Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-02-19
REPORT

REPORT
OF the committee on railroads, on petitions for
the construction by the State Of railroad
from Ogdensburgh 10 Lake Champlain.
Mr.. Culver, from the standing committee on
railroads, TO which were referred numerous Pc
titions, memorials, papers, &c. of sundry citizens
of the counties OF Clinton, Franklin, st. Law
renee, Essex, Washington, Rensselaer,, Sarato-
ga, Jefferson, Oswego and New York, praying
for the passage of law authorizing the con-
struction Of rail road by the State from Ogdens-
burgh to Lake Champlain.
REPORTS:
The subject matter Of these petitions is one
deeply interviewer with the interests, the feelings
and the prosperity of great number of the cltl-
zens Of the State of New York. If untring en-
ergy, persevcring effort and great personal sac
rltice, indicate the Importance of the obec,
sought, then have petitioners satisfactorily de-
monstrated the unsurpassed Importance of the
object asked for in their petition. They have
long and anxiously beckoned the attention Of
the State to this object And while the justice
Of their claim las been admitted by all, and the
importance denied by noDc, and while they have
at times ancied themselves almost encircled in
the arms of leg slatve muniiicencc, sharing part
and parcel in its bounty with other portions of
the State, they have been again compelled to
see their hopes deferred and their claims post
poned TO "a more convenient season." But
ike old wine, their claims lose nothing by age.
Sixteen years have passed since the people of
this long egected section of the State began
20 asitate this subject The public attention
wa, .,7ec"d as early as 1894 10 this matter by
an official communication cmanating from the
pen OF the then Chief Magistrate of this State
,,-b,co ctnpJ, ,J, ;,I 81 l.;
tory OF the grand scheme of internal improve
ment in our State. His eag!e-eycd penetration
enabled him to look down the vista of coming
years. and to predict the sublime results which
would flow from the success of that system.
And his opinions and predictions that we're then
secuted as wild and visionary, treated by his
enemies as the Authorizations of disordcred
brain, time has shown and experience has de-
monstratcd, were founded in sound Judgment,
and correct and enlightened views
Governor Clinton urged the consideration of
this subject upon the Legislature in 1925. The
plan then proposed was the construction of a
canal from the foot of sloop navigation on Lake
Ontario at Ogdensburgh TO Lake Champlain.
A very nunerously signed memorial of the ci,i-
Zens OF the northern counties, and another from
the city of New York, were procured in 1924
and presented in ISIS to the Legislature Rail-
AOou- "ciO thCh NoHpii dtNciy uiIhUOWU, ana
canals themselves but an untricd experiment !:
and yet this subject was successfully pressed
and survery was directed preparatory to the
construction ola canal. The route was survey.
ed and pronounced feasible; and the estimated
cost at about S2,000,000. Governor Clinton,
who perhaps understood the interests of the
state better than any other man, and who under
stood wei! the advantages likely to result from
n perfect system of internal improvements,
ranked this work in his primary class as one
that should be constructed at the public expense.
lie enumerated several, such as the Black
River, the Chemung, Chcnango and Genesee
Valley, as OF the secondary class and yet,
strange to say, those of the second class have all
been and are being built by the State, while the
one now asked for by the petitioners, of acknowl-
edged primary Importance, remains where it was
at the death Of its early friend. And these other
works, too, have been constructed by the State,
at an expense at some S35,000,0OO; and while
they have shared little in the benefits of these
works, beyond what is enjoyed by other States
and the neghboring Province in Canada, vet the
petitioners have contributed freely and cheer
fulyto their cost by an oncrous tax on a neces-
sary article OF consumption.
The plan OF constructing a canal was finally
changed TO that of railroad In 1888, the
Legislature passed an act authorizing survey
Of this route, and appropriated $4,000 for that
purpose. The route was surveyed by Edwin
F. Johnson, Esq. an engineer OF deserved re-
putaton, was found not only practicable, but
possessing extraordinary facilities for construct.
ing the road. Encouraged by these surveys, and
the information obtained in 1899, the subject
was again pressed upon the consideration of the
Legislature but owing to the pervading gloom
and depression that overhung the moneyed in
n 40 tlrr, |, .
dant views of the two Houses, no final action
was had. In 1880, the petitioners renewed
their application with great solicitudc and en-
courageinent The Senate passed bill autho.
rising the construction Of the road Jy the State ::
It was sent TO the Assembly, and OH the last
day OF the session was lost ON the vote its final
passage, by ONE majority. But the Legislature,
as II conscious injustice had been done to the
petit ners, passed law authorizing additional
surveys to be made, under the directions of three
commissioners, with maps, plans and an esti-
mate OF the expense OF constructing the road
also, the terms on which releases OF the lands
could be obtained. The commissioners we're
also directed 10 "collcct all such toporraphc ca
Or statlscal information, in relation to the sec
tons OF the country, through which the several
routes might be located, as would enable the
Legislature TO jud re OF the ezpedency Of con-
eHhSN'i- sd'u Itdu'
The Legislature, in this act, clearly in,mat-
ed the intention Of the State to build the inlor.
nation obtained should be satisfactory on these
points.
The commissioners appointed under this act,
have discharged their duties and executed the
trusts committed to them with great ability, and
with strict fidelity to the intercs, of all Concern
ed. Their reporsreplete the with rich statst.
cal information, has been laid upon the tables of
the members. The execution of the work was
entrusted to Edward II, Brodhead, Esq. an en-
gineer of acknowledged ability and experience,
as chief engineer. His report, appended to that
Of the Commissioners, has been also laid upon
the tables Of the members. From an invest.
cation of this latter report and the estimates.
plans and reasons assigned by the chief engineer
the committee cannot but be impressed with
their accuracy and ultimate safety.
The commissioners have caused the survey OF
two general routes TO be completed the Soiltt-
ern route, so called, commencing at Port Kent,
on Lake Champlain, in the county of Essex,
passing up the valley of the Au Sable river to the
summit, distance of about 40 miles; thence
by Lower Saranac lake, and down the valley OF
the St Regis river to Parishvie, and thence