The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-01-16
BRATTLEB0RO PEOPLE
FAVOR B. & M. PLAN
Intimate That Charles r. Crosby Was
Speaking from a Personal Stand
point When He Addressed
Legislative Committee.
LegisIative Committee.

~S6AeAohAfN NOAhAlAAANts
Brattleboro, Jan. l6-With the state
ment made by Charles r. Crosby Of
this town before the railroad commit
tees of the Vermont legislature at
Montpelier Thursday evening, to the eff
feet that the big shippers of Brattle-
boro did not want the proposed Boston
& Maine extension because it would
would cripple shippers on the Central
Vermont road, a scare was thrown into
the Boston & Maine camp.
Friday the Central Yermont's lobby
at Montpelier labored with the mem
bers of the legislature according to the
reports received in Bratteboro Satur-
day and shortly after noon Saturday
circular was scattered about town
calling mass meeting Of the citizens
in grange hall to consider the railroad
situation. The circular distributed con-
tanned the following paragraph
"The activity of the organized lobby
of the Central Vermont railway has
put the proposed railroad legislation in
danger. Prompt and vigorous action is
necessary to answer the claims made
in opposition to the act. Every citizen
Of Brattleboro should attend and sign
petitions asking for the charter of the
Vermont Valley railroad"
The meeting was attended by the
several hundred citizens and at times
the discussion became acrimonious. Be
fore the meeting was called to order the
following petition was circulated.
4 q Il
shippers OF Brattleboro, wishing to cor
rect a possible Misunderstanding that
the shippers of Brsstleboro desire the
proposed legislation asked for by the
Vermont Valley railroad to be granted
because the present railroad facilities
are entirely Inadequate, and we hereby
affirm the statements of 25 citizens OF
Brattleboro who appeared before the
committee to ask for this legislation
About 300 signed the petition, which
is being circulated in Bellows Falls
and other towns. President Dennison
Cowles of the Brattleboro board Of
trade presided and briefly explained that
the attorneys of the Boston & Maine
at Montpelier wanted an expression Of
sentiment regarding the statements
made by Mr. Crosby.
Judge f. W. Gibson sketched brief.
" the hearings before the legislative
railroad committees, and said that it
was not so much what Mr. Crosby said
to the committee as it was the con.
structinn which the Central Vermont
lobby put upon ii and the use that the
lobby was making of the statement.
He said that Mr.. Crosby was doing
what any other man would do to pro-
tect his own interests, and that the
statements which he made were made
to protect his own personal interests.
In a clear aud intensely foreble state
ment, Charles r, Crosby told the meet
ing that he had no apologies to make
for what he had said at Montpelier
He said that he found that his business
Of grain merchant would be leopard
lied through changed shipping condi.
tions if the Boston & Maine plan was
carried out, and he had so stated 10 the
legislative committees.
Robert G. Bacon, attorney for Mr.
Crosby, described considerable IN detail
Mr.. Crosby's business and his relations
with tile Grand Trunk. over which prac-
tically all Of his grain, about 600 cars
a year, is shipped
Mr.. Bacon said if the Crosby grain
business was made a Boston 4 Maine
rather than a Central Vermont house,
il would mean the restriction Of the
business and would compel Mr.. Crosby
to give mp the trade he has in llT5
towns and cities III Massachusetts, Con-
and southern Vermont,
A number Of other persons spoke,
and while all publicly reiterated the
statement of Judge Gibson to the effect
that Mr.. Crosby had sought to protect
his own interests they plainly showed
in their remarks that the Boston &
Names plan is the one that the people
OF this section desire rather than those
offered By the Central Vermont.
A statement by Clarke c. Fits re.
garding the attitude that Brattleboro
had taken in the matter up 10 this
time and the resolution which he Of
fered and which was unanimously adopt
ed, brought the meeting suddenly to a
close as follows
Resolved that the action of the
committee Of the town be endorsed by
this meeting. and that they be instruct
ed to further represent the town as in
their Judgment may be desirable to Sc
cure the benefits for Brattleboro, to Sc
cure fair treatment for all interests
and secure such provision as will amply
and fairly protect Mr.. Crosby