Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-02-27

Montpelier. Feb. 25.-Waterways and
barge terminals, with special emphasis
upon the proposed Vermont barge ter
minal. were the subjects of discussion at
another public hearing held this evening
in Representatives hall before the COM
mittees on appropriations and commerce
and labor of both the House and Senate
Mr. Dwnell Of Newport city, chairman of
the House committee on commerce and
labor presided. The speakers. all of whom
favored the proposed terminal, represent
ed various manufacturing industries of
the State and the interests of the State
as a whole.
Among those who spoke were: Senator
Frank G. Rowland Of Barre, John G..
Booth of Barre, representing the granite
Manufacturers and Quarries; Alexander
Milne of Barre, representing the Manu-
facturers' association of Barre; James
Mckay. city clerk of Barre; Frank H..
Brooks of st. Johnsbury; Hugh j. NJ.
Jones of Montpelier and II. w. Gordon,
representing the tale interests of John
son; Senator Fl. w. Varnum of Jeffer-
sonville, Harry S. Howard Of Burlington,
formerly secretary of the Vermont barge
terminal commission, James Higgins of
the Barre Board of Trade, and r. NJ.
McCauley of Burlington.
MR.. McCAULEY OUTLINES PLAN
Mr.. McCauley, though the last
speaker to be heard. outlined the pos
sibilities of the Vermont barge ter
minal most completely, and answered
many questions concerning water trans
portation. In opening his remarks, he
said that he had just received a tele-
gram from Washington to the effect
that there should be no difficulty in
securing barges when the time came
that Vermont would need Them If this
terminal was built and that a large
number of barges are now being built
by private capital for next seasons
use. Much emphasis was laid by Mr..
McCauley on the fact that the boat
haul would be so much less than the
railroad haul. and that railroads must
reduce their freight rates to meet the
competition.
In the end it will be good thing
for the railroads. thinks Mr.. McCauley,
because they will share in the excess
business which will be handled in the
State.
Transportation" said Mr.. McCauley
us the largest selling commodity that
we have He maintained that Yer
mont barge terminal properly construct
ed and handled, would be self-sustain-
ing in every way.
BENEFIT TO GRANITE INDUSTRY
Senator Rowland called attention to
the benefit which such a barge terminal
would be to the granite industry of Barre
and Washington county as a whole recog
nized as the granite center Of New
England and the world. He maintained
that. had it not been for the manufac-
turing interests of the State. the popu-
lation of Vermont would be under 800, 900
to-day. Therefore, he argued. this
could not be labelled as class legisla-
ton. for the agricultural interests of the
state are dependent upon the manufac-
turing industries and what aids one aids
the other. Senator Rowland thought we
, ought to take advantage of the work done
in New York and other neighboring
States on their waterways.
Mr. Booth, Mr. Milne and Mr. Mckay
all spoke for the interests of Washing
ton county industries, but all maintained
that the barge terminal would mean
benefit to every town and hamlet i'm the
State. Mr.. Milne called attention to the
fact that every year 10000 tons of
granite are shipped from the State. He
said there is keen competition from
granite centers in the Middle West, be-
cause freight rates are so much higher
out OF Vermont that these western