Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-12-17
RAILROAD TALK
To-night's Meeting Caus-
ing Much Comment
N. & ". AND DARRE
Railroads Discussed Is a
Purchase By Local Capital

AS the time draws near for the mass
public meeting this evening On the
railroad question public interest in
creases rather than decreases SO that
it is more than probable that the
meeting this evening will consist of
representative ga 5hering Of barre's
business men and manufacturers all
united in the purpose to get better
railroad facilities.
1t is hoped by those having the
project really at heart that the com.
mittee chosen this evening will be a
strong one, consisting of the live busi-
ness men and manufacturers who can
and will put the time necessary into
the work SO that what they do will
not 20 up in smoke as toe many simi-
lar attempts e sewhere have done.
Most of the talk in regard to q new
line seems to favor one that will run
through Williamstown Cult to Rnt.
land as that is the nearest and best
way by all means. A glance at the
map will show this to anyone uncon.
vinced OF this fact. -
But in case that the committees do
not succeed in getting another Rad
built to this city it is seriously pro-
posed that the men of Montpeli sfsanA
Barre unite and form a big syndicate
TO buy the Montpelier & Wells River
railroad Of A. f. Sertwell OF Cam
briane, Mass, who virtually owns the
read through controlling majority
of the bonds. 1t is also proposed in
this plan to buy the Barre railroad.
Each road, particularly the latter, is
now earning enough money to pay the
interest on a fair purchase price, SO 1t
is figured.
The promoters Of this plan reason
that it would prevent the ROAD from
ever falling into the hands Of the
Central Vermont same as there is
satd to be reason new 10 fear that 1t
will Under the control Of local peo.
ple they argue that there would al
wavs be competing line out OF the
two cities. They also argue that the
read would hardly pay az an invest
ment without the Barre railr )ad. In
TACT hhey count upon the latter as a
direct means Of converting possible
deficit IN the Montpelier & Wells Riv-
ar to q sure profit as they claim that
tho Rarre railroad is increasing its
traffc every year and earning big
money for Mr.. Sortwell, who controls
it, goinp so far as to claim that it is
The tn etrafflc that the Montpelier &Wells
River gets from 1t that enables that
road to be run at profit.
n us it will be seen that the pur-
chase of these two roads sis advocated
not only as q precautionary measure
h,,t "a 40 Investment as well.
Some idea OF the enormous business
done in Barre may be obtained when
it IL stated that the Barre railroad
averages to bring down so loaded cars
a day from the quarries. In addition
TO this the granite hauled down by
teams and weighed at Reynolds &
Som = will average to weigh $50 toms a
dav All this is exclusive of the gran
itc hauled down here and weighed at
the Central Vermont freight station
40 as to get the rebate allowed by that
rail ~oad' On an average 80 loaded
freight cars leave thetwo cities every
dav Much Of this is granite for dis
tant noints so that the freight tolls on
them are large In the aggregate.
Uompetent judges estimate that
the to, al freight tolls between Barre
and the state line on both inward and
outward freight will amount to over
$500, 600 each year.
1t will thus be seen that there is
enough business here In Barre to
make it an object for anoter railroad
to build here. In addition to the
above must be reckoned the amounts
pa,d for U. S. mails as well as the ex-
nress business. In the two cities
there are used, SO 1t is estimated, each
wear more than 10000 tons Of coal
On the basis of 81 ton, the rate i. is
claimed that the Central Vermont
CHARGES for hauling ton Of coal from
Burlington to this city, this will fg-
ure up 81 Q, eco, q sum that will pay q
good iate Of interest on . large am
cunt Of capital invested.
It will be the duty Of the commit.
lee elected this evening, to collect al
these facts and present them to the
railroads it is desired to interest. Ger
taiuly one Of them at least ought 70