The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-22
General Feeling That Cars
Will Be Running for
Some Time
MUCH EQUIPMENT
RECENTLY BOUGHT
Steps to Secure Legislative Relief TAX
en- Through Boston Office of Twin
State Co.-Receivership Might In
volve Whole Concern.

Although the continuous falling off in
street railroad traffic in Brattleboro and
the two increases in fares had oeca-
stoned some speculation among local oh.
servers as TO what the outcome of the
street railroad enterprise in Brattleborc
might be, there was no general know
ledge that relief was to be sought
through legislative action until The Re
former published yesterday Montpel
Ter despatch concerning a hearing on
two bills affecting street railroads.
As stated yesterday one of these
bills would enable the public service
commission to authorize companies
operating street railways to discontinue
service thereon or dispose of the
property, and the other would enable
towns 80 voting to contribute TO the
cost of operation and fixed charges of
street railroads operating in such towns
1t has heen common knowledge that
the Brattleboro street railroad has not
been paying proposition. in fact il
has been stated number of times that
the receipts were not enough To pay the
operating expenses, but the fact thai
the company within year has put or
from $4,000 to $4,000 worth of new
| equipment has been taken as an indi-
cation that the company had no inten
tion of giving up the road.
| When asked hv a member of The
Reformer staff today as to the local
situation and the probable destiny of
| the street railroad Manager w H
Richardson of the local office of the
Twin State Gas & Electric Co.. which
owns the road said he could give little
| information relative to the matter fol
the reason that the action leading up t
the preparation of the bill bv a Brat
| tleboro law firm was taken at the head
Office in Boston without his knowledge
/ 1t IS the understanding among law
yers here that the public service com
mission, while it has power to require
the extension of street railroad line.
does not have the authority to allow tn,
ldiscontinuance of a street railroad. TIL,
usual method of bringing about dis
continuance is for the creditors ant
others concerned to apply for a re
ceivership, and in the ease of the TwiI
State Gas & Electric Co. this might in
. NOlNe Il itCtiS eISllH u lOE the NnOl
company, which naturally would no
be considered by it.
1 There has been sidewalk talk to tn
effect that the railroad has been mad
to share the burden of excessive capi
talization and charges which ought t
be taxed against other branches of TIN
company S business, but Manager Rich
ardson states that, laying aside alto
i. gether the question of capitalization
the road taken free from debt coul,
not be made to pay expenses. And a
to the idea that the road has bee
asked to bear an undue share of charge
Manager Richardson says that if ther
has been tendency one way or tn
other it has been to favor the road i
this respect.
Some persons have expressed them
selves as being willing to vote /
exempt the railroad from taxation. bu
until some definite proposition is pa
: up little can be said as to what til
5 town might be willing to do in the wa
of assistance other than tax exemption
: In any event, while there is alway
q possibility that the road may be di,
continued the public is not inclined /
believe that such a step will be take
Z for some time.