The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-07-13
RAILROAD MERGER
IS OPPOSED HERE
Shippers View Situation
, with Alarm in Light of
Known Facts
BELIEVE IT WOULD
KILL COMPETITION
Many Large Shippers Throughout State
Hold Same Views as Those in BrattIe-
boro--OOndition of Boston & Maine
Road Steadily Improving

D0r0-t0ndIfI0n OF Boston & Maine
Road Steadily Improving.
There is Il constantly increasing and
apparently widespread interest locally
in connection with the proposed consoli-
dation of the New England railroads
with the main trunk lines of the coun
try. Considerable opposition to the
plan has developed in Brattleboro as
well as in other localities throughout
the state, according to a statement made
today by Carl $. Hopkins, president of
the local Chamber of Commerce While
the Chamber of Commerce has not defin-
itely set its disapproval on the plan, it
is. nevertheless, against the merger at
the present time, pending a further and
thorough investigation
The facts of the case as il would af-
feet Brattleboro as well as other com
munities can best be depicted by the
work that has been done by the Chamber
OF Commerce in connection with the As
S0clated Industries of Vermont of
which L. A. Kelly Of Montpelier IS sec
retary. The local Chamber through Mr.
Hopkins for several weeks has been in
constant touch with Mr.. Kelly, who is
making thorough investigation of the
problem with the idea of determining
whether the merger is to be of benefit
OF not. Many of the large shippers
| throughout the state including a large
number here IN Brattlebor0, have been
intCrvieWed and the reports that have
been received from these shippers say
that they view the situation with alarm.
| The outstanding reason for this onposi-
| ton Is that the tying up with the trunk
! lines would instantly destroy COMPETE
ton: the trunk lines could re-arrange
schedules, cancel trains! and provide
poorer service in both freight and pas
senger departments in order to put the
New England roads on definite profit
making basis. The proposed merger, it
Is stated. would mean the elimination of
financial worries and troubles for the
| LEGAL railroads as the trunk lines are
sufficiently large and financially able to
take care Of any financial stringeney
+ that might occur in connection with the
/ operation of the roads in this section
| If the country This advantage. how
| ever, is outweighed by the loss of COM
| petition and the following facts that have
| just been called to local attention.
1t is authoritativeiy stated that the
! Boston & Maine railroad does not owe
any borrowed money to bankers or any
| one else except long term bond loans
made by the United States government.
4 There tare, however. outstanding bills
! against the Boston & Maine for sup
/ plies. etc. these bills aggregating be-
| tween S2.000000 and $4,000. 900. The
| federal government, it is learned, owes
! the Boston K Maine an amount equal
/ to or greater than these bills for sup
| plies. and it is understood that this
| amount from the federal government Is
soon to be paid. As soon as this amount
/ is received, the Boston a. Maine will find
| itself free of debt.
! Another interesting fact that has just
come to light is that the Boston & Maine
1 has paid up tc date its interest charges
On all bonds. In addition, the New Eng
land railroads are beginning to show an
! Improvement. as shown by statement
| Just issued by the Maine Central rail-
road, which states that its earnings for
| May 1922 ''Show a surplus above fixed
i charges of $4,000 as compared with a
| deficit of S164,000 for the month of May,
/ 1921. The same railroad reports that
/ business for the first three weeks of last
month shows continuation of this gain,
there being surplus for these three
| weeks as against a deficit of S112, 900
! for June, 1921"
All these facts, according to the Cham
her of Commerce. tend to strengthen the
opinion that it is possible for the Bos-
ton 4 Maine and the other New Eng
| land railroads to run along as they are
| without change.
The local Chamber of Commerce con-
| ours with the opinion as expressed by
! otHer Slmilar organizations throughout
! the state. that it seems unwise to become
! hysterical over the poverty of the rail-
roads here in New England, especially
| i'm the face of the improvement which ap-
pears to be manifest and in the face of
j the fact that the New England railroads
are to receive an increased proportion of
through rates as deereed by the Inter
state Commerce commission and are go
ing to cut the wages of quite a large
number of employees in accordance with
the recent ruling of the Labor Board
| Mr.. Kelly. in behalf of the Associated
! Industries of Vermont, has informed the
local Chamber that his investigation thus
far has resulted in the statewide opin-
ion that 'the proposed railroad consoli-
lation is a serious matter. and similar
| expressions are being heard from all
parts of New England. The greater
number of business men who have been
| interviewed in this matter are deeply
concerned. and while none of them have
come forward with definite program to
alleviate the situation, it is felt that it
| is a problem to be worked out through
sundry conferences by commissions ap-
pointed for the purpose.