Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-05-17
N0RTHFIELD, MASS.
THE NEW BRIDGEAQUESTION.
A Strong and Logical Statement from
Rev. George F. Pentecost, D. D.
Yonkers, n. Y, May 10, 1901.

Yonkers, n. Y, May 10, 1901
TO the Selectmen of the Town of North
field, Mass.
G,utlemen:-As a resident and taxpayer
IN our beautiful town, as well as on the
lrhalf of what l esteem to be the best
interests of the town and all the resi-
dents thereof, l wish to enter my protest
against confirming the vote of the town
to appropriate $4,000 or even $500 to
the Vermont Central railroad company
to assist them i'm building their proposed
lew bridge over the Connecticut river
ut its present site, for the following rea-
SONS:
f. ON the grounds of the freedom of
the town from all embarrassment, assoc
cation, partial control, and expense in
,olved in any such partnership with the
LtilrOad company. Surely it cannot so
quickly have been forgotten that the
town has, after fifty years of bondage,
only year ago won it's liberty from
the domination of that company and the
right Of Tree highway. During that fifty
Years in which the railroad held the town
subject to toll the town has paid to the
company probably not less than $5O, 900.
Il does seem to me, besides all other con-
siderations, that it is most unwise that
", should deliberately put ourselves
lack into the same bondage and pay the
railroad company many thousands of dol
lars for the privilege of passing over our
own highway, a highway guaranteed to
us by the old bridge charter and which
they are bound to keep up if we insist.
. ON the ground OF the extra perilous
conditions bound to exist under such cir
,umstances as are proposed, viz: drive
way under a steel railroad bridge prac-
ucally open on either side, over which
heavily laden moving trains are constant
N passing with all the noise, smoke and
steam TO which cOuntry-bred horses are
utterly unaccustomed; a peril which
could only be avoided by keeping a flag
Inan at either end the bridge to warn
travellers or drivers of teams of the APP
preach of trains, which the town would
have to maintain if they are to go free
Of possible responsibility to great dam
ages.
s. ON the ground of liability for any
accidents incident to the frightening OF
teams by the noise or other confusion
caused by the passing of the trains over
head Is it not significant fact that in
the bill drawn to be passed by the legis-
lature concentrating such an arrange
ment there is clause expressly laying
all liability for any possible accident upon
the town and not on the railroad com
the railroad company has refused to ac-
knowledge any right or control in said
roadway. 1t has been urged that for fifty
Years there has been no accident on that
driveway under the present bridge con-
uitions. Let it be borne in mind that the
leril and liability to such accidents will
he greatly augmented under the proposed
conditions; besides, the fact that past
immunity when travel has been compar-
atiVely light and trains comparatively
few, does not guarantee perpetual i'm
munity. Ancient cities have stood for
hundreds of years and then in "A night
been overthrown in an earthquake. one
serious accident on this bridge under the
proposed bill would cost our town in dam
ages almost, if not quite, as much as it
would cost to build the proposed new
bridge, without relieving the town of flu
ture responsibility for similar accidents.
4. In any event it would be Il misfor-
tune for the town to become the joint
owner with any railroad corporation of
a public work of this kind. In any pos
sbe litigation hereafter the town would
have small chance of maintaining her
rights against powerful railroad corpo-
ration. 1t is wisest at all hazards to keep
clear of any such doubtful partnership.
i is not a case in which we may here
after withdraw at pleasure.
Now the proposed new bridge:
l. For all the above reasons it is wisest
and best that the town should own and
control its own highway without com
pncations with the railroad.
;. The element of safety would be Sc
great that liability to accidents or dam
ages would be reduced to the minimum.
3. The new bridge would add TO the
dignity and importance of the town and
would put a new stamp of thrift and
prosperity upon us and would be a great
ly added inducement to new and well-to-
do people to make their home and spend
their money among us.
/. The proposition of the Mortified
Seminary is a most liberal one, and one
which few towns will ever have toward
the construction of such an important
Iublic Improvement. That the Mortified
Seminary should make such "A liberal
proposition largely in the interests of its
own economy has frankly been admitted
by Mr. w. r. Moody in his admirable
and clearly stated proposition on last
thursday; but on the other hand we
should not forget what the town owes
tc the enterprise of the late ID. l.. Moody
1t was he who raised the hitherto obscure
and unknown town into worldwide fame
1t was he who brought to the town un-
Ivaled educational privileges for young
men and women. 1t is through, or by
reason of these splendid schools and the
great annual gatherings that tens OF