Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-06-26

The affidavit Of Daniel p. Prescott. who
was engaged in railroad work 20 years.
large part of the time as section fore
man and assistant roadmaster. described
the condition Of the roadbed. which he
inspected at the request Of President
Thompson. Many of the curves are I'm
Very bad shape and i'm many Instances il
Is actually dangerous to run trains of any
kind over them. Mr. Prescott cited places
~ along the road where the trouble cx-
iSits. The ties for a large part OF the dis
lance were found to he in poor ana UNI
safe condition. In the seven miles from
Ncwfane to the granite quarrice 300 Were
actually worthless and I'm six miles from
t'" quarry To Erlttlcboro there were at
least G100 poor ones \ conservative cs-
innate would c1li for at least 30. or1 ties
20 nat the ROAD in proper ana safe CON
di'ion. Putin. down 70 third rail from
the quarres to Brattlehoro has made
what should be a great Improvement i'm
fact dangerous portion Of the road. ow-
Ing to the lack of using proper ties and
the careless manner Of laying the third
rail. which at many points where there
are curves Is laid straight instead Of he
ing curved. From his experience i'm rail-
road work, Mr.. Prescott said the road
would not he in condition for use until
the curves are put in proper shape and
ties renewed as Indicated. and the ppr-
ton which has the third rail remedied
and repaired
w II. Iatt lumber dealer in Towns
ntn"' SPEAKS IN ms aihdaNIt oi the great
uIllculN ne mas experienced IN getting
I''ilutS Tor shipping over the railroad
ana OF the great ANNOYANCE 10 his bust
ness. IN a space south from West Towns
nend station. covered by 400 ties. he
loIhd "'o rotten ana crumbling to pieces,
aHu from w ardSporo station TO West
i"WS"'hn' nttIe over mile on poor
am" i"'leH teS' lie SAYS that ne can
give instances OF great delay IN running
trains where there mas been no apparent
c"uSe except lack OF motive power ana
suitable rolling stock and track Last
N'rch Su" rlhtendent Nash to.d him the
F"dd needed at once ~ new cars. Cars
are not furnished untl one To two weeks
til'l orders. Inc station agent at South
l'""uonueifN t'Id nm March II that he
was .. 10 ~ cars pehlnd on car orders.
an" M, behhlhe' lre!Sht conductor,
showed MN complaints from all station
age nus above Newiane Tor car shortage.
WhIcn 'ali'd Tor 80 10 Il" cars at once.
-i'' ithhlhs sald mat engine 40. l, the
new coal burner could then take only
three loaded cars ana buggy from sal
mon ii'ie bridge I" the Newfane station.
On Mdrch = all three OF the locomotives
GAY" out ana had to lie repaired tnat
nlHht ana no extra could he run al
."'ush ifelSht was closged all along the
l'h''
Manager f. G. Rogers of the George f..
Lyon granite quarry al West Dummers-
ton says that the general condition for
| hauling extensive contracts is not as good
since the third rail was laid as under the
Old narrow g-ge system; that it has
been next to impossible to get cars for
shipping granite. and that the business
of the company has suffered to great
extent, Last December an order for So
Deu worth of granite was cancelled by con-
| tractors i'm Bridgeport. Conn, after
about one-third finished. for the reason
that the railroad could not or did not
handle the shipments. In his judgment.
with proper facilities for shipment over
the BrattlebOro n Whitehall road. the
business of the granite company could be
At least doubled and there would be en-
! ployment which would double the present
amount of help, pay and wages. Holden