The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-04-01

that way and asked the managers OF the
road if they would be willing 20 reissue
those tickets II the &. 4. I. could prove
to them that Tile law did not debar the
issuing OF those tickets.
The president OF the road stated that
II was matter for the board OF diree
tors, We then adjontned. A few days
after this, the board Of directors Of the
road met and voted that they would put
the tickets on sale at once provided they
were certain that the law would allow
it, the local directors making the state
ment thar they would zee that every
thing was done TO find out the particu-
lars Of the fact. The &. i. U committee
kept calling on the attorney of the road
st his special request for about five or
six weeks. The directors Of the com
mittee appointed by the directors always
pushing the matter up as hard a. they
could and still the committee OF the G.
~ II. kept calling and getting nothing
but tho assurance that it was coming
nll right, the tickets would be on sale
in a day or two. However. the commit
tee began to get tired calling and moth
ing being done, and the members they
represented got tired waiting on the
committees report. 50 al last some def.
mite action had To he taken. The com
mittee informed the attorney Of the road
that they requested definite answer,
whether they were to put the tickets
TO their body on a certain date; he guar
antced be would have his answer ready.
Tie committee called at his office on the
day appointed, bat there was no at
tofney for the railroad; they kept cali
ing that day and evening. but still no
attorney They telephoned an over the
|city trying to locate him. but that was
one day no one knew where The attorney
of the Barre electric railroad company
was
AZ the conference held between the
representatives Of the road and che work
iRgnen OF Barre, the management of the
road stated that they were satisfied with
the patronage they had receiyci through
the workmens tickets. and would not
have thought OF withdrawing them IL
the law had not compelled them to do 50.
We asked The reason why they did not
continue the sale until the law took
effect, they stating that they wanted as
many Of the tickets TO be used mp before
the Ist Of February, as after that date
they cold not take them as payment of
fare. {They take these tickets today
IL anyone would Use them. but il i be.
cause the Law eompels them TO do SOY
During this time we had communicated
with the railroad commissioners for the
state Of Vermont asking their opinion
on this matter, and the attorney for
the electric railroad making Us under
stand that they were doing all they could
Co find out all ab0at It, in fact making
inquiries OF the state attorney and the
attorney general so as to have their opin-
ion on the matter; but up to the present
time they have never heard from those
gentlemen, as they have never eommuni.
Gated with us on the subject at all; in
fact we have never heard from the cleo.
trio railroad since the day their attor,
uey went anissing. But that they have
received decision ON the point OF law in
question, we are aware, as we have re-
ceiyed copy of o letter which was sent
10 the Barre & Montpelier Power and
Traction company by the railroad com
missioners for the state of Vermont on
March LIST, and which We present to the
public 50 that they may Judge az the
honesty OF the board Of directors for the
electric railroad
Montpelier, March !, 1907.
Barre & Montpelier Traction Co,
Barre, Vermont.
Gentlemen: Some time AGO James
Mutch Of your city, in behalf Of the
workmen in that vicinity, complained TO
us because your company had discontin-
ued issuing a workmens ticket at a re-
duced rate, good only for passage on
specified cars. On the 9th ultimo Jones
Brothers company Of your city wrote us
of the sad condition due 10 the boycott
instituted by the workmen because YOU
have discontinued issuing such tickets.
We are informed that you have discon-
tinued to issue those tickets because YOU
fear that you would be thereby violating
the law. We have noticed In the public
prints, and our attention has been called
personally several times, to the condi-
ton Of things in yom city, which must
be very embarrassing both 70 you. 10
the laboring men and to employers there.
we have decided TO write you what we
understand The law to be ia respect Of
this matter
we hold that you have a perfect right
to issue workmens tickets, so.ealled, at
a reduced rate lower than the ordinary
rate, even though such tickets arc good
only on specified cars, or during speci-
lied hours. provided that the schedule Of
such reduced rate tickets are posted as
provided by law, and provided further
that they are available, upon the con-
ditions and terms specified, TO every.
body.
We hope that this expression from us
viii obyiate any difficulty thet may have
existed SO far as the uncertainty OF your
right to issue those tickets is concerned.
We have sent copy Of this letter TO
Mr.. James Mulch and to Jones Brothers
company.
Respectfully,
J. ~ Redmond, for The board.
Taking the facts herein presented, and
the statements made by Tho board Of
directors OF the road, including the local
naenabfr4 al that hoard Il IA not the