The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-12-03
FUND TO FIGHT
GRAND TRUNK
g. S. Mellen Spent $4,000 to
"Show Up Canadian
Line
BOUGHT SEVERAL
OUTRIGHT" FARMS
New Haven Battled to Keep
Grade Cross
ings

New York, Dec 3,--Resuming the wit
!. ness stand yesterday in United States
r district court, Charles S. Mellen, expires
> ident of the New York, New Haven &
Hartford Railroad company, continued tc
tell the jury about the efforts Of the
! Grand Trunk Of Canada to reach New
: York and Of the New Ravens efforts to
protect itself against unnecessary expen-
diture. All of the ii directors of the
New Haven charged with the misdemean-
or of trying to monopolizc New England
traffic were in court.
Mr. Mellen stated that he had spent
$4,000 to inquire into the workings of
the Grand Trunk. and to make public in
Canadian papers the Grand Trunks eff
forts to get a footing in the United
States He did this, he said, because he
wanted the Canadian people to know
that the Grand Trunk, subsidized by the
Dominion to develop its Northwest, was
using the money to acquire extensions in
the United States
Questioned by Il. l.. Bats Of counsel
| for the government as to why he had
opposed the Grand Trunks entrance
into Providence, r. IT, Mr.. Mellen said
Il did not oppose the entry of the
Grand Trunk into Providence, but | did
20 before the Rhode Island legislature
and oppose the charter of that company
in the form in which it was drafted.
That charter would have compelled the
Grand Trunk TO have no grade crossings
in Providence Inversely, it would have
compelled the New Haven TO remove all
Of its grade crossings, costly proceed
ing.
Later Mr.. Bats asked Mr.. Mellen:
"Why did you buy that farm near
Sturbridge, Mass. -
$50 that | might pleasantly spend my
declining years tlaughterl. 1t was r
perpendicular farm Imore laughter; al
kind of gap which thought might some |
day be of value 10 any railroad which |
sought to go that way"
"And that's where you intended TO |
spend your declining yearsi''
Certainly, the farm being perpendic
ular or sloping, all years spent upon il
would have been my declining years
Mr.. Mellen explained that that was
not the only farm he had bought.
Mr. Mellen was asked how many
farms he now owned, and he said:
After J retired from the presidency of
the New Haven, sold to the road all of
my farms of that character meaning
farms of strategic valuel. The only farm
| now own is one on which raise goats
at Stockbridge, Mass. That the New
Haven cannot have
The fact that Mr. Mellen had sold his
farm to the Grand Trunk
line for twice its cost was disclosed in
letters and documentary evidence read
BY Mr.. Bats. These documents evinced
that the New Haven az one time began
10 build line between Southbridge and
Palmer TO parallel the Grand Trunks
line. Then both roads ap-
ilied to the Massachusetts government
or Certificates of exigency' In that
ontest the Grand Trunk was successful
30 as the New Haven did not have any
more use for its intended line TO parallel
he Grand Trunk, the Grand Tuink be.
IAN 70 grade for its road. The Grand
Trunk even graded a roadbcd through
,lr. Mellen's farm.
Il was because the Grand Trunk never
Ia finish is new line, but continued 10
Sc the Central Vermont, which il con.
rolled, that charges against the New
lavcn directors were brought
In the course Of his examination Of Mr.
iellen, Mr.. Bats produced some letters
howing that the president Of the New
laven had been making q great deal Of
lquiry about the status Of the Grand
'runk. Tho document showed that Mr.
lelen had spent several thousand dol.
irs acquiring information"
why did YOU have 20 acquire infor.
lation about the activities II the Grand
runk, Canadian lineg" asked Mr.
ats.
"As president Of road through whose
atural territory q foreign road oontem-
lated building, / thought IL my duty
ascertain whether the Grand Trunk
AZ IN a position % keep lie promises 90
70 people Of the New England states
cost me a lot of money 70 get the
formation. ] think my total bills for
az purpose amounted 10 $1,000"
y bad i published 81 the time. not
~ IN the United States. bit also In
lnsaa. You see. ] found out that one
TIE conditions on which the Grand
-unk vas receiving subsidiaries from
p Canadian Fuverumeut-fOr which the
Iuadians were being taNed-uas that
p moray vas 10 b. expended fer build
= railroads in Canada - net n the
nited states. % ~ disserr iuatina in-
rrnatidn % the Canadians thruueh
cir newspapers about she activities 81
? Grand Trunk En- this eountrv.
uurht ] vac performing q useful pub
- -
ard Trunk for tie purpose If huiidina
is great Northwest and 6ia nat o.
ud that - fuDds Should ~ msaa FL
ere there weTe plenty