The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-03-24
NEW HAVEN WILL
USE MILLIONS IN
IMPROVEMENTS
Rutland Road Included in Short
Line to Montreal
GRAND TRUNK FIGHTING
Two Big Systems in Struggle For
Wheat Business Out of Canadian
Northwest.
GRAND TRUNK FIGHTING

Below is published an extract from
a page article in yesterdays New
York Herald dealing with proposed
railroad improvements in New Eng
land by the two big systems, the New
Haven and the Grand Trunk That
portion of the article which has a
bearing upon the proposed through
line in which the Rutland railroad is
part is naturally of the most inter-
est to residents of this section and is
reproduced as follows:
Great changes have been wrought
in the railroad map of New England
in the last decade, but the next five
years will witness surprisingly
striking transformation. To go di-
rect to the gist of the railroad situa-
ton in the compact commercial land
on the Eastern rim of the continent,
New England is about to be brought
into proximity with the well nigh
illimitable grain fields of the Cana
dian Northwest through the compile
ton of a band of steel 5000 miles
long, which the Grand Trunk Rail-
road, aided by the Canadian govern
ment, is building across the contin-
ent from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
And New England, through the in
strumentality of its railroads and its
fine harbors, purposes to take ad-
vantage of the golden opportunity
thus presented for enhancing its com
mercial greatness and for enriching
itself with the mama of traffic
ssFTnHau ho railroads and nnrtg nf
New England are not in position to
handle more than small fraction OF
the vast traffic which will flow near
its Northern gates when the last
spike has been driven in the great
transcontinental line of the Grand
Trunk. With the $150,000,00O which
has been poured out for improve
ments and extensions of the lines of
the New York, New Haven and Hart
ford Railroad, the dominating trans
portation power of New England
since Charles Sanger Mellen became
its titular head ten years ago, the
system still requires tuning up
with many millions more to acquire
the capacity for DETECTING from Can
adian ports an integral portion of the
enormous grain shipments of Alder
ia.
That tuning up the New Haven
system is to have. Projects involv-
ing the expenditure of more than S25,
100000 are in immediate prospect,
and they are only the beginnings of
remoter enterprises entailing the
outlay of as many millions more.
The New Haven system is within
striking distance of the goal of a
colossal traffic which will dwarf it's
present actually stupendous ship
ments of freight, and it is going to
strike.
THE fruits of the conquest which
New England expects to make of
Canada's boundless grain fields will
not be reaped entirely by the New
Haven road, however AS result
of the drive of the government
against the proposed practical ABSORB
ton b ythe New Haven of the Grand
Trunks New England system these
two roads will be brought into active
competition for the traffic which will
overflow from Canada and seek out
lets on the southeastern seaboard of
.Nth iit ADOoAOh anu ~
bany and the Rutland railroads, sub
sidiary lines of the New York Cen
trail in New England, with which the
New Haven has traffic agreements.
also will profit by New England's
strong bid for Canadian freight.
The Grand Trunk at present has
an advantage over the New Haven in
the bid for Canadian traffic in its d.
rect line to Montreal. The Grand
Trunk operates the Central Vermont
from New London to st. Adams, Vt.
and thence its own line to Montreal.
1t already has direct connection at
Quebec with its new route from
Prime Rupert, on the Pacific. to Hall
fax. on the Atlantic, and it has pro-
jected three other connecting lines
between Montreal and Ottawa.
But the New Haven will overcome
this advantage in the next three
years. Improvements at New Haven.
including a new passenger station
there to cost s1,6O0.0O0 and entailing
total outlay of S6,OOO0OO, already
have been begun. Double tracking
from Naugatuck Junction, on the
Sound. up the Housatonic River to
New Milford will be completed with
in a year. At Brookfield Junction.
just below New Milford, a new route
from New York city will join the line
from New London. New Haven and
Naugatuck Junction. This new route
which is known as the New York.
Westchester and Boston road. al
ready has been built from New York
city to White Plains. n. Y. The pro-
jected extension from White Plains
to Danbury. Conn. and Brookfeld
Junction is held up pening the ap-
prevail Of the New York Public Ser
vice Commission concerning the
method Of financing it. but it is said
that | viii not be delayed long. From
New Milford the Berkshire division
Of the New Haven will be. straighten
ed TO Pittsheld, Mass. by the elimina-
ton Of the head racking curves
which now make travel over Il not
unlike rolling in a heavy sea
Thus the New Haven viii have a
shorter route 10 Montreal from New
York city on the west and from New
London and New Haven on the east
On each an hour In the running