The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-11
$Io0,000,000 PRICE
OF RAILROAD LEASE
THE NEW HAVEN MUST SPEND
THIS SUM, SAYS GOV. FOSS, IF
1T TAKES OVER THE BOS-
TON & MAINE.
ASKS FOR PUBLIC'S VERDICT
His Plan Includes the Control of the
Roads BY Strong Public
Service Board.

Boston, April 11-One Of the great.
est railroad moves in the history Of
New England and one which directly
affects New Haven and Connecticut
was outlined in message to the
public" as he calls 1t, by Governor
Eugene N. Foss. last night, following
many conferences with President
Charles S. Mellen of the New Haver
road.
In the message" the governor prac.
tically says that the New Haven road
has agreed to do the following things
In return for permission by the state
to lease directly the Boston and
Maine road:
Spend $10O, 000, 600 in Improvement
in and near Boston.
Connect the tracks Of the Boston
& Maine and New Haven roads.
Build a four track tunnel under
Boston from the North Station to the
South Station.
Transfer the general offices of the
combined roads from New Haven tc
Boston.
Drop the names New York, New
Haven and Hartford and Boston &
Maine and adopt that of 1.-THE New
England Lines"
The governor suggests that the
state create a public service commits
sion before any of these things are
done and ask for public discussion on
the matter SO that the legislature may
know the public feeling.
Opposition To Lease.
The New Haven road has, ever since
it's acquisitions Of the stock Of the
Boston & Maine road met with oppo-
sition in Massachusetts,. It was only
after years of fighting and some sub
terfuges that the Boston Holding COM
pany was authorized by the legisla-
ture Of Massachusetts,. That company
holds the stock of the Boston &
Maine road owned by the New Ha-
ven road and thus the Boston &
Maine remains directly under the SUI
pervision Of the Bay State.
The state authorities would not lis
ten to any proposition which meant
either a direct lease or an absorption
of the Boston & Maine by the New
Haven and all efforts to that end
have met with disaster. Not only
that but legislative committee re-
ported in favor of allowing the Grand
short time after the New Haven had
secured practical control OF the Bos-
ton & Albany.
It is understood here that Presi-
dent Mellen has been at work in his
conferences with Gov. Foss to find
some basis Of compromise upon which
the road could get its direct lease OF
the Boston & Maine and thus dt
away with the Boston Holding com.
pany. There is now federal action
looking to the dissolution Of all hold
ing companies.
From his message it is apparent
that Gov. F'oss has secured Mr.. Mel
lens promise to do the things men,
toned above in return for the direct
IN
sage does not say that the New Ha-
ven road president has agreed to
change the name of the roads or to
transfer the offices here. the belief
is that these things are as much d
part Of the understanding as the 9th
ers. -
Governors Statement.
In part the statement says: .'The
transportation problems of this state
situation. Our freight and passenger
service is VIGOROUSLY poor; and we
are at a disadvantage as compared
with other commercial districts and
other Atlantic ports. Public service
on the Boston & Maine, in particular
has practically broken down. The
state exercises no real power of su.
pervision and control over the rail-
roads.
"In my own experience as a manu-
facturer, longer time is required
to deliver car loads of freight from
Hyde park to Lowell than from Hyde
park to Chicago, because of the cir
cuitous routes and junction delays.
'.As a first step toward better con-
ditions. have asked the legislature
to create a public service commission
with broad powers of regulation and
control over the railroads and other
public services And now, because
the railroad situation is SO urgent,
have decided to go direct to the peo-
sion Of popular sentiment on the fol-
lowing questions:
Questions Submitted.
"If the legislature creates a power
full public service commission to con-
troll our railroad service, then are the
people ready to permit the New Ha-
ven road to lease the Boston & Maine
on the condition that they expend
one hundred million dollars in the
actual connection of the tracks on
the north and south OF Boston, max
ing a four track tunnel under Bos-
ton for that purpose, electrifying all
their combined trackage within the
Metropolitan area and bringing the
whole system up to the highest stand
ard of efficiency?
mo such lease ought to be grant
ed unless the SLdCS llISL dSS0ILS LIE
power of regulation and creates q
commission powerful enough to en-
force it.
IT think the designations New
York. New Haven and Hartford and
Boston and Maine should be aban-
doned, and the name New England
Lines substituted; that this new cor
poration should maintain general Of
fees in Boston and that all new Sc
curities must be offered for public
sale in Boston on as favorable terms
as in New York.
II hope this railroad problem will
receive wide and immediate discus
sion, so that I may place before the
legislature some measure expressing
the wishes of the people Of the state.
Dora, you are sixteen and can't spell
your name correctly"
ooh, that's all right. mother. ex-
pect to change 1t in a year or so.''-
From Judge.