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

to South Vernon.
There is no longer any doubt that the
proposed railroad developments in Brat
tleboro ana between this town and South
Vernon will precipitate the greatest rail-
road battle this state ever has known
The fact began to be apparent at the
inspection Of the site Of the proposed
changes Tuesday, as reported elsewhere in
this paper, and the gauntlet was thrown
down by the Grand Trunk road in a hear
ing before the House and Senate railroad
COMMITTEES in the Senate chamber in
Montpelier last night The fight has just
begun and it will not end with the report
of the committees. There is no indica-
ton as to how the committees stand on
the question, but whichever way they
report it is evident that the contendng
forces-nominally the Vermont Valley
leased to Boston & Maine and Central
Vermont roads, but really New York, New
Haven q Hartford and Grand Trunk
systems will carry the fight on to the
floors of the House and Senate and stand
by the guns until one side is completely
routed
The hearing last night was really a
Central Vermont hearing and the officials
were out in force from Vice President E.
II. Fitzhugh down. The time at the
previous hearing was taken up largely
by the Boston q Maine people, but they
had little to say last night further than
to explain the details of the plans Of Civil
Engineer George NJ. Tompson. Attor-
ney W. b. c. Stickney and Mr.. Tompson
outlined the proposed changes. which in
clude double track at an elevation OF II
feet over Bridge street, a union passen-
ger station near the Brattleboro House,
elevating the freight house, grading
Vernon street, etc. Then the Grand
Trunk opened fire and said they were out
to XIII the Boston & Names bill for a
charter.
Mr. Fitzhugh regarded the bill as detr-
mental to the Central Vermont in thar
| it would take away terminal facilities
| He spoke Of the Grand Trunk as being a
| great transcontincntal system of inesti-
mable value to New England and argued
! that facilities should not be taken from
| a road operating 10000 miles Of track
| and given to one operating but 5000
miles. The force Of his oratory was inn
| paired somewhat, however, when Judge
| kennetick Of Palmer who helped the
| Grand Trunk get its charter to build from
| Palmer to Providence, spoke for the New
| London railroad stockholders and held
the New London branch up as a weak
| brother contesting against the great Bos-
| ton & Maine road.
Chief Engineer Kelley of the Grand
| Trunk submitted a new plan for a double
] track Central Vermont road from here 10
| South Vernon, which he said the Central
| Vermont was ready to build, and he ar
| gued that such a track would obviate
| existing freight troubles. Mr.. Keller
| pointed out that the Boston e Maine plans
| while providing a double track Boston
| q Maine line and a single track Central
| Vermont line, entirely shut out the Cen
| trail Vermont from the possibility OF
| building double track line. but Engineer
| Tompson showed that with some altera-
| lions that difficulty could be overcome
| Mr.. Kelley made strong plea for the
| enforcement Of the order Of the public ser
vice commission abolishing the Bridge
| street crossing and leaving the tracks AT
| the present level. He said that with the
| tracks elevated II feet it would be i'm
| possible to hold a freight train in front
| Of the freiCh house without keeping the
| brakes on, whereupon Mr. Tompson
| showed that the grade would not be much
| greater than the present grade near IN,
White River chair factory.
l.. +. Holden chairman OF the Brattle-
! boro committee showed that the proposed
| changes by the Boston &c Maine would
| give the Central Vermont nearly double
| the yard room which they now have. Bad
| faith on the part of the town had been
| minated by some of the Grand Trunk
officials. but Mr.. Holden gave assurance
| that the town wanted to protect fully the
! interests of both railroads and at the
! same time get the increased facilities IL
| which the town was entitled Mr.. Kelley
| thought a double track Central Vermont
! line would provide an the facilities needle
and he stated that the amount Of money
| which the Boston & Maine would have
| to eNpeud to carry out its plan was out OF
| all proportion to the benefit it would re-
ceive.
The vote of the Boston & Maine di-
! rectors to build the proposed double track
! line and appropriate the money necess Try
! to pay the expense was read at the hear
! ing The vote was taken within the past
! two weeks.
| Among the speakers not already men.
! toned were Judge II. H. Powers of Nor
| IisVille ana c. W. Writers of St Al-
! bans counsel for the Central Vermont
| Engineer Morrison Of the Central Ver.
mont and Selectman John Calvin OF
! Brattleboro and John c. Pellet of Brat
! tleboro.
| Brattleboro men present We're Dennisor
! Cowles, George l.. Durham. L. +. Hol-
den, Judge j. NJ Tyler. DR.. IT, D. Hol
! ton, NJ Austin jr c. c. Fits, John Gal
! YIN, f. w. Gibson. s. A Daniels, II. c
/ Rice f. f. Barber c. r. Crosby A. p
! Carpenter NJ. j. Moran and John c. Pei
lett
one of the developments particular!
! pleasing to Brattleboro people was tn,
agreement by Attorney w. B. c. Stick
. neN to accept the amendments proposed
/ by the Brattleboro men to the bill for {
7 Vermont Valley charter The bill as
now stands asks for the right to build
( double track road between this town
! and South Vernon and to take such prop
erty as is necessary to carry out tn
plan. The proposed amendments are a.
follows:
Add to section l the following:
provided further that said Vernon
Vailed Railroad shall build a passenger
station westerly of all railroad tracks il
, Brattleboro at approximately the location
provided in the order of the Public Ser
vice Commission relative to a new pas
senger station at Brattleboro, filed Sep
TENDER 80, 1910, which passenger station
shall, aside from foundation and platform
cost not less than twenty-five Thousand
dollars and shall have as much yart
room as provided in said order, and shall
provide the abolition of the Bridge stree
grade crossing by crossing said street a
a grade approximately II feet above tn
present Bridge street crossing, and shal
raise all the tracks west of the main lin
to same grade as the main line, and shall
construct local freight station, all at tn
expense of said Vermont Valley Railroad
And further provided that said passen
ger and freight stations shall be adapte
for use as union stations with other rail
roads entering Bratteboro on such term
and conditions as may be agreed upon, or
in case of disagreement on such term
and conditions as the Public Servic
Commission may prescribe;
And further provided that Verno
street in Brattleboro shall be made T.
conform in grade to the nearest railroad
! ira clrs from, the nassengar station n lam