they had lost their chance to
ret control of the Fitchburg road. The
hitch in the first trade was over five
Million dollars worth of Fitchburg stock
'wned by the state of Massachusetts,.
GOV. Crane and his council were unwill-
ng to vote on the lease as arranged by ,
President Tuttle of the Boston & Maine
md the trade supposedly fell through.
few days later the Boston & Maine of.
'red to buy the Fitchburg stock at par
y exchanging fifty thousand shares of
'itchburg common stock for FIVE millions ,
forth OF fifty-year three per cent. gold i
onds on the Boston & Maine. Gov. {
rane is too shrewd business man to C
fuse to sell for 500 a share what is O
'orth only $50 share and President
uttle's offer was unanimously approved u
y the governors council. The legisa-
Ire will undoubtedly ratify the lease .
nd the Boston & Maine has secured a @
Iilroad that has splendid western con- y
,ctions and unrivalled dock facilities in u
Oston harbor.
The railroad managers of the United y
ates and Canada have decided to abol- "
b alter Feb. all commissions to agents o
| tickets. This order affects 10000
upon ticket agents and the railroads RI
pect to save about $8,000,OOO a year m
this move. II is also announced that
the near future the trunk lines will b
nsolidate their city ticket offices st
roughout the United States, instead of re
ch maintaining separate office and
parate corps OF agents. o.,