Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-01-11
The Contest For the Fitchburg.

behalf of the Beers.
The Contest For the Fitchburg.
The appearance of the Boston and Maine
railroad as bidder for the lease of the
Fitchburg railroad in opposition to the
New York Central may retard the logical
progress of railroad events in New Egg
land for a time, but 1t is likely simply TO
hasten the time when the Vanderbilt and
Webb interests will find it advisable to
take over the Boston and Maine road it
self. There have been frequent rumors
. of the consolidation of the Boston and
Maine with the Vanderbilt system in con-
nccton with the lattcrs acquisition of
other trans Massachusetts lines: hut up
to the present time traffic considerations
have evidently not been sufficient 10 in
duce the Vanderblts to reach out for the
absolute cortrol of the Maine system
If strategic reasons have now arisen, how
ever why the Boston and Maine should lie
taken into the Central system. it will be
but a question of time when this CONSOLE
dalton will take place.
| 1t would not be surprising II talk about
the lease of the Fitchburg by the Pos
ton and Maine were simply an attempt On
the part Of those interested to secure a
larger guaranty from the New York Gen.
trail for the Fitchburg than the Wander
bits have thus far been willing to offer.
A study of the geography Of the stua-
ton will show that If the Boston and
Maine people were hostile to the Wander
| bits and really expected to secure con-
troll of all the traffic from the Northwest
! by leasing the Fitchburg, they would he
overlooking a few points. Assuming that
the Boston and Maine had absorbed
the Fitchburg road and was antagon-
istic to the New York Ccutral,
ii would not be necessary for
the Nanderbilts to send the traffic that
would naturally come to them from the
Great Lakes region via the Ogdensburg
/ or from the Canada Atlantic over the
| Fitchburg. This traffic could be taken to
! the seaboard in a variety of WAYS. and
one of these alternatives would mean the
building up of New York in preference to
Boston, although the route might be some
what less direct In the event of the con-
summation Of the lease OF the Boston and
Albany, or the continuance of the present
traffic arrangement, the Wander
bits could divert the Ogdensburg
and other traffic with Boston
from the Fitchburg TO the Boston and AL
bany by way of the Bennington and Rut-
land and a short line to be built from
Bennington to some point on the Albany
line, which would be a compare lively SIM
,,la ,1ar tol-;
the Massachusetts interests would take
any step that would lead the Vanderbilts
to divert ocean bound freight from Bos-
ton TO New York, in view of the fact that
fears have repeatedly been expressed that
the Central interests might discriminate
against the Hub.
On the other hand il is dificult to I'M
derstand what the l'itchburg road could
gain from lease to the Boston and Maine
in preference to the New York Central
when it Is dependent upon the latter for
connections for through traffic whether
across New York or by way OF the Rut-
land and Ogdensburg route. The rate of
guaranty is what chiefly concerns the
stockholders of the Fitchburg. of course.
but it stands to reason that the value of
the property will he materially affect d
by the character of it's traffic arrange
ments, especially IL these be of a some
what permanent character, On the other
hand the Boston and Maine could give the
Fitchburg comparatively little traffic for
the northwest. without dverting business
from the lines now under its control, and
If this lease would not afford the Boston
and Maine monopoly of this northwest
traffic. that road could not hope to re-
coup itself for the burden Of expense as
sumed.
In this struggle for the mastery among
New England railroads II g not to be as
sumed that the Grand Trunk Is a wholly
disinterested spectator. since that line is
absolutely dependent upon the Boston and
Maine for its connections with Boston and
other points in that section OF New Eng
land. If the Boston and Maine we,e
eventually to fall into tine hands of the
Nanderbilts ii can readily be seen that
the Grand Trunks Central Vermont divis-
en- would be in sad plight, as regards
Boston business. 1t is not improbable
therefore, that the Boston financiers, who
are interests in the Central Vermont
may have hand in the attempt TO block
tho entry of the Vanderbilts into New
England,
The chances are, however, that all Of
those who are now cropping in the dark
will wake up some morning TO find that
Dr. Webb and the Vanderbits are domi-
nant in the Boston and Maine. in which
event it will make very little difference
whether the Fitchburg is leased to the
New York Central direct or through the
Boston and Maine.
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better do II than wish It done" Better
cure oatarrh by taking Hoods Sarsaparil-
"a than COMPLAIN because you suffer from