Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-04-28

H"'N nv sAuiS o. PiOsSHI W 90 lHtO tne sub
ject at much length, but would recommend
the following article to the attention of our
readers. While upon the subject we are
glad to see that aproject is on foot to con-
struct a railroad from Boston TO the eastern
line of Vermont or southern line of New
Hampshire, and that a petition for the in
corporation ola company for that purpose
will be presented to the Legislature in June.
The nothern route is the best for our natural
trade. It's proper to say that no route as
yet has been finally designated y
MASSACHUSETTS, RAILROAD. The Sprinc-
field Journal contains an elaborate and
interesting communication, f" from the pen
OF a mechanick and calculator" on the
subject of the proposed railroad from Bos-
ton to the Hudson. The writer. in the
belief that no class of citizens in this State
will directly oppose the project, except
some farmers, proceeds to show, which he
does in a manner the most clear and con-
vlncing, that the fears of such as entertain
any hostility or misgiyings in relation to
the scheme, are entirely unfounded. The
strongest, and indeed the only reason
urged against the railroad in that section
of the Commonwealth, is, that its effect
will be to glut the Boston market with the
productions ofthe west, and consequently
a reduction ofthe prices of their own pro-
ducts. as well as decrease in value OF
their lands must necessarily ensue.
ThisI opinion the writer ably COM
bats, by arguments based in absolute and
incontrovertible facts. From compare
son of the present cost of transportation to
Boston, Of produce from places in the
western quarter of our State, with that of
conveying like articles by water to this
city from Albany, it is demonstrated that
the actual difference is from So to SIS
the ton, in favour of the latter-the ex-
pense of water carriage between Albany
and Boston, including insurance, being
rated at S. per ton; while the cost OF
transportation from the western counties
Of Massachusetts, partly by land and part
ly by water, is known to average $ll per
ton-when the conveyance is wholly by
land, the cost is $40 per ton. 1t is shown
then, that the intercourse between Albany
and Boston, is now kept up at less than
half, or even one quarter, the expense re-
CURED to carry on trade between Boston
and most of the towns in Berkshire,
Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Wor-
cester Counties.
The writer then proceeds TO contrast
the advantages ola railroad ,deriyable to all
the towns in the 5 western counties above
m entioned, over the existing modes Of
conveyance. These calculations he has
given in tabular form, specifying every
town III those counties, and the difference
of cost for each. His very reasonable
conclusion is, that the construction of a
railroad is absolutely necessary to enable
the farmers in that section to compete with
those of New York, in the Boston market
lie admits for the sake of argument, that
the average cest of land carriage along
our common roads, is 90 cents per mile
and that the cost Of transportation on a
railroad would be cents. This is the
most unfavourable view of the case which
can possibly be required by the opponents
of the latter for it is believed that the
first sum is stated too low, and the last too
high. Still, assuming these premises, he
proves incontestibly that there is not a
single town in either of the FIVE western
counties, which would not derive immense
advantages from the completion Of the
railroad as proposed. In order to place
the fact beyond the possibility of dispute
he has particularized every town, stating
its distance from the metropolis, its dis
lance from the route of the proposed rail-
road, the cost of transportation by present
modes, the cost by the railroad--and the
difference between the two last items, in
dollars and cents, set fairly down in fig.
ures that cannot be gainsaid.
This catalogue comprises l4S towns
viz. 80 in Berkshire, 25, in Franklin, %
in Hampshire, l8 in Hampden, and SO in
Worcester. The difference of cost be.
tween the present and proposed modes o.
conveyance, varies, from about So, to up
wards $40 per ton. The average differ
erence in favour of the railroad, for the
county of Worcester, is estimated at So Is
for Hampden, SIS %; for Hampshire,
Sl3 O6; for Franklin. 81 10; and for
Berkshire, $l7 90. Throughout the
whole ofthese counties, it is demonstrate
ed that there is not single town that will
not be enabled "to convey its surplus
produce to market, for about half what it
now costs"-many for one third. one
fourth, or even one sixth of the present
expense, in the event of the completion
of the contemplated enterprise. The ap~
prehension, therefore, that the western
farmers of Massachusetts, are to suffer
injury, either in the value of their pro-
ducts or in that of their lands, is plainly
proved to be without any manner of foun-
dation. 1t lis to be hoped that the calcu-
lations of this writer will be extensively
circulated, that our discerning yeoman