St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-05-03
Brattleboro's Appeal.

In order to accommodate Vice
President E. H. Fitzhugh of the
Grand Trunk Railway, a further de-
lay in the final solution of the rail-
road situation at Brattleboro has
been consented to by Gov. John A.
Mead, President Charles S. Mel1en of
the New York, New Haven and Hart
ford railroad and the BrattleboFo
railroad committee. Governor Mead
and the committee very much desired
that conference between the Cover
nor and the heads of the two railroad
companies be held today in the hope
of reaching an agreement where
by the proposed South Vernon Brat
tleboro line could be built on the
Vermont side of the river, rather
than in New Hampshire Mr.. Fitz-
hugh wished to give his attention to
matters in Chicago, however, and al
though all other interested parties
were willing to arrange for a meet
ing this week the president of the
New Haven system courteously prom
ised to again postpone final action,
Mr.. Fitzhugh agreeing to attend
conference next Friday, May 5.
Gov. Mead has decided upon his
course in the matter. He will insist
upon conference as now arranged,
and if no agreement comes out of it
he will convene the legislature in
special session. He is convinced of the
justice of the position taken by the
people of Brattleboro and as govern
or of the whole state he will do his
duty in protecting the interests of it's
integral parts.
1t is with an entirely new PROPOSE
ton that the people of this town and
OF this county appeal to the rest of
the state for the consideration that
they feel is due them. Their plan for
securing the new line of the Boston
and Maine road for Vermont does
not interfere in the slightest degree
with the terminal facilities of the
Central Vermont company and takes
only small strip of land, now large
ly under water, for which ample re-
compense is provided in the way of
new land more favorab1y located.
Mr.. Fitzhugh makes no objection
on that score, but makes the arbi-
trary demand that the Central Yer
mont be allowed to control the run
ming of the Boston and Maine trains
over that short section of Central
Vermont land, although they would
not touch Central Vermont rails, The
injustice of such demand cannot
fail to be apparent to every fair
minded man and the Inconsistency of
the position is further emphasized by
the fact that the Central Vermont
trains north of Bridge street run
over Boston and Maine tracks wholly
Independent of Boston and Maine
control. The Boston and Maine road
cannot be blamed for absolutely re-
fusing to grant such demand and
unless Mr.. Fitzhugh is willing to
concede that point the matter will go
to the legislature. That much is a |
foregOne conclusion.
The expense of a session of the leg
islature to reconsider the railroad |
matter, in the light of changed con-
ditions is immaterfal 1t probably
would be covered by one years tax
income from the new double track |
line from South Vernon to Brattle-
boro. Deeper considerations than
can be represented in money are in |
volved. Brattleboro is on the eve of /
great industrial prosperity. The state
of Vermont, of which Brattleboro is |
just as much part, and is entitled /
TO as much consideration, as is any /
other town or city in the state, can
not afford to blight those prospects
by refusing the town a reasonable re-
quest. The public spirit which exists
here would not allow this town to
take such stand against any other I
community
Governor Mead has risen in de-
Tense of Vermont by replying to a |.
gloomy statistical picture of the
state, issued by an official of the de-