Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-08
RAILROAD HEADS
LEAVE OUT MELLEk
Grand Trunk Dominates Confer
ence to Raise $4,000, 900 for
New England Extension.

bostoH, May 1.-The premacy On
President Charles S. Nellen of the New
Haven as car of New Englands rail.
ways was seriously threatened yesterday
by a gathering Of independent railroad
chiefs al the Touraine
This gathering, at time when tn.
astonishing revelations at the Interstate
commerce commission probe have led ia
a wide demand for change in New
Haven management, was taken last
night as a forecast Of the possible GUST
ing OF President Mellen from his control
of the railroad destinies OF New Eng
land.
1t was planning an invasion Of the
New Haven's domains by sea as we'll
as by land
In the most significant railroad con-
ference held in Boston In years the
Grand Trunk heads and President Percy
Ryerson Todd Of the Bangor & Aroos-
took turned their backs on the domina-
tor Of the New Haven and laid plans
for an immediate driving through Of thu
Canadian road TO this city and Provl-
dence.
New England will furnish the money
to build our road We have not seen
Mr.. Melen and we don't expect to see
him"
This was the statement Of Cy Warman
Of the Grand Trunk which in a breath
upset the whole New England railroad
situation.
A meeting like yesterdays to settle the
fate of transportation from Maine to
Rhode Island with Charles s. Melen
calmly left out in the cold, is without
precedent since the New Haven first Sc.
its grip on its promised land"
Arrangements" with the New Haven,
so prominently explained when the build
ing Of the Grand Trunk was stopped, were
showed in the background at the confer.
ence, it is said.
The pushing ahead at once Of the Grand
Trunk was planned as II the New
Haven were simply non-existent
The great independent railroad confer.
ence included President Edison J. Cham
berlin OF the Grand Trunk, who cana
to Boston on that road s official car, Bona
venture, with Cy Warman and Vice-PresI-
dent NJ. NJ Reynolds Of the Grand Trunk
and Vice-Presldent George C. Jones OF tho
Central Vermont
In this city they were joined by
Vice President John S. Murdoch Of the
Southern New England, Director E. c.
Smith of the Central Vermont and
President Todd of the Bangor & Aroo-
stock. These men took part in the
conference, which was admitted by
some OF the officials to be OF vital i'm
portance.
Irl Na11 IN, ba
aine, but did not enter the conference.
According to Robert H. Newcomb OF
the New Haven he was too busy"
The failure Of the meeting to include
the New Haven chief caused a deep
sensation. in view of the well-known
friendship between him AMI President
Chamberlin which resulted in an amic-
able working agreement" between
their roads after years of hostility.
But this was explained when word
came from the conference that the Grand
Trunk was now going ahead on its own
| hook"
plans for the financing OF the Grand
Trunk extension in New England have
| taken definite shape" announced War
man. The money will be raised in New
England"
| Warman stated that the first purpose
Of the conference was 10 devise means
of raising money to begin tho imme-
diate building OF the Grand Trunk Il
Providence. According to President
| Chamberlin. at the time work was sus-
pended $500 900 was needed to continue
This sum is now practically assured
New England capitalists of high stand
ing are understood to have come to tho
rescue If the independent road, though
their names were carefully hidden.