Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-07
STATION PLANS CONSIDERED
Commission and Railroad Men
Discuss Burlington Situation.
AFTERNOON Devoted to Central Ver-
mont Scheme of Elevated Tracks,
Overhead PASSES and Changes
in Rutland Co.'s Yards.

Burlington's new union station ceased
to be n fairy cattle in the air Tuesday
afternoon and again took shape as a
concrete proposition before the public
service commission which convened in
the county court room Mt 1870 o'clock
10 near what the Central Vermont Rail-
way company. the Rutland Railroad COM
pany and the committee OF fifteen"
representing the city, had to offer in
the way of plans and suggestions for a
new station.
The afternoon session closed at five
O'Clock with the two railroads little
closer together, apparently. than they
had before been on the proposition of n
joint station. The entire session was de-
voted TO the consideration of the third
plan submitted to the city by the Central
/ Vermont officials. This plan is the most
elaborate one and the one which Is not
entirely favored by the committee of fif-
teen because of the expense involved in
the proposed changes.
The hearing was scheduled to begin
| Tuesday morning, but Chairman J. w.
Redmond Of the public service commits
sion was delayed by a slight wreck on
the Boston q Maine road and did not
reach the city until noon. The other
members Of the commission. S. H. Jack
son of Barre, w. r. Warner OF Yer
gonnos, and Clerk r. w. Spear of New
port were present. Attorney-General
| John q. Sargent of Ludlow was present
to represent the state, and the
railroads had an imposing array OF
legal aud engineering talent. These in
cluded for the Rutland, George a. Har-
wood chief engineer of the electric zone
of the New York Central & Hudson
River railroad: j. G. Irwin. chief engin-
! Ger; Attorney Edwin W. Lawrence of
| Rutland, r. Il. Brown and Edmund c.
/ Mower; for the Central Vermont. Attor-
lney c. w. Writer'S. vice-p president; II. r.
Stafford, chief engineer of the Grand
Trunk and consulting engineer of the
Central Vermont: j. NJ. Morrison. engin-
eer of the Central Vermont, and *. r.
McClennan, assistant engineer of the
Grand Trunk. Prof Breed of the firm
Of Barross & Breed of Boston and con-
uected with the Massachusetts Institute
Of Technology was present in the capac-
lity of engineer employed by the public
service commission President L. H.
tftzhugh of the Central Vermont and
George Z. Jarvis. general manager of
the Rutland, were also present.
| c. =. Cowles, Joseph T. Stcarns and
S. r. Moulton. representing the petition
ers, and most Of the members of the COM
mittee of fifteen were on hand when the
hearing began
THE CENTRAL VERMONT PLAN
The first plan placed before the public
service commission for consideration was
that prepared by the Central Vermont
Railway company. The consideration Of
this plan consumed the entire afternoon
| 1t thoroughly discussed and many
of the details considered. This plan is
the third in the series OF plans submitted
| to the city by the Central Vermont COM
| pany. 1t calls FOR the Encouragement Of
! the Rutland yards, the elevation Of the
main line tracks by means Of a long FILL
the crossing OF all the streets on over
head passes and the placing Of the station
at the foot OF Main street The esti-
mated cost OF the improvements con-
templated in this plan has not been de-
| fnitely stated. except in estimates filed
with the commission, but it is said that
| the cost would be considerable. This
same plan was recently discussed by the
| committee of fifteen and thought to be
too elaborate for the present needs OF the
| city. However, this Is the plan that the
commission considered Tuesday.
c. p, Cowles, secretary OF the COM
mittee of fifteen. opened the hearing by
| explaining to the commission what de-
velopments had taken place since the
| last hearing. He stated that the COM
I mittee as yet had not set their approval
on any one of the plans but had con-
| sidered them all with a view to obtaining
| the best one The committee, he said
| had not taken any stand in the nQ,tter
| Of a station.
Mr.. Redmond commended the action
of the committee in getting all the in
| formation it could but said that he be-
| lieved the committee Of fifteen should
take some position as to what they want
very soon. Mr.. Redmond stated that the
committees wishes. representing the
| city's. would have considerable weight
with the commission in reaching a
| decision.
The last plan submitted to the city by.
| the Central Vermont was not pushed for
| ward into a conspicuous place before the
commission. This plan is the modified
| one which calls for less extensive
| outlay The plan was. however placed on
view with the more elaborate one. In
| presenting 1t President Fitzhugh stated
! that the time In which to prepare the
last plan had been short. The last plan
was soon covered with another blueprint
so that it was not considered Tuesday
by commission.
Chairman Redmond stated that mas
| much as the whole situation was being
approached from new standpoint, IL
| might be advisable to have the plan most
desired by the Central Vermont present.
ed nTst Thereupon the plan already re-
ferred TO- comprising extensive changes
III the TRACKS etc. was accordingly placed
on large temporary frame In front of
the commission.
Mr.. McClennan, assistant engineer of
the Grand Trunk. explained the changes
mat had been worked out by the enEi-
neers since the first plan was submitted
by the Central Vermont. These changes
related Tor the most part to grades. The
grade up Main street, as shown in this
pian' would be reduced from seven to
-FOUR per cent. BY this plan, he said the
Cehtrai Vermont people claim the Rutland
i'ailroad company would be able to
handle their freight to better advantage.
me plan calls for a stub-end yard for
'he futland's use instead of a double
end yard now used by this road south of
hlng street, and double, elevated main
line tracks extending through north and
south, The ctation platform would be of
the island platform" variety. $50 feet
long with a clear width of Is feet
The chief witness Tuesday was TT 7,