Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-03-02
RUTLAND KEY TO CANADA
New Ravens Latest Acquisition First
step in Divcrting Freight from
New York 10 Boston.

G'rom Regular Correspondence Of Boston
fierald)
New York. Feb. 24-With one swift and
unexpected stroke the Rutland railroad
system, which lies mostly in Vermont,
but reaches into New York State in two
directions. with terminals at Ogdensburg,
on the St. Lawrence, and at Chatham has
just been diverted from what has been its
purpose since Dr. w. Seward Webb Sc
cured control Of 1t % years ago. This rail-
road strategy is OF greater Importance
to New england than any contaminated
I'm the East for some wears, excepting
the domination of the Boston & Maine
by the New Haven system. 1t seems like
ly to carry out the plan originated years
ago by the Central Vermont system of
securing command Of n large portion of
tie traffic passing between New England
end the great West.
Now ii Is understood why representa-
ttves Of the New Haven system nave re-
Gently been in earnest consultation with
the directors Of the New York Central
system in this city. II was we'll kept
secret. President c. S. Mellen Of the New
| Haven has been able to secure such au
thorlty over the Rutland system as will
enable him to carry out some of the
more important plans OF concentra ting
the Influence of the New Haven ROAD
upon Boston. This arrangement illus
trates the perfect community Of interest
and the high degree of cooperation now
esta blished between the New York Cen
trail and the New Haven system.
When Or. Seward Webb, who is con-
nectcd by marriage with the Vanderbilt
, family. secured control OF the Rutland
he probably would have laughed at any
suggestion that ultimately this railroad
would become perhaps the most import
ant feeder of Boston of 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 at one time to per-
feet for the New York Central an indie
pendent through line from New York city
to Montreal by means of the Rutland.
IT'S EYES on MONTREAL
For many years the New York Cen
trail management has fixed covetous
eyes upon Montreal. DR. Webb some 10
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 Adirondack mountain region.
Some of the work done by him in build
Ing that railroad would compare. in the
difficulties overcome with the march of
Napoleon over tho Alps
| The road was completed to a point OPP
poste Montreal on the ST. Lawrence
river. but It was speedily discovered that
! the opportunity it offered a money
maker was chiefly confined to pleasure
travel in the Adirondack region. 1t has
never been able to compete successfully
for passenger and freight traffic with the
/ Delaware & Hudson system. which CON
trolls a through line from Troy. y. Y,
! where II connects with the New York
| Central, to Montreal. This is almost a
/ direct line. skirting for the greater part
Of its distance the west shore Of Lake
! Champlain.
! Ne Wy 30 years ago capital was OBJ
| tanned, although not in heavy amount,
for an Independent and direct line from
| New York to Montreal paralloling tho
/ Harlem division OF the New York Cen
trail This limo was actually built from
| New York city as FAR north as Brew
! sters, a distance x about 20 miles The
! promoters of this enterprise expected ia
| obtain control Of the little railroad with
which jay Gould conducted his first OK
periments, extending from Bennington
| Vt. to Chatham, y, y, about 20 miles
IN length. This road and the Rutland
| railroad, as well as a connecting link.
which was to be built from Chatham
to Rrewsters, was to make up with the
direct through line between New York
city and Montreal.
IT WAS A FAILURE
This project collapsed It illustrated
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 & Albany, OF
by the Boston & Maine, with its Gre nd
Trunk connection at Portland, Me.
After Or. Webb secured control OF
tie Rutland, and later after he had
passed that control over to the New
York Central, an attempt was agar
made to perfect ny means Of the Rut-
land a strongly competitive line with
the Delaware e. Hudson between Mont
real and New York, all under the oontro
| of the New York Central But this has
been only moderately successful YET
| every railroad manager has recognlzed
the latent possibilities which arc in tn,
! Rutland railway system. II has seemed
however. to be beset by peculiar sort OF
| inertia 1t had ideal terminals at ORdens
burg, so that convenieu, steamship com
munlcaton could be made hv the 81
Lawrence river and the lakes with Chi
cago, Cleveland Buffalo milwaukee,