St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-02-15
PRESS COMMENT.
The Ideas of BrattIeboro Papers on
Railroad Fight.

Railroad Fight.
Contrary to the wishes of the ma
joIity of the people Of Vermont as
expressed by their representatives
and indirect opposition to the best in
terests of the state, the senate Sat
uirday refused to grant the Vermont
Valley railroad corporation authori-
ty to extend its line from Brattle-
boTo to Sonth Vernon. By vote of
10 to IL it went on record as oppos-
ed to 1essening one iota the profit
able monopoly which the Central
Vermont now enjoys through it's abb
solute control of the Brattkeboro ter
minal. The action was amazing even
when taken by a body that has
shown such compkate disregard of
public opinion as the Vermont sem
ate of 1910, and was as inconsistent
as it was amazing. The proposition
en1bo died in the bill which the sen-
ate so ruthlessIy slaughtered was
absolutely fair. It gave the Vermont
Valley read the right 40 construct a
double track through the yard OF the
Central Vermont in this town, but it
provided absolutely for the protec-
ton of the latter roads terminal fa-1
cilities and held the Vermont Valley
to a plan which would in mo way
prevent the Central Vermont from
building a double track for the pur-
pose &of conn Getting with any extern
sion it might build from the north.
Under pretanse of being unwilling
to establish the dangerous precedent
OF allowing one railroad corporation
to take 9from another property
already dedicated Ito public use the
senate voted down the request
o the Vermont Valley The
word pfetense us used -advis-
eddy, for had the senate been sin
cere in ahe matter it never would
have passed the Southern Vermont.
railway bill which gives the Central
Vermont company almost exactly the:
same authority Sas that denied the
Vermont Valley. And then, lin fur
Sther proof of it's inconsistency and,
Its contempt for the merits of the
,questinn at issue, this same senate
in executive session refused to give
favorable consideration to "a COM
promise plan which would allow the
.Vernlont Valley to enter Brattlebore
from the south without taking a:
single foot-of land now used by the
Central Vermont for railroad pur-
poses. In the light of these cir
cumstances is it any wonder that
the people of Brattleboro and other
towns on the east side of Vermont
give vent to their indignation when
they read of the highminded motives
which prompted this astounding
course?
However, little is to be gained at
the presentatime from bemOaning the
fate of the railroad measure. Its
Caesarean death is lamentable and
serves as "a striking illustration of
the states present method of choos-
ing senators, but no amount of
weeping or gnashing of teeth will
help solve the problem which now
confronts Brattleboro. It is the 9evi-
dent intention of the Boston and
Maine to construct it's line between
South Vernon and this town on the
New Hampshire side of the river. It
is going ahead with this proposition
ON the assumption that it cannot
come into ,Brattleboro from the
south without special legislative sau-
thority, but if it could be demon
strated to the Boston and Maine Off
Gals that an entry from the south is
possible Mnder the general law we
have no doubt that they would be
wiling to change their plans once
more. 1t is, of vital concern to Brat
tleboro that this question be inues-
tigated thoroughly, for if there is
any possible arrangement whereby
the Boston and Maine tracks can be
kept on this side of the river Brat
tleboro stands ready to do all with
in its power to bring it about.
In the meantime the town should
take such action as will hold up the
order of the public service commits
sion until the local railroad situa-
ton becomes less obscure. We do not
believe the town will gain anything
by at once requesting the commits
sion to vacate this order permanent
ly, and there is the possibility that
such a course would prove mis-
take. But if the order is suspended
until such time as Brattleboro asks
to have it put in effect again the
Central Vermont will be prevented
from going ahead with any work
that might interfere with some Bos-
ton and Maine plan, and the people
of the town will be in position to
take advantage of any development
that the future may bring forth
[Brattleboro Reformer.