The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-04-28
BRATrIEBoRo, FRIDAY, APRIL 2s lol
ZIP TO THE GRAND TRUNK.

At the request Of Governor Mead, wh'
fully realizes how important It is that Yer
mont do everything possible TO improve hcl
transportation facilities the heads of the
Grand Trunk and New Haven systems vii
meet him next Friday to confer ON the mat
ter of providing a way for the Boston &
Maine TO build It's South Nenon'Brattle
boro extension on this side of the Connect
cut river On the outcome OF this confer
enee, We believe, depends absolutely the
necessity Of an extra session of the legis'
lature. Failing in their efforts to bring
about compromise that would prevent
forcing the Boston X Maine into New
Hampshire, the people OF Brattleboro last
week asked the governor to convene the
legislature in extra session TO consider a
wholly new plan for keeping the road in
Vermont and thereby ayerting the disaster
that would overtake this part of the state
were the link to be built across the river
The governor understands and appreciates
the feeling of Brattleboro people on this
subject; he knows moreover that the en-.
tire state will suffer in fact as well as in
reputation if the controversy is not settled
rightly But he is anxious to bring about
the settlement without calling an extra SEES
sion. and with that idea in view he has in
dueed Mr.. Mellen and Mr. Fitzhugh to
meet him May 3.
If Vice-President Fitzhugh shows a dis
position to view the Brattleboro situation
in a broadminded way The Reformer be-
heves that the conference with Governor
Mead will accomplish all he expects. AS
stated in this paper last week, the matter
has been placed squarely up to the Grand
Trunk officials In agreeing to enter Brat
tleboro from the south under the plan out
lined last week President Mellen has made
important concessions; at the urgent re-
quest of Brattleboro people he has come
much more than half way toward a com
promise; his consent to postpone further
work at this point until after May (the
earliest date on which Mr. Fitzhugh would
meet the governor) is still further evidence |
of his willingness to do the fair thing. Thus
far the Grand Trunks attitude has been |
tempered with less consideration for the
best interests of Brattleboro, but we can
not believe that the president Of that road
will continue this course at the risk Of
bringing upon himself the responsibility
for further legislative action.
The Brattleboro controversy must be
settled on its own merits. There is no hope
of a solution in any attempt on the part
of the Grand Trunk to use its advantage
at this point to secure concessions from its
rival in other parts of New England, Pres
ident Mellen is not obliged to build his
South Vernon Brattleboro link in this
state He is all ready to construct it in
New Hampshire, and has agreed to tenn
porary delay only at the most urgent re-
quest of Brattleboro citizens. The advan-
tages of the route by which he says he will
build in Vermont, if he can get permission,
are infnitesimal to him in comparison to
what they hold for Bratteboro. The con-
cessions that the Grand Trunk would have
to make to allow its competitor an entrance ]
into this town from the south amount to
nothing compared to the damage that would
come to this section were the Boston 4
Maine driven out of the state. The facts
in the case bear out these statements alb
solutely. The people of Vermont will have
hem in mind when they learn the result
If the conference set for one week from to- i
lay