Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-04-07
new RAILROAD SURVEY
Boston & Maine Has Charter to
WaIpoIe
Briefs Submitted to Public Service
Commission,

is II Step to Block Central Vermont
Briefs Submitted to Public Service
Commission.
Many rumors have been afloat this
week relative to the railroad situation,
but negotiations have not reached a
stage where the committee in charge for
the town are willing to make state
ment, although they continue to be hope
full that arrangements will be made
whereby the Boston & Maine will build
on the Vermont side of the river Men
more or less intimately connected with
railroad affairs mot members of the
committee or their counseD say that the
awards on the bids for constructing the
c. ", line from Bellows Falls to
Windsor have been held up a few days
and that the Grand Trunk is very
DESTROYS of crossing the New Haven
tracks in building their Palmer-Provi-
dence extension and they take this as
indicating a possibility of a compromise
both at Providence and at Brattleboro.
The Boston & Maine has been given a
charter by the New Hampshire legis-
lature for a double track line from South
Vernon to Walpole and the road has
started engineers to work surveying for
the New Hampshire route.
Concerning this step the Springfield
Republican has stated editorially: THE
terms of the bill suggest the possibility
that the New Haven interests may sell
the Vermont Valley to the Grand Trunk,
and cling to the New Hampshire side
of the river for their own continuous
trackage from the Massachusetts bound
airy to White River Junction" The
railroad question has so many rami-
fications that a scheme like that which
would save building an expensive bridge
here, might be desirable but it is not
unreasonable to suppose that a charter
for the Walpole route was secured to
prevent the Central Vermont from COM
ing down on that side in order to reach
Brattleboro. 1t would be an expensive
proposition for the Central Vermont to
build from Bellows Falls to this town
and swing away from the river as its
preliminary survey has contemplated a
mile or more in some places. One of the
routes which the Central Vermont had
under consideration was west of Brattle-
boro village, which would require eX-
pensive work at West river, but it is
understood that the plan has been
abandoned. Central Vermont surveyors
are now at work south from Athens and
SaXtons River with view to connect
ing with the West river line near
Townshend or Newfane. The Boston &
Maine survey and estimates for a line
from South Vernon to this town by way
of Hinsdale, crossing the river here, are
ready for the contractors, but ii is
understood that no award will be made
for a few days.
a hearing before the public service
commission on the petition of the town
to rescind or suspend its order to the
Central Vermont to abolish the Bridge
street crossing and build an overhead
pass where the present station is, was
scheduled for Tuesday of this week, but
inasmuch as the Central Vermont had
raised a question as to the right of the
commission to change an order once
made and inasmuch as the case would
not be heard on its merits until after
that question was decided counsel on
both sides agreed to submit printed briefs
to the commission covering the question
of its jurisdiction, which was done. If
the commission decides that it has juris-
diction the Central Vermont doubtless
will appeal to the supreme court, and if
1t decides that it has not probably the
petitioners will go to the supreme court.
1t is not anticipated, however, that much
delay would result in either case.