The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-17
PEACEFUL MEANS
IF IT is POSSIBLE
Otherwise Barre and the River Abutters
Will Take Drastic Legal Steps
to Enlist Central Vermont in
the Project


Interest seems to have revived in the
project Of changing the course Of stevens
branch farther back from Main street
to the mutual advantage Of the Barre
railroad and the other abutters in par
tienlar and the city in general
A well attended meeting was held at
the city council chamber last evening,
when the project was pretty thoroughly
discussed and ended III committee be-.
ing appointed from the board Of alder.
men to act in conjunction with COM
mittee from the abutters and attempt
to arrange a reasonable settlement with
the Central Vermont railroad, through
whose land the proposed course Of the
branch would run. On motion Of Alder.
man Thurston, the council voted that the
mayor be empowered to appoint such
committee and the motion was carried
Mayor Robins appointed Aldermen
Alexander, Campbell and Hoyt to serve
on this committee. F. G. Rowland and
w. G. Reynolds were appointed as a
committee representing the abutters. A
meeting with officials Of the Central Yer
mont railroad will be arranged at an
early date, when the combined committee
will endeavor to get the Central Vermont
TO place at a reasonable figure the dam
age to its land.
Failing in this, II il probable that the
council viii 20 ahead and take the land
BY right Of public necessity and proceed
with the change
A. +. Sortwell Of Cambridge. Mass,
vice president and one of the principal
stockholders in the Barre railroad, was
present at last nights conference. The
Barre railroad bad previously agreed to
pay one half Of the entire expense Of the
proposed change. Mr.. Sortwel was
asked last night as to whether the rail.
road would still be willing Il pay one
half of the expenses if litigation should
arise with the Central Vermont railroad
company which would delay the begin
ming Of operations for year Or more.
Mr. Sortwell answered that the rail-
road was willing TO stand the delay pro-
vided II was given the right to put piles
under the bridges on its lines in the city
limits TO strengthen them until such
time az the change should be made. he
further said that II was necessary that
he know Just whst the city intended
doing in the matter, and If it intended
to allow the project to drop. the Barre
Railroad company would proceed with
the construction OF new bridges this fall.
The sbutters were represented at the
meeting by F. G. Rowland, w G. Rey-
nolds and F. A. Drown, who stated that
the abutters with one or two exceptions
were ready with their share Of the money
TO 20 ahead with the change
More real lively interest was shown in
the project than at almost any time since
Il was first proposed in fact, all of those
present seemed IN favor Of going ahead
and making the change, whether a settle
ment could he arranged with the Central
Vermont company on not The question
arose as to whether one half Of the entire
expense would be a fair share for the
Barre railroad to pay.
In regard TO this Mr.. Sortwell said
that the Barre railroad was willing to
give this and if il was necessary to put
the matter in the bands Of a courts com
mittee, he expected TO pay more or less
as the committee should rne
Mr. Sortwell expressed the opinion, as
did the shntters committee. that there
was no change Ia the situation from
what II had been for some time, and
both seemed 70 think thai II THE city
really meant business. It was up to the
council to act.