The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-01-06
FIGHTING COMPETITION.


grant the Vermont Valley railroad the
right to build from Brattleboro to South
Vernon will take place in Montpelier next
week. beginning Tuesday evening when
the railroad committees OF the legislature
give final hearing on the matter. IL Is
evident that the Grand Trunk and Cen
trail Vermont interests are using every
means at their command to defeat the
proposed charter. Their latest argument
is that its request is simply part OF
shrewdly laid plan OF the New Haven sys'
TEN to prevent the Grand Trunk carrying
out its Providence extension plan and
thus allow the former more complete
monopoly OF New England business than
it has now. This argument is based on the
assumption that the Vermont Valley Will
receive a charter giving 1t the rlght 10
take any Central Vermont property be-
tween Brattleboro and South Vernon eX-
elbt that now occupied by the single
track connecting these points.
II is this assumption of the improbable
that makes the argument pointless' Brat
tleboro people have contended from the
start of this fight that their sole object
was to secure better railroad facilities LOT
this section and that they were interested
in one road no more than the other. 1t Is
not because of any deep-seated affection
for the powerful New Haven system that
Brattleboro men have worked so hard IN
behalf of the bill which it favors, but be-
cause they see in the New Haven plan
the most satisfactory solution OF the local
railroad problem. No fair minded man IN
this town wishes to see the rights OF the
Central Vermont sacrificed, nor would he
favor legislation that would aid the estab'
lishment of any such monopoly as Is pic
tured by Central Vermont officials,
What Brattleboro people want is rail-
road competition of the sort that Is sure
= to come with the entry OF the New la
ven road into this state from the south.
AT the same time they want the rights oil
the Central Vermont so protected that IL
will in no way be hampered in building a
double track of its own from South YER
non to Brattleboro for the purpose OF con
Meeting with new stretch OF Z. " iron
from this town to Windsor. In letter to
the local railroad committee printed else
where in this paper Vice-Presldent fltz'
hugh says that under the proposed charter
the Boston & Maine road would have the
right to deprive the Central Vermont oil
all its terminal facilities at Brattleboro,
nreyent the double tracking of its line at
any time in the future and make impossl'
BILE the connection with line north OF the
Bridge street crossing.
This is a sound argument against the
Vermont Valley charter provided 1t Is
based on facts, and one in which Brattle-
boro people would be inclined to take the
Central Vermont side because it is obyi'
ously for the interest of this town TO
facilitate railroad competition. Ii, on the
other hand, it can be shown that the Bos-
ton & Names plan will not deprive the
Central Vermont of terminal facilities nor
make it impossible for it to have double
track road through this town MIR. Fltz'
hugh will have to withdraw his opposition
or admit that it was based solely upon de-
sire to continue monopoly that already
exists.
The Reformer is positive that the local
railroad committee stands ready to dem
onstrate how the Boston & Maine can
parallel the present Central Vermont
track between here and South Vernon
and carry out the proposed improvements
in the local yard in manner that VIII
improve the Central Vermont's terminal
facilities and make it easier than ever for
that road to put in double track to con-
meet with any extension it may build to
the northward.
When this demonstration is made and
the bill so amended as to cover these
points, what will be left to the Grand
Trunk officials in the way OF sound ar
gument against the improvement the
Boston & Maine is anxious to make?