The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-24

room. which is left open for ten min
utes after the arrival of the train.
There is no one IN charge OF the bag
gage room, but the conductor has
been in the habit of procuring bag
gage for any passenger desiring it.
o. f. Reimer objected to Mr.. Sib-
leys testimony saying that he was
not in a position to know the condi-
tons that existed in regard to this
particular, and therefore was not com
petent to answer this question.
H. J. Cole was then sworn in as a
witness and corroborated the state
ment that it was impossible for
strangers coming in on the Gas train
from Troy, who did not know the
ropes" to get their baggage out Of
the station at night. He said he had
seen a great many cases when travel
ing men had come up town to find
out how they could procure their bag
gage and by the time they had returned
to the station, it had been locked up.
II had been his experience to have to
check his baggage on Saturday in or
der 10 have It 90 out on Sunday and
had never seen any notice to the eff
feet that il would be taken 20 North
Bennington and checked there.
William J. Hicks. farmer living a
mile and half from Bennington, tes-
titled that he rad occasion to come
TO the station on the 18th of July last
TO get trunk from the baggage
room. He said he happened to be
about 80 rods from the station when
the Gal train from Troy pulled in and
by the time lie got to the station, il
was locked.
The matter Of grade crossings was
then taken up and r. 4. Healy said
on behalf of the Vermont Company
/ that they believed they were taking
all necessary precautions at present
! for the protection of the travelling
| public The trolley car is ordered to
be brought to a stop at the Dewey
crossing and the conductor is sup
| posed TO look up and down the track
TO ascertain whether or not the steam
road is clear In the opinion of the
/ company. no other precautions could
/ be more effective Mr. Healy said, and
! II they were not being carried out
the company would be glad to hear
! of II.
f. w Lawrence read from the rec.
ords of the hearing before the public
service commission, April 10, 1910,
when Mr.. Healy was present as town
/ law agent and when an agreement
was made with the Rutland Railroad
/ Co. not to renew the petition for a
/ period of five years. If the company
would move the turn-table and place
for storing engines TO the present To-
cation
Mr. Healy denied that as a repre-
sentative OF the town or village he en-
tered into any agreement whereby
the village was precluded from pc
/ titioniug the company again within a
period of five years and said he was
merely unofficially looking out for the
interests of the citizens.
John f. Hackett and O. +. Reimer,
both spoke of the danger TO which the
public is exposed at the Dewey cross
ing and testified to the speed with
which the trains coming over the
Chatham division approach this
crossing Because of the buildings
on both sides OF the track south of
the crossing. it is impossible to see
train, and half the time. there is no
warning given. Mr. Reimer told of
an incident when he, himself, narrow.
ly escaped being killed, because there
was no warning that a train was an
preaching the crossing
II. J. Cole spoke of the feeling on
the part Of the citizens toward the
railroad company and the fact that
they felt that they had not been
fairly OF justly treated. which he said
was the reason for a great deal Of the
spirit that was evident yesterday az
ternoon.
Before adjourning until nine O'Clock
this morning. Mr.. Redmond suggest
ed that a conference between the rep
resentatises OF the people aud hte rail-
road officials last night might result
in some good and said he hoped such
a meeting might be held.