The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-29
IDEN|ES ASKED
| TO RESIGN
Mr.. MeIlen Of New Haven Has
No Desire to Quit
ADMITS SERVICE IS FAULTY
Says That the Public, Not the Stock
holders, Has Been Finding Fault
viii Try to Do
Better.
ADMITS SERVICE IS FAULTY

Stockbridge Mass Nov. 20.--Charlei
S. Mellen denied fatty Wednesday even
ing that he was to resign from the presi
dency of the Boston & Maine and New
York. New Haven 4 Hartford Railroad
companies, or that any pressure had been
brought to bear on him by the stock
holders of those companies as result
of the widespread dissatisfaction over
the management of the two roads.
| Mr.. Mellen admitted that he was
aware of this dissatisfaction, but it has
reached him, he said, through rumors
and not through any official channels.
81 realize as well as anyone else" he
added, that the service of the two rail
road companies of which | am president
| is not satisfactory. But we are going
to do all that we can to make it better.
And when ! get ready to resign, ! shall
make public announcement OF that
| fact"
President Mellen seemed well aware
OF the fact, also, that the spirit of dis.
satisfaction is not confined merely to ru-
NOR. In Rhode Island, the fight has
been carried to such lengths that next
Monday night the Providence common
council will consider a resolution to ask
the state legislature in January to es-
tablish state-owned independent troll
ley, freight and passenger service be.
tween Providence and nearby New Eng
land manufacturing centers.
Mr.. Mellen said that the Rhode Island
legislature was privilege to take what
ever action it desired in the matter,
and intimated that another such troll
ley system out of Providence would
matter but little to him one way or the
other.
Mr. Mellen was shown a statement
made by Allen Hollis and Raymond b.
Stevens, counsel for the state of New
Hampshire, in their arguments before
the public service commission OF that
state.
Without any hesitation, these lawyers
suggested the danger OF graft in the adj
ministration Of the railroads. They
pointed out that the Boston & Maine
purchased a large part OF its freight car
wheels from concern owned by high
railroad official and that the price paid
was much larger than the price charged
by the largest manufacturer OF wheels
in the country.
"The Boston & Maine railroad" said
Mr.. Meilen, purchases, ana mas pur~
chased for long time, most of its
wheels from the Kimball foundry at
Concord Mr.. Kimball, the president of
that company, is president also of the
Concord & Montreal railroad. But that |
is question for our purchasing agent
"But is not the purchasing agent, az
your subordinate, responsible to your"
be was asked
"He is" Mr.. Mellen replied, ''but I |
have received no official complaint re- |
yarding where we buy our freight car
wheels or how much we pay for them"
Mr.. Mellen further characterized the |
numerous unofficial complaints" con-
,erning the management Of the Boston
Z Maine and of the New York, New Ha-
zen b Hartford railroads as the out
Freaks of certain well-known Socialists.
Il see that Louis ID. Brandeis has had
i good deal to say in the newspapers
md elsewhere on the subject OF railroad
he concluded. II wish
hat you would give my compliments
o Mr.. Brandes and tell him that |
rope he'll be able to prove everything
le says. We shall welcome an investi-
,ation at any time, and we shall well
ome the assistance of anyone who can
i'd us in any way"