The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-28
RuMoRsp RAILROADS
Central Vermont and Boston & Maine
Clash May Continue.


The Burlington Free Press cores
pendent at the state capitol had the
following in Saturdays issue of that
paper:
Montpelier, Oct 25.-Important
railroad legislation will be asked for
at some time during the present ses-
sion, and important interests will be
involved If present plans are follow
ed the first move will not be made un-
til late NTH session, and 1t Is bop
tile late in the session, and 1t Ia hop
ed to avoid any long controversy
such as occupied the time of the Leg
islature of 1910.
1T has been known for some time
by those who keep in touch with rail-
road matters that the Boston &
Maine was DESTROYS of developing
and extending it's interests in Yer
mont. The first move was the pur-
chase of the Montpelier & Wells Riv-
er road This is valuable property,
paying good dividends, and connect
ing at it's southern terminus with the
Boston & Maine.
1.-The next move will be to ask the
Legislature for a charter to build a
road from Montpelier to Burlington.
Such an extension would give a
connection with the Rutland road,
now in friendly hands, and would
give the Boston & Maine interests a
sort of belt line about desirable
section of Vermont, and would give
it, with the st. Johnsbury & Lake
Champlain, a greater mileage in Yer
mont than any other system.
1T has been reported that the Bos-
ton & Maine has secured control of
the Mount Mansfield electric railway
running from Waterbury to Stowe,
intending to convert it into steam
road and extend it to Morrisville,
where it would connect with the st.
Johnsbury & Lake Champlain. Then,
by building from Montpelier to Water
bury, the Boston & Maine would con
meet it by the Montpelier & Wells Riv
err branch with it's own lines at each
end.
This report, however, appears to
be unfounded There is no know
ledge that control of the electric road
has been thus acquired, but it is quite
possible that some interests have Sc
cured an agreement by which control
may be transferred when desired.
THE extension of the electric line
from Stowe to Morrisville would be
an easy and inexpensive matter. The
country between the two places is
practically level, and the difference in
elevation of Morrisyille and Stowe is
only few feet.
1.-THE survey of the route from
Montpelier to Burlington has been
made and the plans for the new line
completed. These have not been re
vealed to any but those directly con
cerned, but it can safely be said that
| in a general way the proposed line
will parallel the tracks of the Cen
trail Vermont. The physical configu
ration of the country makes this al
most necessity.
Naturally, such a move would not
be looked upon pleasantly by the Cen
trail Vermont interests. 1t is regard
therefore, that Mr. Fitzhugh intends
to go over the proposed line between
Waterbury and North Troy next week
For some years there has been an
agitation among the people in that
section for a railroad reaching into
the northern part of the State. There
are tale and asbestos mines to be
reached which would be developed tC
larger productivity is transporta
ton were made cheaper and easier
and valuable stands of timber thai
might profitably be cut and hauled.
Various proposals for tapping this
cuntry with a railroad have beer
made in recent years. The schemes
include a railroad from Montpelier t
| Newport, a line from Morrisville u
North Troy, a short line running
north from Johnson and Eden, anC
the line from Waterbury to Nortl
Troy
THE people along the proposed lin,
believe they can furnish enough bust
ness to make the line profitable
What view the railroad people will
take of it can be better told after Mr.
Fitzhugh makes his tour of inspec
ton
1T may be that the Central Yer
| mont has no serious intention O
building such a line, and is coquet
ting with the people in that section
to acquire handy club to use agains
the Boston & Maine. II is eviden
that IL the Central Vermont should
build a line through Waterbury