Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-02
Burlington Merchants Protective
Association Prefers the Pres
ent Divided Ownership.
MEMBERS GET NEW LIGHT
General Impression Is That Sign
ers of a Recent Petition Act
ed under a Misappre-
hension.

represented at special meeting OF the
Merchants Protective association. went
on record Tuesday afternoon as opposed
to the contemplated sale of stock IN the
Rutland railroad which would transfer
control Of that line from the hands OF the
New York central to those OF the New
York. New Haven & Hartford. and Smith
Y. Henry was appointed TO represent the
association at the coming hearing BEFORE
the New York state public service COM
mission at Albany.
The text Of the resolutions adopted,
which were presented by j. ). Patrck'
arc as follows:
Whereas. The New York Central Rail-
road company have requested permission
of the public service commission OF New
York to dispose Of Its holdings In the
Rutland Railroad company. to the New
York. New Haven G. Hartford Railroad
Co. and
Whereas. The Rutland Railroad COM
pany through its various officials. have
interviewed the business men OF Burling-
ton for an expression Of opinion regard
ing said transfer; II Is
Resolved, That the Burlington Protective
association. comprising the business in
terests OF this city. place on record Its
dsa pproval Of such transfer of stock. be-
leving that the interests Of the business
and travelling public along the line Of the
Rutland road will be better conserved
through ownership of the Rutland by the
New York Central, through better freight
and tariff arrangements with Albany,
New York and the west, then would be
probable under control of the New Haven.
VOTE WAC T-NANIMOIYS
The word "probable' in the last clause
was substituted for possible" tho
original reading. upon motion for amend
ment offered by Treasurer r. A Cooke
Of the Queen City cotton mill The vote
upon the resolutions was unanimous.
W. w. Wheeler of Malone. n. Y. a
well-known lumber dealer who operates
in this section. was present at the meet
ing. and spoke emphatically against the
| proposed sale of Rutland stock. He
| characterized the New Haven manage
ment as arbitrary, given to over-charges.
and unpopular in the territory which II
serves. He went into his own experiences
with the New Haven. giving detailed
statements OF excess charges which had
been made. and which had been corrected
only after long delay and much cor
respondence.
e. T. Smith. who explained that he
| spoke. not as director of the Central
Vermont railway. but merely as n citizen
Of Burlngion. was strongly opposed 10
the idea of New Haven control of the
| Rutland. 1T has been my experience.
said he. that town served by competing
lines OF railroad gets better treatment
than in cases where one line has a
monopoly I prefer to soc the city OF
Burlington n matter OF interest 10 three
lines. the Grand Trunk. the New York
Central and the New Haven, as at present.
Never before have We enjoyed tie ad.
vantages Of so much competition among
roads as do now. I should oppose com
rlcte control OF the Rutland by either the
New Haven or the New York Central
Mr Smith related the story Of the way
In which the late Lawrence Barnes was
persuaded 10 cast his vote honestly In
favor of the leasing OF the Rutland
to the Central Vermont for term OF
20 years. and added that Mr.. Barnes lived
to realize that he had made mistake
in believing that elimination OF com.
petition would benefit the city Of Bur.
| lington.
PETITION PASSED QUIETLY
A. o. Ferguson also spoke IN opposition
to the transfer OF the Rutland to New
Haven ownership He said that whereve,
the New York. New Haven Il Hartford
operates without competition It Is un
popular with the travelling and shipping
public.
One factor which appears to have had
an influence In arousing opposition &c
.
is the petition which was circulated here
some weeks ago favoring the deal. This
paper is said to have originated with
counsel for the Rutland railroad. II was
sent 10 ,le local attorney for the Rutland
who. with other burlington men. gave II
quiet circulation about town. and the
fact Of It's existence didn't get much
publicity until after It had been returned
to Its authors. The impression Is curren,
that the signers acted under mis-
apprehension.
II is understood that the !,timation wa.
made, In connection with the request tc
sign the petition, that unless the SALE
should he granted the through train serv
ice between Boston and Montreal and
New York and Montreal might be dscon
tinued. On the other hand IL wa.
I'''''"''' ''"l u we SAFE SNOulu ne maze
the Rutland railroad would he double
tracked and New York Central mileage
would he good into Boston, as well a.
into New York For this reason tn,
proposition met with the favor of tn,
commercial travellers. Shippers Of freigh
to New York. and the consignees of mer
chandise coming from that city to Bur
linston are in general opposed to tn,
sale OF the Rutland. fearing that a ris,
In rates and less satisfactory servic,
with New York will result
feeling is apparent among the loca
merchants that there is something behint
the deal, because otherwise the railroad.
would not be forced to such means TO &c,
their petition through Some 90 ever
further ana declare that a certain loca
element Is behind the effort to pu
through the sale, mentioning In this con
lurrtiop the liauOr iptpraSts