Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-12-16

TCarmarks of a determined fight be-
tween two great railroad systems were
apparent Tuesday, when the railroad
committees Of the Vermont Senate ana
House of Representatives came here TO
examine the Central Vermont railroad
ward with a view to just action on the
Vermont Valley Railroad company pc
tition for a charter to build uouDle
track between Brattleboro ana SouIn
Vernon and take some OF the central
vermont land for that purpose. The ul-
innate control of the Vermont Valley
road rests in the New York, New Haven
& Hartford company and the Central
Vermont road is a branch of the Grand
Trunk system. These two roads nave
been waging a fierce railroad battle IN
Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and
apparently it is to be continued in YER
mont. so it is rather uncertain how Brat
tleboro and her new passenger station
scheme will come out, although the
chances favor the Vermont Valley pc
tition and satisfactory outcome ot the
controversy so far as this towns desire
for improved railroad facilities are CON
cerned
The position taken by Vice President
f. II. Fftzhugh of the Grand Trunk sys-
tenn in declining to meet citizens OF the
town in Festival hail and hear pubic eX-
pressions of sentiment on the rallroau
situation in Brattleboro or to hold the
special train in which the committees
came SO that they might listen to the
people assembled in the hall did not
strengthen the Central Vermont in this
town, and that ordinarily level headed rail-
road dignitary plainly made an error OF
judgment that time. The people had been
notified that a public meeting would be
held and 100 or more waited two hours
for the committee and officials to appear
When they we're informed that the special
had started back to Montpelier they were
convinced that they We're victims OF
flim-nam game and it is said That the air
in the hall fairly blstered the paint on
the woodwork.
AS a result of telephone message last
week from w. b. c. Stickney Of Bethel,
counsel for the Boston & Maine road,
which is the lessee of the Vermont Valley
line. a notice was inserted in both Brat
tleboro newspapers Friday that a public
meeting would be held Tuesday after the
inspection Of the yard, and handbills t.
the same effect were distributed. Mr..
Fitzhugh was told that as a matter of
policy he ought not to disappoint the
public particularly as the committee and
the Boston & Maine representatives. were
ready to meet them, but he fell back upon
an argument that his counsel, Judge II.
H. Powers of MOrrisville, was not present
He was told that the meeting would he
informal but he objected to meeting the
people even informally without his coun-
sci Then the Brattleboro committee
representing the town in the railroad ne
gotiations offered to eliminate all the law
yers and have the remarks confined to
others, but stll the magnate was obdur-
ate and hope of a meeting finally was
abandoned and the visitors went on board
the special and started for the state capt.
tai.
When the railroad committees gave d
hearing in Montpelier recently to all
parties interested in the Boston & Maine
plan to parallel the Central Vermont line
between Brattlboro and South Vernon
the Grand Trunk and Central Vermont
interests requested a continuation of the
hearing in order that the committee
might be shown the local yard and be
convinced, from Central Vermont stand
point that the proposed changes would
work an unjust injury to existing railroad
property here. The use of an oficia
train was offered and it was decided t
make the trip Tuesday The train made
up Of Pullman palace cars, dining cars
and an observation car well stocked will
eatable, etc. left Montpelier about S3C
with the members OF the committees,
few other members of the legislature
officials, lawyers and newspapermen. Tn,
Boston e Maine engineer, George NJ
Tompson, exhibited his final drawing.
in the office of Attorney c. c. Fits, coun-
sci for the town committee, to a number
of Brattleboro citizens while waiting fol
the train.
News was received that the train would
arrive at u o'clock. \ later despatch
said 1890. At that time a number VS.,
waiting at the railroad station. \ littl,
later the telegraph instrument licked of
u. 40, but not until o'clock did the spec
ial whistle into the yard The can fo
dinner was not given until the trail
reached Bellows Falls. consequently III,
members Of the party had not finishe,
storing away the good things when tn,
train stopped at the local station. Th'
waiting crowd stepped aboard and wer,
taken to the lower end Of the yard wher,
another Is minutes elapsed before tn,
occupants Of the dining cars appeared.
Finally the engineers produced thei
prohles, Mr.. Tpmpson showing the Bos
ton & Maine plans and Howard G. Kelle,
the Central Vermont plans, and the worl
of convincing the committees was begun
The Central Vermont plan showed thu
present location Of the tracks and othe
property, and upon it was a brown mari
about two inches wide, in the middle o
which was a black line showing tn
course of the proposed Boston & Main
tracks through the yard. The brow
mark was supposed to represent dir
embankment on either side of the pro
posed tracks, which will he raised il
order to pass over Bridge street, and a
drawn it showed that a large amount q
Central Vermont property would be taken
One of the spectators ventured to remarl
that the final plans Of the Boston e Main