The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-12

Boston, April 12-Following the
message to the public by Gov. Foss,
outlining the 500, ooO, 900 improvements
offered by the New Haven road in re-
turn for permission to directly lease
the Boston & Maine, comes the an
nouncement now that very soon a bill
will be introduced into the legislature
permitting that lease upon certain
conditions. The bill will provide for
a lease of the Boston & Maine for
25 years at rate of per cent, which
may be varied later to six percent
on all outstanding stock.
The bill will precipitate one of the
greatest railroad fights in the his
tory Of Massachusetts, and those who
favor the plan to dissolve the Boston
Holding company and the granting
of the lease permission are confident
that the bill will be passed.
All of the features of the offer by
President Mellen, including the change
of name and the transfer of the gen.
eral offices of the allied lines to Bos-
ton may be relied upon as authentic.
Following is summary OF the bill
soon to be introduced:
Boston and Maine may be leased to
New Haven for a period Of rs years
at per cent, upon the outstanding
stock. After the tunnel shall have
been opened to operation and eIectri-
fed the rate may be increased to 8
per cent, but no higher rate shall be
paid except on the condition that an
amount equivalent to the rate above
per cent shall be paid into the
treasury Of the commonwealth.
After confirmation of the lease.
prominence shall be given to the
name New England Lines" using the
name on all its printed matter, paint
ing the same upon it's rolling stock,
Boston.
The commonwealth does not release
any rights to reduce rates, or prevent
discriminat and expressly reserves
the right to amend or repeal the
charters and franchises Of said rail-
roads.
The lease may be extended for an
other 25 years upon application to and
approval of the board Of public ser
vice commissioners, by which board
the original lease must be confirms
ed
Dissenting Boston and Maine stock
holders may petition the supreme ju-
diciaI court for a determination of the
value Of their stock.
The city Of Boston may construct
a highway 100 feet in width from
Summer street at it's intersection with
Dorchester avenue to Causeway street
at its intersection with Warren
bridge, and may provide for and
ruild Hereunder railroad tunnel
which shall connect the New Haven
-ailroad with the Boston and Maine
The city Of Boston may, as an alter
native, lay out and construct a rail-
Dad tunnel running under the city
IF Boston from q point near to the
intersection Of Summer street and
Dorchester avenue to a point near t.
the intersection Of Causeway street
and Warren bridge. The city may il
either case decide that the railroad
| tunnel shall be extended under Cause.
way street beneath the Charles river
| to some point within the boundaries
| of land owned by Boston & Maine IL
| Charlestown, and that a branch shall
| be built from some convenient poin
under the harbor to East Boston.
If such extension of the tunnel !.
| to be determined upon by the city, the
| Boston &. Maine is to remove tall o.
| it's present bridges across the Charlie.
river between the highway bridge
| between Boston and Charlestown anG
| the elevated viaduct between Bostor
and Cambridge. There may be con
| structed in their places a bridge no.
exceeding four tracks in width.
| The New Haven or the Boston
| Maine shall, in either case, make sucf
| approaches to said tunnels as shall b,
| necessary for the operation of &
| through connection by electrical trac
| ton between the two roads.
| If the city shall decide that it shall
enter upon no construction, then tn,