The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-20
'W|CKERSHAM
HAS PAPERS
He Secures Text of MelIen's
Agreement
POSSIBILITY SECRET PLANS
Taft Hears from Massachusetts, and
Rhode Island-The Pujo Commit
tee to Find Out About
j. P. Morgan.

Washington, Nov. 20.--Attorney-Gen'
eral Wickersham has been supplied Will
copy of the agreement executed by
President Mellen of the New Haven rail
road to make certain traffic arrange.
mcnts with the Grand Trunk in New
England, which agreement is alleged to
have caused the cessation of work upon
the proposed Southern New England
Railroad. Whether this agreement COW
ers tAa whole ground or whether Sc
cret agreement exists whereby the Grand
Trunk will be reimbursed by the New
Haven for its outlay il matter which
remains to be investigated.
The Puio committee of the House of
Representatives will. be urged to make
an investigation of the New Haven.
Grand Trunk situation to learn whether
the New Haven, acting through J. +.
Morgan & Co. or any other great finan-
cial interest, so embarrassed the credit
OF the Grand Trunk with British finan-
ciers as to cause the Grand Trunk Off
Gals to cease their building operations
in New England.
Chairman Fred j. Macleod and George
w. Bishop of the Massachusetts rail-
road commission and Chairman William
C. Bliss and Chief Engineer Ewell of
the Rhode Island railroad commission
are in Washington today. The railroad
commission had a short talk with Presi-
dent Taft just before the cabinet meet
ing and We're then referred to Attorney
General Wickersham, with whom they
made an appointment for late afternoon.
The New England officials named will
confer also with members of the inter
state commerce commission and prob
ably with Chairman Pujo of the sub
committee on banking and currency,
which is conducting the money trust
inquiry.
These are the latest developments in
the tangled railroad situation which has
New England by the ears and has placed
the New Haven management on the de-
fensive at the psychological moment when
the ninth serious accident to its trains
has occurred within seventeen months.
The Rhode Island officials regard the
cessation of work on the Southern New
England as complete and believe it to
have been caused directly by proposed
traffic agreement between the New Ha-
ven and Grand Trunk, only the barest
outlines of which are known to them.
All the rails, ties and other parapher-
MALTA Of railroad construction which the |
Grand Grunk had brought to Palmer
nave been shipped back to st. Adams. |
Vt, and stored in three mile yards.
said Chairman Bliss today. Even the |
with which the division SUI
was supplied for use on the !
construction work has been Grated up
md sent back Everything indicates |
hat the Grand Trunk has no intention
II building another foot of railway in
Sew England and that the terms Of.
cred by President Mellen TO President
'hamberlin of the Grand Trunk are such
hat the latter in due time will accept
hem"
The proposed agreement, is is under
TODD has been executed on the part of
he New Haven by President Mellen,
nut not vet accepted by the Grand
'runk, partly because of the absence
+ Vice President DaIrymple and partly
ecause President Chamberlin is not
ute satisfied with the terms covering
he Portland terminal and its APP
reaches. The agreement is to run for
wenty five years and provides for traf.
c rights for the Grand Trunk and for
greed rates from New London to White
liver Junction. but does not take care
: the strip from Palmer to Providence.
he line from New London to Brattle-
ORC, known as the New London &
Iorthern, and the extensions from Brat
Ieboro to Windsor and from Windsor
. White River Junction, operated under ,
nnual agreement between the Central !
ermont and the Boston & Maine, con-
.itute the through route over which the
rand Trunk will be given the rights
seeks. The New Haven will be given
ltrance also into Montreal. Competi-
on of the Grand Trunk with the Boston ,
Maine in New Haven territory will
9 permitted.