The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-09-23
POWER FOR HoosAC TUNNEL.
Belief That Connecticut River Power
CO. Is Planning 70 Supply II.

That a line OF electric wire straight
across the Franklin county hills viii trans
nit power from the great plant at South
Vernon, VT, to the mouth OF the Hoosac
tunnel Tor the purpose OF operating eiec'
tric engines through the big bore 70 TINS
eity may almos, he predicted as a certain
~ TODAY, saws the North Adams Tran
seript. What may be done eventually
in the development OF the Deerteld river
water rights is n matter OF conjecture at
the present time; but the fact that rights
for the construction OF power trans.
mission line from South Vernon straight
through the hill towns TO llorac Tun'
mel Is sufficient TO indicate the immediate
definite purpose in view with, regard 10
the electrification of the tunnel.
The plant at South Vernon, when Us
TODAY delivering thousands OF horsepower
10 Worcester, Etchburg and other Mas
sachusetts manufacturing centers, Is the
property OF the Connecticut River Power
company. in which County Commissioner
George b. Adams OF Adams Is stock
holder. That the Connecticut River Power
company. which during the past summer
has spent thousands of dollars in secur-
ing further water rights in the upper Con-
necticut valley for the further develop
ment of the South Vernon property, Is IN
position to push the big Deerheld river
is conceded; but that it is not doing any
thing toward the development OF this pro-
iect at the present time, and that 1t be-
ieves the South Vernon plant can deliver
enough power to operate the tunnel, seems
evident from its action this week in secur-
ing power transmission rights;
Al the present time the rights almost
from the headwaters OF the Deerheid
down to Zoar are held by Martin Brown
of Boston and Wilmington, whose Dusi,
ness interests have long been identlhed
with the region. Mr.. Brown is on init
mate terms with Chace & Hartman, the
corporation which built the South Vernon
plant. Both Mr.. Chace and Mr.. Hartman
are directors in the Connecticut River
Power company, and Mr.. Hartman IS the
General manager of that concern. From
Zoar to Shelburne Falls the rights are
held by Frank H. Oakman, manager, ior
Lamson & Goodnow of Shelburne faiis,
who evidently stands in about the same
relation to the Deerfield project as does
Mr. Brown. G. !.
do so, there is little doubt but that the
Connecticut River Power company can
proceed to the development OF the big
Deerfeld project. .,,..
There are Just two other possibilities,
as RECENTLY stated in the Transcript, both
of which seem considerably more remote
now, in the light of these, latest develop
ments. One is that the New Haven IN
terests may decide not to depend on water
mower at all, but to construct steam
plant, The other is that the New Haven
interests may themselves develop the
Deerfeld project.
That their engineers have been and are
appraising the value of the rights from
Zoar on up through the Deerfield valley;
fiat the present holder of the rights does
not deny that he is in a position to trans
fer them to whomsoever he may please;
and that not very long ago Vice-PresidLent
Byrne of the New Haven road, who IL is
said NAV become the active head OF the
Boston 4 Maine in Mr.. Mellen's place,
said that the road might be in a, position
TO sell electric power along its lines, all
goes to show that the latter course is
possibility.
In the meantime, the Connecticut River
Power company is soon to hold another
meeting. and has already secured part
of the transmission rights which 1t is
seeking from South Vernon to the
Hoosac Tunnel. The towns through
which direct line would'pass are Leyden,
Colrain, Heath and Rowe; and the Ley
den selectmen, at special meeting, have
already granted the privilege.