The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-27
A CHANGE IN RELATIONS
(Hartford Tincs)

A dispatch from Belchertown, Massachusetts, states that trains on the Boston & Maine railroad pass ing through that town are to run over the Central Vermont tracks, a stretch of Boston X Maine track . age being abandoned. The change Is made in the interests of econ omy, as the move will obviate the necessity of caring for some miles of track besides which 1t will do away with five grade crossings. thus enabling the railroad to meet the requirement of the interstate | commerce commisson that all Class 1 railroads eliminate grade crossings at the rate of four a year.
 As a move towards economy of road operation. the announcement is interesting. It Is even more in- tcresting when one thinks that If a similar spirit of cooperation had been exhibited some years ago both the Central Vermont, or at least the Grand Trunk, its then owner, and the Boston & Maine would each have been saved a great deal of money and considerable trouble would have been avoided by the New Haven road. The president of the latter road, Charles S. Mellen, migh also have been spared the ignominy of an indictment. Back in those days, the New Haven acquired control of the Boston & Maine in the process of unifying transportation facilities in New England. In southeastern Vermont the Boston & Maine was obliged to operate its trains over q six-mIle stretch of Central Ver- mont trackage. MT Mellen got into row with the Grand Trunk and the privilege of using this stretch of track was withdrawn. threw two bridges across the Con- necticut River to the New Hamp- shire shore and back again and thus made the Boston & Maine in- dependent of the Central Vermont tracks.
 In retaliation the Grand Trunk proposed to build a railroad from Palmer, Massachusetts, to Provi- dence, Rhode Island, as 6 threat to the New Haven's domination in southern New England and as q means of securing access to q sea- port. Thus was born the ill-fated Southern New England railroad, into which millions of dollars were poured. The grading and bridge abutments for 1t still scars the landscape of southeastern Massn- chusetts, while Providence still dreams of having another railroad. c. M. Hays. president o fthe Grand Trunk. went down on the Titanic and that checked the controversy. MeIlen and J. P. Morgan and ccr- tain Grand Trunk representatives got together and construction of the Providence line stopped. The federal government smelled collu- sion and Mellen and others were indicted. All that remains to re- mind of tho quarrel is the half built right of way between Palmer and Providence and the needless double crossing of the Connecti- cut in southeastern Vermont. There also remains the dream In Providence of competing rail- road line which inspires Rhode Island to fight the rest of New England on sthe question as to what is to be done about our rail- roads. All this might have been avoided and the millions spent on the Southern New England saved if only the Boston X Maine and the Central Vermont had been able to agree then as they agree now on common use of q short stretch of track. Surely here is q lesson on the value of harmonious relationships.