The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-01-22
From the Chronicle.
RAIL ROADS.

Con TT A. s. d carbon has lately been publish
;,o seres of letters on the prospects OF the West
Il tbo various channels of communication be-
,,,,oon the West and the New England coast
Tbev are dated at Buffalo A few paragraphs from
No will be read with special in teres in Vermont
He says:-
tThere is yet another line of transportation re-
oured from Springfield, up the valley of Connect
icut River as far as Barnet, at least if not TO Ian
caster, which is only second to that of the Great
Western route, and which cannot fail of comman-
ding an early attention of the Legislature, and OF
the numerous intelligent and enterprising inhabi-
tants, who are so directly interested in the estah.
lishment of a more expeditions and economical
mode of conveyance Tor the products of their agri-
cultural and mechanical industry, and the great
amount Of imports which received in exchange
therefor"
After abiding to the rich agricultural character
of the Connecticut River valley, and 10 its exbaus-
table mineral treasure, he remarks that, "for the
foundation of manufactures, there is no such dis
trct of country east of the Hudson;" and yet that
the inhabitants, facilities of intercourse are
father from a market than those who live near
the canals and rail roads 400 miles from New
York
But the River line is not the only He pro-
'ceeds:-
"Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont must
follow the example of the revolutionary Hercules
TMassachusetts] and place their citizens on an e.
quality with those who's are resolutely prosecu-
ting so many and so much glorious works, for the
present and all future generations. Those States
require and must have, direct communication,
either by railroads canals between Portland and
Lake Champlain; for on the sheres of the latter is
to be reared a vast entrypot which will decouch,
one of the two grand artificial outlets of the five
immen Lakes, whic New York, ere long will
have opened upon her own frontier"
The citizens Of Maine, in especial manner,
fail of DerceVinp how Immediately that
State is to be benefited by such work; as it will
render Portland the maritime port for large por-
ton of the exports and imports, which VIII pass
that northern channel beyond the State ofVermont
well as for vastly increased amount of those Of
the intermediate country. Even under the mper-
feet means of transportation, which have hitherto
existing, that fourishing city has boon the market
for upper New Hampshire, the eastern towns of
the northern portion of Vermont, and part of Can
ada"
1t is not merely the traffic between the two ex-
tremes and aiong'the intermediate country, through
which the proposed route will pass, that is to be es
timated, but the immense commerce winch is to
he added, by opening a COMMUNICATING with that
extensive line Of nav CATION which will be compile
ted from Lake Champlan to the Falls Of St. Mary
and the Harbor Of Chicago.
On nv return from the Niagara frontier last au-
tumn took the steamboat route from Lewistown
down Lake Ontario, t, Rochester Harbor, Oswe-
go and Kingston, and st Lawrence To Ogdensburg
and Montreal, and from thence TO st Johns and
Burlington. on Lake Champlan and across Yer,
mont to the Connecticut River, Concord and Bos-
Ton, for the expressed purpose of obtaining exact
intelligence in relation TO the practicability and
importance of opening a communication, by canals
or railroads, from Ogdenshurg to LaFe ChampIain,
and from thence into the valley Of the Connecticut
River and to Concord and Boston, and easteriy to
Portland.
The assent, from Burlington, up the valley Of
Onion River TO Montpelier, is very gradual, there
ia not a PERCEPTIONS cascade, in the whole distance.
of any moment, and the natural facilities, which
the banks present for railroad, are such admit
of its construction without eucountering any very
considerable ACTIVITY, other impairment. The
decent eastward, down the valley ot'Whte River
from the eliminating point, to the Connecticut in
New Har,fod, is quite favorable. There are
other routes which have been explored across the
Green Mountains. We.