The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-09
Opposition to the Upton Street
Railway Company Which Got
a Setback from the Commits
SionerS Owns the Town
EX-SELECTMAN STODDARD
THE LION OF THE HOUR
While 1t Is Probable the Loop Will
Never Be Finished the Com
pany Shows No Sign of Stop
ping Construction Work-The
Political Significance
Special to The Spy.

Special to The Spy.
Upton, Oct. S.-The opposition to the
Upton Street Railway Company, which
yesterday got a setback from the railroad
commissioners at the hearing in Boston,
owns the town today. Their spokesman,
ex-Selectman George H. Stoddard is the
lion of the hour here, for in certain circles
it is honestly believed that great power
has been crushed to earth and that the
people triumph. The ruling of the rail-
road commissioners is by both sides con-
ceded to be universally fair and in strict
accord with requirements of law.
The story in The Spy this morning told
in detail the news of the hearing and
without splurge gave the facts as they
were. The action of the railroad COM
missioners was not exactly expected by
the Upton Street Railway Company Of
feals but they were not surprised.
Neither does the temporary delay caused
by the Upton peoples opposition make
the street railway people let up in their
efforts to construct the trolley loop None
of the laborers have yet been ordered TO
quit work and indications point to the
fact that they will continue construction
work indefinitely.
The result of yesterdays hearing has a
double meaning. As Viewed by many Up
ton people, the possibility OF loop Isl
now dead. The opposition acknowledges
satisfaction inasmuch as the pet scheme
of the Diapers" as they call 1t, has been
crushed completely by the very power
they hoped would aid them. They claim
II to be a big victory for the people of
Upton. and today the politicians who OPP
posed the Diapers have big grip on the
nominations they are seeking In reality
according to Chairman James f. Jackson
who talked with The Spy correspondent
it was law and nothing else which regu-
lated the announcement he made for the
railroad commission. AS matter OF fact
according to Chairman Jackson, the Up
ton Street Railway Company attempted
to do something which it was legally i'm
possible for them to do. And Chairman
Jackson said for The Spy and all other
papers that the board could not 20 on
record as approving an unreal condition,
The people of Upton whom Hon. I. J.
Gargan represented, scored their point in
any event They have killed the loop i'll
their own opinion is to be believed on
the other hand, those who want to see the
line built this fall are bitterly displeased.
They all approve of Chairman Jackson s
ruling, however. 1t would seem to bel
evident from an impartial view that
mistakes were made on both sides In the
big fight. Be this as It may. the friends
of the Upton Street Railway Company
are still plentiful enough and loyal
enough to keep their faith In the sim
ceritY of the Diapers to build the line
1t is claimed today In certain well in |
formed circles that mistake was made
when the muc0 discussed private IdDu /
was bought near Brook Street, in the
name of Eben d. Bancroft 1t Is believed
that had the land been bought in the |
name of the Grafton and Upton Railroad
Company the difficulty of the present
time could have been averted Readers
Of The Spy are familiar with the story. |
The private land lies at point nearl
Brook Street in Upton, between the ter
minus of the Upton Street Railways To-
cation and the rails Of the Grafton and
Dol ha ]
chase been made i'm the name of the
Grafton and Upton Railroad Company
the connection, it is maintained, could be
made under the present law, assuming
trically and the Upton Street Railway
Company's line be built under the terms
of the franchise granted.
Under the present conditions the out
come is wholly problematical. There is
nothing under the present law to prevent
the electrical equipment of the Grafton
and Upton Railroad. Neither is there
any legal technicality that will prevent
the Upton Street Railway Company from
continuing the construction Of its line
under the terms Of the franchise granted
by UptOn's selectmen. The only hind
rance is embodied in the private land
on Brook Street, over which the railroad |
commission claims 1t has no province |
under the present law. The railroad may |
be equipped electrically within the time
limit. 1t is also probable that the work
on the street railway line will be COM |
pleted i'm time to save the forfeit money. |
Under this scheme the people would trans |
fer at the junction near the private land |
until such legal difficulties may be over |
come that the connection will be al |
lowed
1t would not surprise many people If
the whole difficulty was bridged over, /
unless the opposition 10 the loop con-
tinues its interference. The selectmen Of 4
Upton may lay out this private way on
Brook Street in Upton as public way 1
Then It would be possible fog the desired
connection to be made, unless the people 1
of Upton refused to accept the select
mems layout. 1t is understood that an
article covering this point may find a
place in the warrant for the November
election.
Viewed at from all sides, the contro-
versy is a decidedly mixed one, and the
big local fight it has caused has attracted 4
attention in railroad circles throughout
the state. There are many who believe I
the Grafton and Upton Will equip its own
line. and this, nearly everybody admits. /
would kill forever a parallel line Of troll
ley cars over the county highway.
The Democratic senatorial convention
will be held here Friday at o'clock. 1
This is the fifth Worcester senatorial dis
trict. and George II. Stoddard OF Upton
II the only candidate now in the field for
fha nomination The announcements that