The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-21
Promoters of the Worcester
& Providence Electric Road Will
Have No Trouble in Getting a
Franchise in Millbury
HEARING GRANTED
BY BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Policy of the Company and What
They will Do Towards Furnish
ing Cheap and Rapid TranSpor-
tation Between the Two Cities
Outlined

Outlined
Special to The Spy.
Millbury, Nov. 2O.-A hearing was
given the promoters of the proposed
Worcester & Providence electric road
at Blanchard Hall at o'clock this af-
ternoon Dr. Robert Booth and A. c.
Molt Of the board of selectmen were
present DIR. Booth presided. The road
was represented by Ralph A. Stewart
of Worcester and the following stock
holders: Charles H. Wilson, Fred c.
Hines, Boston; Thomas C. Perkins,
Hartford; ]. W. Stockwell, Sutton.
Others present were B. F. Bachelor
Sutton; H. L. Hooper, oscar Matthew
son of Millbury.
The new company will undoubtedly
get all it asks for in Millbury, as the
board of selectmen look with favor on
the proposed line and the men back OF
it. During the hearing, many new and
interesting facts were CLEANED that will
be of more than ordinary interest to
the Millbury public. Among them was
the giving out of the news that an
agreement had already been reached
with the officials of the Consolidated
road, whereby the cars of the Worces-
ter & Providence line could reach the
centre Of the city, beginning at the end
of Greenwood Street, and also have the
benefit of the transfer system in vogue
at that place.
Another agreement that has been
reached is that at the Providence end
of the line the Union Street Railway
Company, that practically controls the
street railway system of Rhode Island,
has agreed to take all cars Of the new
| line from North Providence into the
| city proper, a distance of eight miles.
! The transfer system is not in use at
| this end, but that the cars will be able
to get into the city Of Providence with
out any litigation whatever, is good
news to the friends of the line. Anoth
err point that was discussed was the
question of paving that part of West
Main Street where the tracks will be
laid, according to the franchise asked
today, from curb to curb.
| There will not be any trouble here,
as the officials who were present today
were perfectly satisfied to do as the
selectmen saw fit in the matter. The
question of double tracking this street
was also brought up. Mr.. Stewart,
speaking for the petitioners, stated
that a conference had taken place be-
tween the officials of the Consolidated
and those of the Worcester & Provi-
| dence line, and that the general opin-
| ion was that the street should contain
| two separate tracks, and that the new
line would relocate the tracks now laid
in the street, as well as it's own, and
would also bear all the expense. If the
selectmen saw fit to have a single
track here. as at present, an agree
ment could be reached with the Consol-
| idated whereby both lines could run
over the same rails. This latter plan,
| Mr.. Stewart explained, was dangerous
and, in all probability, would not be
! sanctioned by the railway commission
/ ers of the state.
Another feature explained was that
| of the fare from Worcester to Provi
dence over the new line. The present
rate on the steam road is $1.10 for a
44-mile ride on an average running
time of one hour and 30 minutes. The
new line will charge not over so cents
| for the through trip and possibly As
cents. The running time will be not
over two hours, and possibly less. This
| line is as direct as can be laid and is
but So miles between the two cities, a
cutting off of little over eight miles.
| When asked the probable location Of
/ the power station of the new line by
Mr.. Molt, Mr.. Hines answered that, in
all probability, the station would be
erected at or near East Douglas. The
street near the West End Thread Mill
will have to be widened, and the wish
es Of the town fathers will be respect
| ed.
! The meeting was called to order by
| Dr. Robert Booth, chairman of the
board of selectmen. He read the appli-
cation for franchise, as well as the no
/ tice that had been published at least
| IA days previous to the hearing accord
ing to law. The route asked for in the
petition is one that begins at the ter
minus of the Consolidated road at
Greenwood Street. From there the
route is by the Jennison place, across
/ the main road near the McCracken
place and then on through private land
to point near the farm of H. w. Car
! ter, where the tracks would strike Elm
wood Street. A sharp turn would be
made here to the left and the line con-
/ tinues on this street for a distance of
about 200 yards, when a turn would be
| made to the right onto Gould Street.
! The tracks would be laid the entire
! length of Gould to West Main Street,
| where another turn to the right would
/ be made and the line extended through
/ West Main past the West End Thread
! Mill, over the state road to the Sutton
| line.
| As soon as the petition had been
! read. Ralph A. Stewart explained the
/ purposes of the petitioners. He was
| followed by Mr.. Hines, who seemed
| to be the real head of the company.
Among the many features that the
| speaker mentioned, was the fact that
1 the cars were to make fast time, as on
| the line that runs between Providence
| and Fall River. He also stated that
I half hourly trips would be MADE in the
summer, and probably in the winter.
When asked how long it would take to
! have the road running, Mr.. Hines stat
| ed that If ne was able to place his or
der for material and machinery within
| the next two weeks, the line would be
/ in operation within year. and that it
| was the intention Of the company to
! have through cars running by the mid
/ die of July. As regards the financial
standing of the promoters, the names
! of reliable bankers were given. and the
work that has been done in the past by
I the same men mentioned Among the
many lines they have built are the Fall
/ River & Providence. Waltham Street
/ Railway, Taunton & Providence, New
/ Bedford & Boston, Bridgewater, Whit
man & Rockland, Hartford & Spring
4 field. They are also interested in the
: proposed Boston & Worcester and the
Hartford & Worcester lines. After the
{ hearing, Dr. Booth of the board of Sc
llectmen stated to The Spy reporter that
he was sure there would be no oppOsi
ton to granting a franchise and that
I the petitioners, in his opinion, were the
right men to have back of an electric
road that runs through Millbury. As
there will be a little over two miles Of
track in town by the addition Of this
line. the excise tax coming into the
town treasury will be a considerable
amount. A hearing will be given the
promoters at Worcester Monday even
I ing