Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-05-17
BRATTLEBORO LOCAL NEWS.
ACTION BY STATES ATTORNEY.
Petitions Railroad Comm ssoner to Com
pei Central Vermont Co. to Improve
West River Railroad Conditions.

States Attorney Robert c. Bacon has
prepared and sent a petition to the state
railroad commissioners on behalf OF the
West River Valley Lumbermen's assoc
citation, asking that the Central vermont
Railway company be compelled to proNlue
better shipping conditions on the west
River railroad. The petition outlines the
duties of railroads and before asking the
commissioners to issue an order COM
pelling the Central Vermont railroad to
better conditions sets forth the COM
plants as follows:
Your petitioner AYERS that the said
West River railroad does not provide and
maintain sufficient rolling stock ana
equipment in the way of motive power
and cars to handle the lumber ready for
shipment at the various stations along
the line; that large amount of lumber
to wit 5000 900 feet, is now ready Tor
shipment but cannot be shipped owing to
Inadequate accommodations and failure
OF the said railroad company to provide
the same, and the said railroad, though
demands have been made to furnish cars
and motive power for its shipment, ne
elects and refuses to furnish said cars
and motive power, so that the lumber
cannot be shipped to market; that the
rolling stock and motive power during
the past year have been Inadequate 10
handle the freight offered for transporta-
Il
failure of the said railroad company to
furnish sufficient accommodations for the
shipment of freight the numbering bust
ness in the West River valley has greatly
suffered because the manufacturers are
unable to secure shipping accummoda-
lions for the lumber to fill their orders,
which condition has resulted to the great
detriment of the business interests OF lhe
West River valley.
"That the said railroad has not and does
not maintain sidngs of sufficient length
at the stations at WilliamsNille, New
fame, Townshend, West Townshend,
Wardsboro, Jamaica, Winhall and at va
rious other sidings along the road, to
accommodate Il sufficient number of cars
thereon to afford the patrons of the road
reasonable and adequate facilities for the
loading of freight.
THAT the siding contracts that the said
road requires to be executed before 1t
will provide siding accommodations are
inequitable and unjust; that the said
railroad company will not bill freight eN-
cept from station to station on its own
road and not over other roads, and main
tains freight rates over the road which
are unreasonable and unjust that the
rate charged by the said road for the
transportation of dressed and undressed
lumber, chair stock and other manutac-
tured products of lumber and for wood
and waste products of lumber are I'M
reasonable and unjust and ought to be
reduced and the said West River Rail-
road company and the said Central Yer
mont Railroad company compelled to
bill freight over other roads and to its
destination and that shippers ought not
to be compelled to have their freight re-
billed at the Brattleboro terminal station.
THAT the tracks, frogs and switches of
the said road are not in proper condition;
that the roadbed is not properly bal
lasted, or in a safe condition for the run
ming of trains over its tracks; that it
maintains but four telegraph stations
along it's entire line; that large amount
of money ought to be Immediately eK-
pended in putting the roadbed in proper
condition, in relaying the rails which are
for a portion if not all of the road too
light to carry the loads required, and in
putting the track in such condition as to
be fit and safe for use for the reasonable
accommodation of the public and for
safety in travel"
The petition closes with request that
the commissioners issue an order COM
polling the road to make such changes
within a reasonable time as shall do
away with the causes of complaint set
forth in the petition.