Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-02-22
IMPORTANT RAILROAD DEAL
The Rutland Acquires the Ben
nington and Rutland.
A Transaction That Means Much For
Western Vermont-Auother Link in
Trunk Line History Of the Ben
nington and Rutland Road.

Trunk Line History Of the Ben
nington and Rutland Road.
1t is announced that the negotiations
which have been in progress for some time
past FOR closer alliance between the Rut-
land Railroad company and the Bcnning-
ton and Rutland Railway company, nave
resulted in the latter passing under the
control of the former company ana the
transfer and virtual consolidation will
soon be consummatcd, President Clement
of the Rutland having entered into a con-
tract to purchase all of the stock Of the
Bennington and Rutland. This step viii lie
mutually beneficial to the two roads, to
the patrons of each and to the general
public. Vermont, and especially Western
vermont, is to be heartily congratulated
over this natural merger In the first
place. It brings her railroad system into
closer utilization with the New York Cen
tral; for doubtless the Rutland,
with the completion of it's Rutland
canadian, will proceed to obtain trackagc
rights or other privileges over the Fitch
burg to Troy, and on to Albany; and thus
give the travelling public not only the
most direct and continuous. but the most
picturesque route from the Grand Central
TO Montreal-up the Hudson, along tho
western Vermont valley, by tho shores
and over the islands that lie like gems in
the very centre of Lake Champlain. Its
through freight connection, also. to and
from Chicago and the West, over the line
OF the Rutland Transit company, formerly
known as the Ogdensburg Transit Co.. the
OgdensburG and Lake Champlain road, the
Kutland-Canadlan and tho Rutland, via
Bellows Falls. and over the Cheshire aud
the Fitchburg to Boston and the East and
over the bennington and Rutland to New
YORK and the South. will furnish the bust
ness community the cheapest and most
eligible routes for moving traffic.
1t mas been the pride of the owners Of
the Bennington ana Rutland to keep It's
physical condition UP to the highest stand
ara, and it Will be the desire. as it Nil
bc TO the interest. of the new propretol-s
to Keep and place it in even better condi-
ton, i'm order that it may accommodate
the new business which this new alliance
must surely turn over to the road This
merger too eliminates tho Washiugto
county road as threatening or disturb
ing factor, and 1t is to be hoped forever
FORCES together the links In the chain of
western Vermont railway system; thus
securing to this section not only pcrma-
nent through line, but more frequent
through passenger and freight trains with
better facilities and a higher grade of SER
vice
ne HI6n Oruef or aDlllty tnat President
clement has displayed in the MANAGEMENT
of the Rutland railroad. the energy and
capacity that have characterized DR.
Webb's relations to the railroad and other
material interests of Vermont, together
with the conservative judgment anu long
railroad experience of Gen. MCCULLOUGH
united as they are by this consolida ton,
give ample promise that the welfare Of
Vermont will be conserved by the new ar
rangemcnt, and that every business in
terest along the line of this system will
be safcguardcd and encourag ed 1t is
announced that the Offices of the Benning-
ton and Rutland will be transferred TO
Rutland and 1t may also be necessary 10
consolidate the shops and rearrange the
Rutland freight yards.
HISTORY OF THE ROAD.
The Bennington and Rutland railroad
extends southerly from Rutland to the
New York State line at White Creek, j
distance of "a miles, with a branch from
North bennington to Bennington, a dis
lance of four and one-half mi .es. 1t was
originally known as the Western Vermont
railroad and the first through train from
Rutland 10 the State line was run on July
/, 49, Judge Clark of Manchester. IA
Their of the late Henry Clark of Rutland
was president of the road and W S.
Johnson was superintendent. The road
had good local business from the very
outset. In 1857 it was leased to the Troy
ana Boston, now a portion of the Fitch
burg, and it was operated by that line for
ten years except for two years when it
was in the hands Of a Mr.. Davy of Rut-
land as reCeiver, In 1861 the late Trenar
w. Park, who had acquired large for
tune, and had assisted in the reOrganiza-
ton of the old Vermont Central pur-
chased the Western Vermont railroad,
and changed its name to the Bennington
10 al leo hoey !,
ito of the Harlem Extension railroad. Top
ing TO make Benn 'ngton an important rail-
ROAD center but not meeting with ado
quate co-opera ton he sank a large for
tune in the enterprise to nopurpose When
the railroad from Chatham. y. Y, to Ben
ninSton was built to connect with the
Bennington and Rutland the whole line
from Chatham to Rutland was for time
called the Harlem Extension railroad, but
soon afterWard the Bennington and Rut-
land resumed Its own name, while the
chatham line was called the Lebanon
Springs road name that has since be-
come somewhat familiar in railroad cir
cles. During conflict of authority be-
tween Mr., Park and the Troy and Bos-
ton, several of the lattcrs trains were
seized and run off very adroity by the
engineers of the Bennington and Rutland.
There was break in theconnection during
one entire winter. and coaches ran from
Bennington to Hoosick Corners to take pas
sengers TO and from the Troy and Boston,
Mr.. Park leased the line to Gov. John y.
Page of the Rutland road, but the latter
after operating 1t few months surrend-
cred it to Mr.. Park.
The Central Vermont, which leased the
Rutland and Burlington road in 1870, leased
the Bennington and Rutland in ISL! and
operated 1t three years when the lease was
surrendered. In 1877 the Bennington and
Rutland Railway company was organic, q,