St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-02-01
THE RAILROAD FIGHT.
Senator Porter Makes Statement
Regarding His Position at the
Legislature.

: The railroad legislative fight is
now a matter of history. During
that contest l was repeatedly urged
to support the original measure and
frequently asked why | should advo-
cate the claims of the Central YER
mont Railroad as against the bill OF
the Boston and Maine. Since the adj
lournment of legislature further in
quiries have been made asking for
explanation of the situation and
brief statement may be of pubic in
terest.
1t should be remembered that the
Boston & Maine Railroad controls
and operates many subsidiary roads
and is at present in turn controlled
by the New York, New Haven and
Hartford. The Central Vermont
Railroad has similar relations with
many small roads and is controlled
by the Grand Trunk.
l shall not dwell upon previous
clashes between these systems nor in
general to matters in dispute. When
reference is made to the Boston &
Maine or the Central Vermont it will
include their subsidiary roads. The
entire trouble centers in the railroad
yard at Brattleboro owned by the
Central Vermont. The bill in no
way refers to any section north OF
Brattleboro and says nothing OF
mileage exchange over the two roads.
The Central Vermont owns the right
of way and track from Brattleboro to
South Vernon, distance of ten
miles over which the Boston & Maine
has for many years run it's trains I'M
der an agreement and under
! Central Vermont rules. The
Boston & Maine has but one track
! from the north entering BrattleborO,
but contemplates making that dou-
| BILE rack and desires double tracks
| from Brattleboro to South Vernon.
The Boston & Maine can under exist
ing law take land for double tracks
from South Vernon to within about
mile of the station in Brattleboro.
1t desires to take a strip of land from
the heart of the Central Vermont
Railroad Yard for its tracks and to
! have title thereto. In other words
it's bill called for the taking of GER
tain land of the Central Vermont
which is now in daily use by the Cen
trail Vermont. The taking of such
land would leave sidings on either
side of Said strip and the Central
Vermont would in order to reach
such sidings have to cross and re-
cross the Boston & Maine tracks on
Sucn as COulQ U0 ODLdlu0Q.
Under such conditions indepen-
dent operations would be impossible
One must be the road controlling the
situation. One road must, so far as
| the yard is concerned, dominate the
| other. The taking of the land means
a surrender of Central Vermont au
| thority over it's own property and fu-
ture subserviency to the Boston &
Maine in the occupancy and use of
| it's yard, cut in two by such taking.
The taking of land of one railroad
and giving it to another involves a
fundamental principle and would es-
tablish a precedent fraught with de-
terrent uncertainty for any industry
seeking to establish itself in YER
mont. With such a precedent no rail-
road and no industry would be free
from the ever present danger of be-
ing crippled or even absorbed by
more powerful factor. Such taking
is without precedent in Vermont.
! The only case analogous in any de-
gree related to a crossing and that
was decided by commission.
Only sternest necessity could ever
be warrant for such enactment of
law, and when the claim of the Bos-
ton & Maine is for greater trackage
facilities, if such are otherwise
furnished there is no necessity of
such confiscation.
The original bill called for author
ity to take all the land of the Cen
trail Vermont (including the yardl
between Brattleboro and South YER
| non, excepting only single track
between said towns. 1t was re-
quest to my mind unparalleled and
has since been modified by various
amendments. But never has there
L. s1,I,, a.
mand for the title to the land
through the center of the Central
Vermont's yards.
A majority of the senators were
by actual poll opposed to the giving
of such land of the Central Vermont
to the Boston & Maine. [ desired
some measure which would give the
Boston & Maine unrestricted track
age facilities over the territory in
question and prepared the amend
ment later adopted by the senate by
a vote of 10 to IL. This amendment
provided among other things for the
construction of a double track and
| more if the public service commits
sion found more necessary for
full and unrestricted conduct of
the business of the Boston & Maine
to be used by it as tenant of the
Central Vermont, the compensation
! for the use of same to be fixed by the
public service commission if not
agreed upon. The public service
commission under the proposed ar
rangement would have the power to
adjust any differences over the use
of the tracks not adjusted by the
roads.
If, as claimed, need of increased
and better trackage facilities are the
basis of the demand for the land,
that need is amply covered by the
amendment so passed. The public.
service commission has authority