The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-14
PRESIDENT HUsT1s SPEAKS.

President Hustis of the Boston &
Maine railroad was the next spea ker
and gave his idea of the causes of the
present financial troubles of that rail-
road system and made some sugges-
tions for the alfevihtiqn of those trou
bles. It was a thoroughly Interesting
address. -
President Hustis began his remarks
by quoting from an address bv Theo-
dore n. Vail made two years ago be
fore the Merchants club of Boston,
when he said: by some system or in
some way must unified efficient rail
road system be maintained. 1t is nee
essary to New England as q whole
Mr.. Hustis then mentioned the objects
of the association, namely. to develop
the naural resources of the state. to
foster its industrial and commercial in
terests, and to promote the common
welfare of its citizens. None Of these
objects can be fully realized without
good transportation facilities, aud all
can be better realized by q system of
transportation such as Mr.. Vail sue
gests.
The speaker said it would be inter
esting to a Vermont audience to know
/
snmpsie Rivers, the Vermont Valley
the Montpelier & Wells River, and the
Barre & Chelsea railroads have come
into the Boston & Maine system near
" $3,000,000 have been spent for addi
lions and Improvements in Vermont
and an additional ST S00,000 for the
extension of the Vermont Valley rail
road in New Hampshire, which, as YOU
know is an extension of the Connect
cut River road and in reality serves
Vermont rather than New Hamp
shire. - He then mentioned the ex-
tension and improvement of the pas
senger service by the introduction of
through sleeping car or train service
between various cities and towns, in
Guiding Brattleboro to New York,
which is of benefit to this state. He
said the Boston & Maine spent $780,,
/ 900 year in advertising, and added:
| q But my Judgment is that much more
can be done if bodies such as yours
will Join with the railroad in a con
centrated and scientific campaign of
this character. He thought a New
England publicity campaign would be
more effective than if attempted by
the railroads or by commercial organi-
cations of the several states separate
l1y.
Lack of Sustenance.
| .Of what value is the railroad to
the development of your Objects Well,
| the Boston & Maine system, steam
| and electric electric mileage being
| but SOY, has a total mileage of 1888
miles, and of this BID miles are in the
| state of Vermont. The road has a
capitalization of upwards of 100000
LOCO It's gross income for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1913 (the largest
in the history of the company. was
$50, 100000 - The speaker showed how
the income was distributed, wages,
fuel, rails. taxes ETC., eating up all but
nine -tenths of one mill out of each
dollar, leaving practically nothing for
dividends and nothing for surplus. He
gave figures which showed that for the
! last fiscal year, reduced to a daily
basis, % trains were run--14 each way
ON each mile of road
"The present and pressing problems
of the railroads. Mr.. Hustis said
| are lack of sustenance. In the case
| of the Boston Maine the situation
| in this respect is particularly acute.
Personally I feel that the real situa-
| tion has to a large extent been lost
/ sight of in the criticisms of the man
agement and methods, due to the at
tempt to consolidate he steam franc
portation of New England under one
control There is no doubt that for a