The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-07-27
Nav RouNpHousE ORDER
Complete Report and Order by Public
Service Commission


Service Commission
The public service commission re-
port and order dated at Newport, July
25 ordering the Rutland railroad com
pany to build a new roundhouse in
this village on its lot north of Lin
coin street but not within 200 feet
of said street and outlined in The
Banner yesterday is as follows:
Report
This is a petition by H. l.. Stillson, |
Health Officer of the village of Ben |
nington, and thirty-two other resi- |
dents of that village, against the Rut- |
land Railroad company, alleging that |
since its roundhouse was burned |
some years ago, said Railroad com
pany has continuously stored its en-
gines in the open on its tracks in the
residential portion of the village of
Bennington; that the smoke and gas
es given off by those engines consti-
tute a dangerous nuisance to the
health and comfort OF tne inhabitants
J of said village, and that the smoke
and SCOT resulting from the burning
/ Of bitumnous coal in said engines
! seriously Injuries their property; that
/ there are certain unprotected grade
crossings in the village; that the rail-
road station is closed throughout the
night and that no telegraph operator
is in the station during the night time
/ And praying that we hold the requis-
ite hearing and determine whether
said Railroad company should not be
ordered to construct new round
house for the storage of its engines,
to maintain gates for the protection
of the grade crossings mentioned and
to provide proper facilities at the pas
senger station for public safety and
comfort
After due notice, hearing was
had on this petition at Bennington on
April 10, 1910, with the appearances
noted at the head thereof
From the evidence, we find that the
roundhouse for the storage of engines
at Bennington was burned in about
1892; that it had the capacity to store
three or four engines; that for about
three years previous thereto, 1t had
so decayed that il was not used for
the storage Of engines; that cOntinu-
. ously, night and day, from about 1889
TO the present time, the engines have
been stored in the open near the site
OF the old roundhouse and close to
the residential portion of the village;
that for some years previous to 1909,
six to eight engines have been so
stored and since then the number
10
stored in the open were kept steamed
up, and constantly emitted large guam
titles of gases. SCOT. smoke and guam
titles OF partly burned particles of
coal, that this condition has been
cOntinuou during all the time the
engines haze been stored in the open:
that this material 50 emitted spread
during all of that time to a large
number Of houses in the adjacent
parts of the village. penetrated into
all rooms into which II would natur-
ally gain access through doors and
windows, was breathed by the resi-
dents Of all the adjacent section Of
the village. and discolored all nearby
houses. both inside and outside. We
| find that the breathing of the air
so polluted by said emissions OF said
engines has In great many cases ag-
grevated. II not actually caused bron-
chitis tuberculosis, and other pull
monary troubles. In a word. we find
I that the storage Of these engines I'm
the open as has been done for so
many years, has been and is a public
nuisance. a menace 20 the health and
reasonable comfort of the residents
Of the village Of Bennington, and that
public safety and convenience de-
mands that the Rutland Railroad com.
pany cease so to store it's engines
, and that IL provide suitable arrange
ments for their storage on its LOT
n north Of Lincoln street In said village
and store them there. as prescribed
In the following order
, In accordance with what we under
. stand TO be the agreement Of the pet
itioners. II such an order as the fol
i lowing should be issued. no DISPOSE
ton rs made OF the other charges
J, mentioned In the petition.
Order
In consideration OF the foregoing
/ report, the Rutland railroad compan.
| is hereby ordered forthwith to con
struct on It's lot north OF Lincoln
street In the village OF Bennington
suitable and proper accommodation
for the storage OF lis engines, an
| upon the completion Of such accom-
| modations TO store It's engines Their,
| and thereafter until the further orde
| OF this commission cease storing ther
| or any OF them, elsewhere In said vi
| lage; but no engine shall be store
| within two hundred feet OF said Lii
! coin street.
! Dated at Newport, this 18th day q
| July, 1870
John w. Redmond.
Eli A. Porter,
| s. Hollister Jackson.
u / l..LLL. N.--.L-.- lH-.... ~. L.-L.... ~.