Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-05
RAILROADS OPPOSE
VIII Fight Railroad COmmisslOn'~
Order for the installation Of Cross
ing Signals.

Montpelier, Oct. AT a hearing before
the railroad commission today on tn.
question of the modification of the order
of the board made in September, 1904.
the Hon. II. n. Power asked that the
order be vacated and the hearing pro-
coed as an original proceeding.
The commissioners ref scd to Nacatc
their order but said they would treat
the protest of the Rutland railroad and
the Delaware & Hudson Company as an
application to modify the order Of Sep
tember 20, 1904. Thcreupon the Rutland
railroad, the ST. Johnsbury a. Lake
Champaign railroad and the Delaware *
Hudson company all withdrew their APP
r%euIance and protest and intinat.d to
the commission that they would stand
ir'"n their lcgGl rights and prevent the
installation and use of the signals if
possible.
Tie signals ordered have tecn installed
l.! the Barre & Montpelier Traction COM
r"hy AMI the Rutland Street Railway
company is 'rea1y to comply with the
"lder of the board. They consist of two
circular discs by day and n red and green
llSht by night, displayed from a pale
located where they can be secn by the
engineer of an approaching train mt
least 1,5OO feet from the crossing. These
signals arc displayed by the conductor
Of the electric car throwing a switch in
a box at the crossing before the passage
of the electric car.
The st ,am roads object to the sigma,
because it is to he operated by an en,-
lloye OF the electric road and not az the
steam road. Also, because the discs arc
not large enough to attract the attention
OF the engineer. 1t is fatty claimed that
'ic signals ordered ny the commission
'fs are more dangerous than M
protection at all.
The commissioners hold that the onero.
Ton of electric cars over these crossinys
at grade is very dangerous, and TINT with
out some protection a terrible accident
VIII sooner or later occur. II Is with n
view OF preventing such an accident that
ihc signals were ordered.
The steam roads want n derailing plant
installed. the electric roads to nav tho
entire expense of installation and main
tenance. The commission insit that this
would be imposing Il financial burden unon
the electric roads that Is excessive aud
that the signal ordered is an efficient one
Nv "iOi IlttttI VIII uouDtlGSS be taken
to the courts for settlement. The railroad
commission is squarely up against he
railroads in Il question which involves the
safety OF the public on the highways and
the outcome is awaited with interest.
There were present at the hearing all
the commissioners the Hon. II. II. Pow
ers. George T. Jarvis Of the Rutland Rail.
road company. the Hon. John Young for
the st. !. & l.. c. Railroad company, J..
p. Lamson and w, A.. Stowell for the NJ.
4 w. r. Railroad company. Mr.. Young,
signal engineer of the Boston & Maine,
Mr.. NJ. Martin. engineer OF the ID. & Hud-
son company: Mr.. Elliot, signal engineer
of the New York Central lines; David
Fox. receiver of the Rutland street rail-
way: Richard A. Hoar and Superintendent
Andrews for the Barre & Montpelier Trac-
tion company. and Mr.. Ruddick of tho
United States Electric Signal company Of
Boston.