The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-09-09
POOR SERVICE
WAS DENIED
Continued from first page.)

Bros, told of Inconvenience attending
trip to Barre from his home.
Postmaster f. w. Bisbee testified
more in particular to the mail service,
Patrons of the Office had complained
of condition which compelled them to
mail letter in the early morning in
order to have it 90 out on a main lin.
train leaving Montpelier around o'clock.
/ Mr. Bisbee also referred to frequent
contingency when the mail messenger
had to get his mail from the freight
station steps, as the early morning train
| would be crowded with freight cars.
Passengers, he believed, had been obliged
to alight from the train at point north
of the station platform. He had been
informed that freight car was often
partially unloaded in Montpelier, the
passengers waiting the while, and that
the car was afterwards brought to
Barre.
Charles IT, Wishart, secretary Of the
Board of Trade and the Granite Manu-
| faeturers' association, was the next wit
ness and he told of trying to get bet
ter service for the organizations which
he represented. Correspondence which
passed between Mr.. Wfshart and the
railroad officials was introduced as evil
denee at this point. Asked as to how
he had suggested better service to the
road, Mr. Wishart said he had suggest
ed that the connections in the morning
be made at the Junction instead of
Montpelier. Mr.. Wishart believed that
the small traffic in passengers was
brought about in a measure by the poor
~ ~ cf thn Hrr,
OF Moore & Owens, corroborated evil
dence given by the postmaster as well
as testimony relative to long waits.
Railroad Makes Defense.
The petitioners having rested their
case, Mr.. Hanley took the stand and
sought to refute evidence previously in
troduced. The morning train leaving
Barre at S:l5 arrived in Montpelier at
s:34. he said, and left for the north az
$40. Good connections, he thought.
From the prayer of the petitioners he
concluded that the petition could not be
granted unless main line trains were
to be taken to Montpelier, move which
in his opinion would affect thousands Of
people from all over the state whose
business calls them 20 Montpelier. He
couldn't see the wisdom OF running two
trains to Montpelier in the morning
within IL minutes of each other. The
MONDAY service was an improvement
over the old arrangement. he thought,
as excellent connections for Troy and
Albany. n. Y, and Richford could be
made. At the present time, he testified,
the road is running nine trains into
Barre and five main line trains are COM
ing into Montpelier. Fares between the
two cities are lower than on any other
six miles on the entire system, he tes-
titled. Mr.. Hanley produced figures to
show the income and passengers lists
from Aug. III to Sept. 9. The trains
did not make a profit of Is cents per
mile, he testified, and for every % cents
profit the road has to spend a dollar.
Cross examined as to whether he
thought better service would increase
business, witness replied in the negative.
To a question relating to the l0c fare,
witness admitted that the low fare was
due to the electric and steam road run
ming parallel to the c. V. road. Mr..
Hanley said he didn't know much about
the branch's freight earnings, in reply
to a question from Attorney jackson.
AllPb, WINE tthLll tnBt Ihl. iAAhtcg "
marked that the road would like to get
out of the passenger business in Barre,
or words to that effect. When ques-
toned by Mr.. Phelps as to why the road
didn't obey the inclination, the witness
qualified his statement TO a certain ex-
tent.
S. S. Russell, the transportation agent,
said he had tried to plan schedule
that would please everybody. The vice
president and president, who is a YER
mont boy himself, the witness said had
been with him in that desire. He offered
to cut off the freight cars from the early
trains If the merchants of Barre would
be willing to have them reach the city
at noon AS for the frequent delays on
the early morning train, Mr. Russell said
they could be eliminated to large ex-
tent. as it wasn't necessary for the
crew to spend so much time shifting at
Montpelier while on the way to Barre.
Much of the delay, however, as he
thought, was due to delays on the main
line and counsel for both sides agreed
that table showing the arrival of the
train at Montpelier Junction at Barre
should be forwarded to the commission
and considered as evidence.
With reference to the time between
Montpelier and Barre, witness testified
that from two and one-half to three
miles of the six between the cities were
within the yard limits of the two cities.
The trains were accustomed to 60 slow
" through the yards. Then there were
other stops and crossings where the
trains slowed down. He didn't think the
time could be shortened materially with
out introducing an element OF danger.
nrond CnII cnn}iunI