The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-11-10
Entrance Of New Haven Railroad to
Vermont

The statement has been more or
less freely made in Vermont during
the past year that one OF the real
problems that the people would have
10 confront in the near future would
be an attempted domination of the
state and its affairs by the New Ha-
ven railroad, similar to the domino
ton of New Hampshire for years by
the Boston and Maine railroad, now
owned and controlled by the New Ha-
ven system, and similar to the DOM
ination TO a greater or less degree of
Massachusetts and other New Eng
land states by the New Haven rails
road
In view of this feeling that has
been more or less openly expressed
and which has been growing to
greater or less degree in recent
months two propositions now before
the Vermont legislature may have
some special significance.
One bill passed by the Vermont
senate grants electric lines the privil-
ege of running steam trains over its
tracks within limitations set down
| by the Public Service commission
This is primarily for the purpose of
allowing the Boston and Mine trains
to run into Bennington over the
| tracks of the Berkshire Street Rail-
way company, which is owned by the
New Haven system. For the most
part these tracks parallel the Boston
and Maine line as ii now exists from
Williamstown and thence to Pownal
and the west. There is only one
steep grade where the trolley line
climbs something like 200 feet mile
but that can be easily negotiated by
the lighter trains. In a word the
Bennington trolley proposition is sim
ply this The Boston and Maine,
dominated now by the New Haven
| system, proposes to enter Vermont at
Bennington over its already con-
| structed trolley lines.
Another demonstration of the pur-
pose of the Boston and Maine to en-
ter Vermont is found in the bill in
troduced in the house by Represen-
tative Alderman Of Vernon. Under
this bill ii Is proposed to build a
connecting link OF railroad between
Bratleboro and South Vernon parall-
cling the Central Vermont railway be
tween those points. Under this bill
the Vermont Valley railroad. so-called
will have authority to construct and
maintain railroad between the
points named but it is specifically
stated that the Vermont Valley rail
road will not take over the present
track now jointly used by the Bos-
ton and Maine and Central Vermont
railroads.
Now both of these propositions
seem rather harmless to the average
citizen. In fact the great majority
Of Vermonters would look upon them
as indications of railroad development
in this state. Bennington, so says
one special writer from there, is en-
thusiastic over the proposition to run
steam cars over the North Adams and
Bennington trolley line II furnishes
Bennington another outlet to the
great wide world.
Brattleboro people, who are of late
showing evidences OF renascence in.
dustrially, who look only upon the
surface Of things will see in the pro
position of the Vermont Valley rail
road another outlet for its manufac
I tured products and a competitive line
OF transportation.
The News certainly hopes that
these unsuspiclous views OF the stu
alton are correct 1t has always ad
vocated and will always advocate the
development of more railroad lines
I IN Vermont II believes that com
petitiye lines Of transportation or al
the best independent lines of trans
portation, will benefit any commune
ty. But, at first blush. il does not
feel like swallowing the bait whole
II is disposed to display its Missouri
ian ancestry and simply ask the ira
ditional question from that neck OF
the woods, viz. il must be shown.
Does everything that DIR. Charles S
Mellen OF the New Haven system own
or of the Boston & Maine railroad. in.
tend appear on the face of these two
propositions2 Should we be absol
utely guileless In accepting the entry
of the Boston & Maine at Bennington
and at Brattleboro, as evidences OF
railroad development in Vermont
r Rutland Evening News.