Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-08-18
LACKED A MAJORITY
No Business Transacted at Street
Railroad Meeting
Extraordinary Expenses the Past
Year-Adlourned Meeting Aug. %.

rear-AuJourneo meeting aug. o.
For two years in succession the Brat
tleboro Street Railroad company has been
unable to transact business at it's annual
meeting, the roll call showing that less
than majority of stock was represented.
The stockholders met in lower Grange
hall Monday evening to elect officers and
transact other business. Twenty
stockholders were present, including two
women. President c. o. Robbins called
the meeting to order and Clerk F. L. Hunt
read the call. The clerk called the roll
and found that there were 191 shares of
stock represented, several stockholders
having proxies. AS it takes 27S shares
to make a majority it was plain that no
business could be done.
President Robbins said that he would
be glad to answer any questions that
might be asked. Carl Hollender asked
if the bylaws did not provide for holding
the annual meeting the second Tuesday
in August and was told that the date for
the meeting originally was the second
Tuesday in February, but that it had been
changed by vote of the stockholders to
the second Monday in August. Arthur
T. Tufts of Maiden, Mass, asked If there
had been any reduction in the amount of
bonds President Robbins said that the
company could not take up any bonds
until after the expiration of 10 years. but
that there was being laid by $1,000 a year
terest at 3k per cent. The amount
now available, including interest, is S4240.
President Robbins said that at the end
of 10 years the company would be able
to take up IL bonds and after that it could
take up one bond a year until the entire
issue was redeemed.
In reply to Mr.. Tufts's request for
statement as to the workings of the e.
cent fare Mr.. Robbins stated that the
new rate put the road more nearly on
scent basis because more people bought
books of tickets, which were sold at the
rate of five cents a ticket. President
Robbins and Superintendent Jones made
detailed statements showing why the
Indebtedness this year was more than
last year, while the receipts exceeded
those of last year. 1t was shown clearly
that the increased indebtedness was due
to extraordinary expenses in putting the
road and equipment in good condition,
which will not have to be done again for
several years. The principal items of
expense We're given in The Phoenix last
week.
Superintendent Jones said that never
since he was connected with the road
had the power plant in Centreville been
run by water power less than so days
in any spring until last spring, when
power was available only &c days. A year
ago last spring water power was available
81 days, which alone made saving Of
$500 in the coal bill as compared with
the past year. The cost of paving the
Main street hill was about $500. The
contract with the town requires the rail-
road company to maintain the road be-
tween the rails and for two feet on each
side of the track in the same condition
as the rest of the road, but in this par
ticular case the selectmen did not require
the railroad to pay for paving outside
the rails, which meant a saving of about
the new state tax law the road has to pay
$195 more in taxes than formerly.
Superintendent Jones said he did not
wish to criticise the Brattleboro street
department, but that whenever the rail-
road raised the track to the level of the
roadway the street commissioner in
variably carted in dirt and raised the
roadway higher than the track. This
leaves the track in a hollow, which
catches all the water in winter and neces-
states large expenditure in removing ice
from the rails besides making it prac-
tically impossible to work the pillow to
advantage. John Sargent said that in
some places the roadway was from six
inches to a foot higher than the track,
particularly on Western avenue.
At this point Clerk F. L. Hunt stated
that he, for one, was tired of holding
office by default and believed the other
officers felt as he did. He said that when
might be adjourned for brief time and
that during that time a special effort
might be made to obtain proxies so that
a majority of stock might be represented
and an election of officers be held. He
said there had been some criticism of the
management of the road and he would
be glad to have some new directors see
what they could do toward keeping the
road out of a receivers hands. Mr..
Hunt said the officers had done their best,
but that they had made some mistakes.
He thought it was a mistake to buy the
Centreville factory, but at the time the
purchase was made 1t was believed to be
a good investment. He assured the stock
holders that there could be no dividend
until the bond issue was taken care Of
Mr.. Tufts moved that the meeting,
when adjourned, be adjourned to Aug.
81, but at the suggestion of the clerk he
substituted Aug. 2S which is a week
from next Monday After some further
discussion, in regard to proposed changes
in the engines, the meeting was adjourn
ed.