The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-09
Barre Granite Railway Co. Petl-
TONERS Were Successful
NO OBJECTION WAS ENTERED
At the Close Of Hearing, Chairman Red
mond of Public Service Commis-
sion Announced That Certifi-
cate Would Be Issued.

At the close OF the hearing IN the CITY
court room yesterday afternoon before
Chairman John w Redmond of NEWPORT
and Commissioner S. Hollister Jackson
Of this city, members Of the Vermont
public service commission, E. III. Fitz-
hugh and twenty four others were prom
ised certificate calling for charter
for the Barre Granite Railway Go. to
the quarries. No one appeared to offer
objections, and on the other hand several
quarryowners and persons known to
have first hand knowledge OF the con
ditions were put on the stand to show
good reason why such line should be
built
Frank L. Place, a member and director
of the Barre Medium Granite Co. for
the past six years, said that he knew
OF attempts which quarryowners had
made TO have the Barre railroad increase
their facilities on the hill" He said
that he had made such applications per-
sonally and that he had made the same
request Of Central Vermont railroad
men. Mr.. Place believed that the pro-
posed line would increase the facilities
for handling immense quantities Of
stock. and that it would considerably
augment business for everyone. He also
mentioned the fact that the Barre rail-
road to his knowledge had increased the
rates from 25 cents to 80 cents. On the
stand later, Mr.. Place said that the line
would open hitherto unreached terri
tory measuring two miles in length and
varying from half mile to a mile
in width
A Barre granite manufacturer, w. H..
Harrison OF New York City, told the
commission that he operated cutting
plant in this city and that he was a
part owner of 40 acres of undeveloped
quarry land in the region to be reached
by the proposed road. He believed that
at least one-half and probably all OF the
land mentioned was available for quar-
rying purposes. During his testimony,
Mr.. Harrison said that some granite
fields could furnish stone desired at a
days notice, when four or five months
would be required TO obtain Barre
granite.
George L. Straiton, who is interested
in the George l.. Straiton Quarry Co. and
the Consolidated Quarry Co., and who
also conducts cutting plant in this
city. was among the quarryowners called
to the stand. He said that at least
three quarries in which he is interested
would be benefited by the contemplated
line. In describing the disadvantages
under which some OF the quarryowners
are now laboring, Mr., Straiton mentioned
difficulty and expense involved in haul
ing coal to the qusrries. The same in
convenience is experienced in obtaining
quarrying supplies. According to the
witness, railroad through that section
of the quarrying tract would save at
least $1,000 yearly. Mr.. Straiton as
serted that he had tried to persuade
the Barre railroad to extend its lines
for the past eight years, always with
out avail
James f. Higgins of this city. man
ager of the ID, NJ. Miles Coal company,
when Unexpectedly called on, told OF the
quantities of coal shipped to the quar-
ries and of the freight rates accompany
ing such shipments. As member of
the board of trade, Mr.. Higgins said he
understood that the directors and mem
bers OF the railroad committee of that
organization were in favor of the pro-
posed line or of additional transporta-
ton facilities.
Witnesses sworn in testifying up to
this time were questioned by Attorney
John w. Gordon for the petitioners.
At the request of Attorney r. A. Hoar,
also appearing for the petitioners, Will
~ Af Rar a
member of the ID. B. l.. Granite Co.,
took the stand and was questioned. Mr..
Mcdonald stated that there were only
meagre shipping facilities at East Barre
and believed that the conditions war
ranted an Improvement. AT the present
time. he stated, it was cheaper to trans
port stock by team than to ship it by
railroad He also believed that the pro-
posed line would be boon to lumber
men and livestock shippers in that vicin-
itv and to the surrounding towns. The
witness cited instances where manufac-
turing firms had moved to Barre because
of the difficulty encountered in shipping
their product. He said that where 200
men were formerly employed in the cut
ting industry at East Barre, only CD
now found work in the three companies
still doing business in that village.
States Attorney j. Ward Carver, who
represented the state at the hearing, did
not question the witnesses.
In summing up the case for the petit
TONERS, Attorney Gordon said that the
project before the commission was a
genuine undertaking and that when the
line was completed and put into opera
tion. il would undoubtedly become a
branch of the great Grand Trunk sys-
tenn stretching from ocean to ocean.
Chairman Redmond called attention to
the interest manifested by the large
attendance at the hearing and said that
the matter doubtless was one which
yitallv concerned a good many people.
He expressed surprise that representa-
tives of the other railroad owning a line
to the quarry had not been present to
make objections He said that railroad
competition in a community did not
always work for the best interests OF
the people, but that when it became evil
dent, as was the case at the hearing,
that one railroad was not sufficient.
authority should be given for the con-
struction of another. He said that if
evidence strong enough in opposition had
been presented, the petition might have
been denied. The chairman believed,