The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-02-28
RUrLANn RoAo N LIME LIoHr
Predictions That Line ls About to
Come Into Its Own

correspondent or the Boston Herald
writes as follows relative to the re-
cent acquisition by the New Haven
interests of controlling power in
the Rutland road:
New York. Feb. 24.-With one
swift and unexpected stroke the Rut-
land railroad system which lies most
ly in Vermont, but reaches into New
York state in two directions, with
terminals at Cgdensburg on the st.
Lawrence, ard at Chatham, h. $ Dust
been dlyertcd fiom what has been its
purpose since Dr. w. Seward Webb
secured control of it 20 years ago.
This railroad strategy is of greater
Importance to New England than any
contaminated in the East for some
years, excepting the domination OF
the Boston and Maine by the New
Haven system. 1t seems likely to
carry out the plan originated years
ago by the Central Vermont system
of securing command of large por-
ton of the traffic passing between
New England and the great West.
Now it is understood why represent
tatives of the New Haven system
have recently been in earnest con-
sultation with the directors of the
New York Central system in this
city. 1t was a well kept secret. Pre-
sident c.. s. Mellen of the New Haven
has been able to secure such author
ity over the Rutland system as will
enable him to carry out some of the
more important plans Of concentrate
ing the influence of the New Haven
road upon Boston. This arrange
ment illustrates the perfect commun-
ity of interest and the high degree of
cooperation now established between
the New York Central and the New
Haven system.
When DR.. Seward Webb who is
connected by marriage with the Van
derbilt family, secured control OF
the Rutland. he probably would have
laughed at any suggestion that ulti-
mately this railroad would become
perhaps the most important feeder
of Boston or any railroad allied with
the New Haven system He was
then looking rather to great in
crease of traffic between the Rutland
system and the New York Central
and, furthermore, he hoped AZ one
time to perfect for the New York
Central an independent through line
from New York City TO Montreal by
means of the Rutland
For many years the New York
Central management has fixed covet-
Gus eyes upon Montreal. DR.. Webb
some 20 years ago pointed out way
by which Montreal could be reached
directly by the New York Central;
he promoted that romantic railroad
which bisects from Utica the Adiron-
dack mountain region. Some OF the
work done by him in building that
railroad would compare in the diff
culties overcome with the march of
Napoleon over the Alps.
The road was completed to a point
opposite Montreal on the st. Law
renee river, but it was speedily dis
covered that the opportunity 1t offer
ed as a money maker was chiefly con
fined to pleasure travel in the Adir-
ondack region. II has never been
able to compete successfully for pas
senger and freight traffic with the
Delaware and Hudson system, which
controls a through line from Troy,
y. Y, where it connects with the
New York Central to Montreal. This
is almost a direct line, skirting for
the greater part of it's distance the
west shore OF Lake .Champlain.
Nearly 80 years ago capital was OBJ
tanned. although not in heavy amount
/ for an Independent asd direct line
from New York to Montreal, parallel
ing the Harlem division OF the New
York Central. This line was actually
built from New York City as far
north as Brewsters, a distance OF
about so miles. The promoters OF
this enterprise expected TO obtain con
troll OF the little railroad with which
Jay Gould conducted his first exper-
iments, extending from Bennington,
VI. to Chatham. n. Y, about 80 miles
in length. This road and the Rat
/ land railroad as we'll as a connecting
link which was to be built from Chat
ham to Brewsters, was to make up
with the direct through line between
New York City and Montreal
This project collapsed. 1t illustra'
ted the belief prevalent at that time
that Boston was sufficiently cared for
so far as the grain traffic from the
West was concerned. by the Boston
and Albany, or by the Boston and