The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-07-16
THE RUTLAND RAILROAD.

The Rutland Raiload has been much
discussed in the State press of late
and from the variety of news that has
been published concerning it the pub
lie must have very mixed idea of
this important Vermont institution,
The Burlington Free Press, which
doubtless has as thorough an under
standing of the Rutland's affairs as is
possible for newspaper to have, pub
fishes editorially a statement which
the journal takes pleasure in reprint
ing. Says the Free Press:
THE frequency with which mis-
leading reports concerning the control,
management and condition of the Rut-
land Railroad are sent out for publi-
cation, indicates that there is some
body who has an interest in discredit-
ing both the property and its manage
ment. First we are told it is about
to become one of the Vanderbilt lines,
as if it were not already ranked among
the lines controlled by Vanderbilt in
terests. Mr.. W. K. Vanderbilt has
a large interest in the road with DR..
Webb, and there is not the slightest
possibility of the control of the prop
erty passing out of the hands of DR..
Webb and his family friends. All
attempts to bear the stock of the
Rutland will therefore prove futile to
bring about a change in the ownership
of the line.
Even if Dr. Webb had any idea
of relinquishing his ambition to have
his sons develop into railroad men in
connection with the operation of the
Rutland Railroad, it is plain to any
one who has given thought to the sub
iect chat the road would never be
allowed to pass out of the control of
some member of the Vanderbilt fam
lily. At Ogdensburg the Rutland
touches the New York Central's Utica
and Black River Railroad as we'll as
the old Rome, Watertown and Ogdens-
burg; at Norwood it again cuts the
Rome road; at MORA it crosses the
New York and Ottawa, which will
unquestionably become Vanderbilt
line unless some Canadian railroad ac-
quires the property first; at Malone
it bisects the Adirondack division of
the New York Central running to
Montreal at Rouses Point it touches
the Delaware and Hudson in which
the Vanderbilts are already interested,
thus forming connecting link be-
tween these different lines, all of
which could conveniently use the
Rutlands shops at Malone. The
Vanderbilts are constantly seeking to
acquire railroads of strategic impor-
lance instead of turning them over to
rivals, and the Rutland is one of the
last they would see pass beyond their
reach, touching their interests at so
many vital points as it does.
Another scheme on the part of
the mischief maker or makers is to
cor, 'vey the impression that the affairs
of Mn, road have passed entirely out
of tl,a hands of Dr. Webb AS
matter NJ fact DR.. Webb sent his pri-
waite secreta " from England with
proxies and with full instructions
with reference 70 what he desired to
have done at the 81. nua' meeting Oh
the corporation. An eAecu'i'e COIL
mittee was already in e., e'on0e' 'ne
recent report to the contrary noe" i.h-
STANDING and Wnhh u Ahl'
Jarvis appointed vice presideIy SD '''a'
he would not be compelled to hasN en
home to look after executive matters o.
>the railroad
1t ought rst to have been neoes-
sarv tor Mr.. Clement or any one else
with the Rutland Railroad
to deny the silly report that it would
be necessary for the property to go in
to the hands of receiver. Any one
who knows Of the large sums OF money
which are being expended for new
steel bridges of the most substantial
character. and in other improvements, |
realizes that it would be impossible
for bankrupt corporation to go into
large expenditures OF this character
On the contrary the property is haV-
ing profitable business; the track
and equipment are being put into con-
dition to handle the constantly IN
creasing traffic of the system, and the
property can not fail to have bril-
liant future"
AN ANTI-SANTA CLAUS CRU .
AnI