The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-20
new HAVEN
. SPEND MILLIONS
IN BERKSHIRE
Big Development to Be Made in
That County
CHANGES IN NORTH ADAMS
Railroad Commission in Boston Holds
Conference on Electric Railway
Situation in That Town
CHANGES IN NORTH ADAMS

Boston, Sept. 20.--There was
conference yesterday in the Office of
the railroad commission in regard to
railway extensions in North Adams.
II was continuation OF a conference
begun in North Adams and adjourned
to the Office of the board. 1t has its
special interest now because Chair
man Hall has been succeeded by
Chairman Macleod. The commission
ers were all present and North Ad-
ans was represented by Mayor Chas.
l.. Frink, City Solicitor Mark Il.
Couch, Frank b. Locke, civil engineer
and George II. Stebbins speaking par
ticularly for the people of the east
side in the vicinity of Kemp park who
have long tried to get railway facili.
ties. At the previous conference the
matter had been left that the city of
ficials and those of the company were
to see II they could not agree, and
then report TO the railroad board the
points upon which they could not
agree. Bentley w. Warren was coun-
sci for the company and General Man
ager Clinton O. Richmond was pres
ent.
Mr.. Warren said that there had
ben no formal agreement upon any
thing, but that they were substanti-
ally in accord regarding the proposed
extension to the north, but disagreed
regarding that toward the east. Then
there was a detailed explanation of
the map of the city and the proposed
routes of the extension to the east,
all parties taking hand. The main
facts are that the people of all the
city, but OF the east side particularly,
want the easterly extension to Kemp
park and beyond, while the company
takes the ground that the construc-
ton would be so expensive as to make
the investment permanently unprofit-
able, for there would never be people
on the line sufficient to make 1t pay.
Mr.. Warren read a statement that the
company would build whatever route
the board would approve. but he de-
MED the accuracy of the statement
which Solicitor Couch insisted he
made. that the company would build
the line. regardless of expense. Mr.
Warren said that the New Haven road
proposes to spend for the development
of Berkshire county more than the
100000 which was put into the act
for the consolidation of the New Ha
ven with the Berkshire. The road
which has been built In South Eyre
mont, he said, has no superior in New
England.
Chairman Macleod advised the
company that it ought to do all II car
to respect the desires of the people Of
North Adams. Toward the end Of
the hearing the chairman suggested 4
solution OF the problem which had no
been proposed before. namely, an ex
tension Of the road TO Kemp park, anC
then a return by the same route b!
double tracking, instead OF long de
tour and extension in order to bring
back the track again. to the presen
line on the way to Adams, without ex
cessively steep grades. II was decid
ed that the engineer OF the company
should try to work out on this plal
and consult with the engineers OF thu
city and the state. II is expected tina
the board will visit North Adam
again for the benefit OF Chairman
Macleod and the date will probabl.
be either the 18th or 30th.