The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-27
ARGU NJ { NTS SO
HOT COMMITTEE
ADJOURNED
Final Heariug on C. V. and B.
N. Fight
LOCAL PARTlSANS PRESENT
Delegations from RrattIeboro and st.
Adams Acknowledgment in
Wordy Battle
LOCAL PARTISANS PRESENT

Montpelier, Jan. 27.-The final act
in the great railroad fight between
the Central Vermont and and Boston
and Maine, over the attempt of the
latter road to get right Of way
through 'the railroad yards at Brat
tleboro, took place in the Senate
chamber Wednesday afternoon and
was dramatic in the intensity Of the
feeling manifested by the attorneys
engaged. This feeling sufficiently
great at the outset, increased as the
hearing progressed until, when one at
torney deliberately accused another
of making false statement, the CONF
mittee decided it would be wise to
adjourn.
The hearing was before the special
committee of the Senate, composed
of the judiciary and railroad commit
tees, which has the bill passed by the
House under consideration. The Sen
ate chamber was crowded to the
point of suffocation and the crowd
stayed to the finish which came about
seven o'clock. Apparently to Offset the
influence OF the large Brattleboro del
egation, about 20 Of the prominent
business men of st. Adams came
down at noon and attended the hear
ing.
The important feature OF the hear
ing was the submission of an amend
ment to the bill by Mr.. Stickney Of
the Boston and Maine road This
amendment provides that if at any
time the location of the Boston and
Maine tracks as proposed In the bill,
interferes with the terminal facilities
of the Central Vermont they shall be
changed as the railroads may agree.
II the roads fail to agree the public
service commission is to settle the
matter. Mr.. Stlckney stated that this
was offered to meet the objection that
the granting of the rights asked for
by the Boston and Maine would Grip
pie the Central Vermont in the use Of
its yards at Brauleboro.
The force OF the amendment was a
little later rather destroyed by Judge
Palmer Of the Central Vermont who
showed by Engineer Thompson Of the
Boston and Maine that for a portion
of the way through the yards 1t
would be impossible to change the
location OF the b & NJ tracks, even II
such interference could be shown for
the simple reason that there was no
place to change them to.
In his argument Mr.. Stickney laid
special stress upon the fact that no
citizen or taxpayer Of Vermont had
appeared as an individual before the
committee and opposed this change,
He said al the opposition came from
Grand Trunk railroads of Canada. To
refute this Mr.. Darling later produc.
ed a letter from Albert futile OF Fair
Haven, one OF the bondholders Of the
Central Vermont road, protesting
against the change as likely to AFFECT
the value OF the securities OF the road
1t was this same statement made Ia
closing by Mr.. Sticksey that brought
out the retort from Mr.. Darling thai
the statement was absolutely false.
Mr.. Stickney also made reference &C
the fact that all the shippers OF Brat
tleboro desired the passage OF the bill
and when Mr.. Darling inquired about
Mr. Crosby, who at previous hearing
stated to the committee that he WA
not in favor of the change. Mr.
Stickney referred to Mr.. Crosby ~
the tool OF the Grand Trunk road. MI
Stlckney clearly put up to the com
mittee that II the bill did not pass the
Boston and Maine road would built
the link between Brattleboro an'
South Vernon on the New Hampshire
side OF the river and that the Brat
tleboro passenger station would thel
be located a mile and a half from
the village. He also referred to thu
loss OF taxes, some $4,000 a year
that the state would suffer II the roa'
was built In New Hampshire.
Mr.. Darling In his remarks state'
very plainly that the people OF Bral
tleboro were interested In the matte
only TO the extent that they we're &c
ing to have S2i1, 900 spent In thei
village and vicinity. Brattleboro wa
not TO contribute one cent OF this bu
they were contributing by assistin
the Il & NJ to take away the propert
OF the Central Vermont road. II wa
coming out OF the Central Vernon
and he thought II this was the pric
AAt ItNNlt VI NNAhANAA NtAA hNA w ~
for this proposed change, the Bosto
and Maine had better 20 back 10 Ne
Hampshire, where they were sunpo
ed to have more influence with legi
latures than they did In Vermont. II
also thought II there we're people
prattleboro who favored such dea
they had better go over TO New Ham
shire with the Boston and Maine.
Mr.. Darling pointed out how u
proposed changes would iniure q
Central Vermont and stated that q
yards would be left In such a cone
ton that his road would be put to Z
expense OF from 100000 to $500
TO mi them In and get them In shap
Senator Gordon inquired OF N
stckney II under the bill the Bost'
and Maine could not raise is ov