Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-12-23
RAILROAD SIDE LIGHTS
Treaty May Follow Period Of
Threats, Says Iron Age
Final Hearing by Legislative Committees
Jan. 3-Fitzhueh Reported to Be Con-
fident as to Outcome.

Final Hearing by Legislative Committees
Jan. 3-Ftzhueh Reported to Be Con-
fident as to Outcome.
Some interesting side lights have been
thrown on the controversy between the
Grand Trunk and New York, New Haven
& Hartford railway systems this week
by the Montreal and Providence news
papers, and a compromise has been hint
ed at The Grand Trunk officials seem to
be confident that the petition of the
Vermont Valley road, a branch of the
New Haven system for a charter to build
a double track line between South YER
non and Brattleboro, taking therefor
some of the Central Vermont property,
will be defeated in the Legislature. Brat
tleboro men and New Haven officials who
have tested the sentiment of the legisla-
tors are equally confident that the char
ter will be granted 1t is expected that
the railroad committees of the Senate
and House of Representatives will give
a hearing on the proposed charter the
night of Jan. 3, the day upon which the
Legislature will convene after the Christ
mas recess, and the opponents of the
bill have been notified that the hearing,
will be final
The Montreal Gazette of Monday said:.
Mr. Fitzhugh when seen at his home
last night expressed his confidence that
the outcome of the fight in Vermont
and in Massachusetts, entirely satisfac-
tory to the interests he represented. Mr..
Fitzhugh also said that the plans for the
proposed extension were practically COM
pleted from Palmer to Providence and
that the Central Vermont was going
ahead with certain Improvements which
had been arranged for along the sys-
TEN, at Brattleboro and other points, He
remarked that he did not believe the
Vermont legislature would give any
other railway the right to take over any
part of the Central Vermont system,
which was giving a good service through
that part of the New England states
ASKED regarding an interview pub
lished Saturday, in which he was quoted
as saying that the New Haven was try
ing to take the Central Vermont to lay
it at the feet of J. p. Morgan, the vice
president of the Grand Trunk expressed
surprise.
II did not refer to j. P. Morgan, he
said, either directly or indirectly. In
fact, l made no statement on the subject
at all. Nor have l given an interview
to any reporter since my return from
Montpelier; in fact, l have not spoken
with newspaper man. In short, that
alleged interview was without author
ity or excuse"
The Providence Sunday Journal said
that the settled determination of the
Grand Trunk to build so miles of line in
the Connecticut valley, paralleling the
Boston & Maine, had been announced in
Vermont by Vice President Fitzhugh.
The Journal said: Mr. Fitzhugh made
the statement before a Vermont legisla-
tive committee that the Central Vermont
company, the Grand Trunks Vermont
corporation, is not responsible for con-
ditions of service and rates in that sec
ton due to diversity of control of a single
through line. He stated that his COM
panY's proposition as a solution of the
matter was that the Central Vermont and
the Boston & Maine each double track its
own part of the line and operate the diff
ferent sections as one through line for
the rs miles from White River Junction
to South vernon, with joint operation
of the tracks but Independent ownership.
This proposition of the Boston & Maine he
said he refused. The Central Vermont,
considering this to be final, definitely de-
cided to make itself completely inde-
pendent of any other company in that
section and to build the parallel line"
From the Railway Age Gazette is taken
the following: Many months have pass
ed since the Grand Trunk got its char
ter from the Rhode Island legislature for
the extension of the system from Palmer,
Mass, to Providence, K. l. prelim-
mary survey was made followed by a
new survey of the Palmer Providence
route, but thus far, apparently not
spadeful of earth has been turned or
other positive steps taken by the Grand
Trunk. But on the other side there have
been notes of warning. The New Haven
is to ask authority of the Vermont legis-
lature for power to build certain paral-
leling lines which will free its controlled
Boston & Maine from all dependence on
the Grand Trunks connecting links. The
Boston e Maine has a business of some
millions of dollars with the Grand Trunk
system. and reported threats of divert
ing It, largely to the rival Canadian Pa
cifc, have undoubtedly a flrmer basis
than rumor. e.. The New Haven rail-
way authorities assert that it will cost
the Grand Trunk s100OO,O00 to get to
Providence with even minor terminal IA
cilities. The Grand Trunk people say
they can get there for half that amount,
and they have succeeded in winning a
case before the Massachusetts railway
commission from whom the New Haven
tive, if not fatal, to the Grand Trunk
project. Two outcomes now seem OF
about equal probability. One is the push
party politics allowing it, of the Grand
acute and indefinite war of two big rail-
threats, there will be a treaty based on
concessions by which the Grand Trunk
surrenders the Providence invasion for
new traffic privileges in New England,
very likely reaching to New York. Incl
dentally, that old thorn in the New Haven
side, the holding of the Central Vermont
by the Grand Trunk, may be with
drawn"