Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-10
PRES. CLEMENT SPEAKS,
Opposes Lease of Fitchburg to Boston
and Maine Before a Massachusetts
Legislative Committee.

Boston, Mass, May S-President Glenn
ent of the Rutland railroad today adj
dressed the railroad committee OF the Leg
stature in opposition TO the lease OF the
tttchburg road 10 the Boston and Maine
and in fact his statement took the most
of the time of the session. The cross en-
animation was conducted mostly by MEM
bers of the committee and brought out
little that was new.
Mr.. Clement made a long argument re-
sarding the high rates maintained by the
Boston and Maine in its exclusive terri
tory Speaking OF The road he represents
he said
Now, if YOU will look at the map a mo-
Inent will explain what the Rutland sys-
TEN consists of . The present owners hav-
INK, in the fall of 1888, bought the Rutland
railroad property, extending from Below 8
Falls to burlington, acquired by purchase
early in 1893 The Ogdensburg and Lake
Champlain railroad, which extends from
Rouses Point oOgdensburg and began The
construction OF u line from Rouses Point
to burlington to connect the two roads
and from Alburgh TO Noyan Junction to
connect with the Canada Atlantic and the
United Counties road in Canada We
shall he running over this road in "A few
weeks, and when completed ii will give us
the shortest line from the Great Lake )
to the Atlantic seaboard. and the lowest
grade, and consequently the easiest and
cheapest to operate We shall be able to
haul 50 loaded cars in a train from Og-
densburg to the foot of the mountain at
Rutland. From there to the Summit IS
miles the grade is heavy and two engines
will be required. Although the line runs
through the islands in Lake Champlain,
yet there is not foot of trestle. We have
filled the lake from the bottom for five
miles with solid rock, on which the road
runs. The whole road is laid in S0-pound
rail. and has steel draw bridges at all
lake crossings.
only mention these facts to show YOU
/ that it IS tho intention of the promo tei's
of this enterprise TO make the line as
| nearly first class as possible. The connec-
tions of the Rutland road, besides those
| at Bellows Falls, are with the Delaware
I and Hudson at Rutland and Ticonderoga,
with the Central Vermont at Burlington
and Alburgh, with the Canada Atlantic,
/ the United Counties road and through
them with other Canadian roads at Noyan
Junction. with the New York Central al
Malone, and with the Rome, WATERFOWL
and Ogdensburg branch of the New York
Central at Norwood. the latter giving us
our all-rail connection with the West, CALI
ed the r., w. and o. line.
We have lately organized new boat
line on the ruins of the old Central Yer
mont line. This fleet Of steamers runs
from Ogdensburg to Cleveland. Detroit
Chicago and all other ports on the Great
Lakes where business requires, connect
Ing at all OF those ports with the grea,
system of railroads which cover like a
net the Northwest At Ogdensburg the
Rutland road has an important connec-
ton with the Canadian Pacific. The rail.
and-lake line has in the past carried from
100000 10 S,UO0N bushels of grain per an
mum, or three or four times as much as
the Boston ana Maine handles In export
besides flour and feed, which can be in
creased indefinitely and brought to Bos
ton II We can get the cooperation of oul
connecting roads at Bellows Falls; other
wise it must seek other ports, either Mon
treal or Quebec or some St Lawrence riv'
er port, or New York. Last year We ex
ported considerable grain from Montrea
and this year we have taken grain fol
Montreal export
Mr. Clement also made this statement
in defence of Dr. w S. Webb; When one
man says things of another behind his
back which he doesn't dare to say to hi!
face, we call him a coward. And nov
wish to ask the indulgence nj the commit
tee while / make AN explanation of DR.
Webb's position in this matter
one OF the attorneys on the other sid'
has seen tit to go out of his way TO at
tack DR.. Webb. He says, "Dr. Webb ha
no more right, legally or morally, to OPP
pose this lease than he has TO COMM
highway robbery or embeEzlement." DR.
Webb, Mr.. Chairman, comes OF a New
England family famous as soldiers from
the time OF the revolution to the present
He Is man OF strong physique and stroni
character; a soldier by heredity and in
stinct, He has fine a sense OF homo
as any man 1t has been my fortune L