Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-01-19
Mn. EDIToR--

editor as well as in general 1t is not less so
perhaps in any writer for the periodical press, and
its worth is strkingly shown in a communication
= on the subject of "Rail Roads from Boston to Bur
lington," which appeared in Boston Daily Adj
vertIser of last week. The apparent candor of this
article its balanced, consderate manner, and tone
more like that of an impartial arbiler, than Of
interested advocate, made me think at hasy first
glance at it, in the columns Of the Bellows Falls
Gazette that il was the production of the Editor Of
the Advertiser whose known information on the
subject of Rail Roads would give much importance
TO his opinions The conclusions were not in all
respects precisely such as We should have hoped'
from him. and second examination showed il to
be merely a communication. 1t was then, only the
plea of the advocate, not the summing up of the
Judge. With the mind Of every careful reader it
would of course weigh accordingly
The writer is considering on which of the two
routes from Boston it is most desirable that the
rail roads already began or in operation, should be
extended to Burlington; whether the Lowell,
Nashua aud Concord road along the White and
Onion rivers, by Montpelier, or the Fitchburg road
by Keenc and Bellows Falls, thence via Rutland
TO Burlington. lie weighs the matter fully aud to
all appearance fairly and gives the preference very
decidedly to the Southern route and if his premi-
SEES are correct, aud | am not disposed TO question
! them, j am inclined to the same opinion. But after
sposing Of this matter to his own satisfaction at
least, he alludes in his closing paragraph "to the
proposed extension Of the Fitchburg road by Nil.
ler's River to Brolleboro." This he has not done
before, "because lac considers that until ii is fully
ascertained that no charter satisfactory TO the APP
pcanls can be obtained from New Hampshire for
road by Kcene it is perfectly idle to think Of that
route in connection with a rail road TO Burlington
This is on account of the greater Distance state
ment Of which he then gives.
In the brief management Of this matter, the wri-
ter shows his skill The calm consideration with
which he compared the two other routes, becomes
the most cool indifference when he 0liudtS 10 this /
one and the Indifferent reader would doubtless I
dismiss il at once and forever from his mind as
"periectly idle to think Of" This il was the whole
purpose and design of the article 10 make him do. .
That the writer is Vermonter is evident not only |
from the familiarity with which routes and dstan-
ces and the general productions of this State are
spoken Of, but from the precision with which the
localities of various special products hitherto of little
worth no,oriety are given, and the mnuter
points OF interest detailed. lie lives Of on
the Southern route, and is interested advocate
of it, as is perfectly fitting he should be. As he
says that "lor time past the attention of the
writer has been drawn to the subject he cannot
be ignoran. that however idle it may be, the cxen.
sion Of the Fitchburg road to Bratteboro has been
thought Of, in connection with rail road 10 Bur
lington. The first oblec, with those entertaining
the idea, has svowedly been to get the road 10
Brattleboro; but its extension 10 Burlington has
l. Al L.. l. A
He must know too, that the friends Of this route
are making strenuous efforts TO lead others TO think
seriously of it, and not without strong hopes of
success. ! must take the liberty therefore of re-
gardng the tone OF his allusion 10 this route as the
aiectation of indifference he would gladly feel
while he hopes by it to excite prejudice against
the route, which il may cost its friends time
and labor to dispel.
This summary dismssion of the Dratlleboro
route is rather inconsistent with other portions of
his article, too, it appears 10 me. Take his own /,
data. The objection is the greater length Of the /
route. lie places Bellows Falls at 50 miles from /
FitchbuTg by way OF Keene, and Brattleboro at 60
miles. 1t is % miles hence to Bellows Falls We i
have then the difference between 50 and GO or 4 ?
niles to add TO %, making q for the excess of dis
ancc on the Brattleboro route to Burlington The !
Inference in length between the Concord and Mont
'eer, and the Keene and Rutland routes is 246- !,
'20=26 miles in favor of the latter =
1t appears then that % miles added distance is =
70 great an objection to make it "periecily idle
O think Of the Bratteboro route from Fitchburo
in connection with a railroad 10 Burlington" "
While it deserves a whole column of well diges,cd :,
easoning to show that the Kecne route is prc(era-
lie to the Concord and Montpelier one, with 26 &
niles OF additional distance Il
"Strange, so much difference there should be" !.
'Twixt tweedle DUN and tweedle dee" u
All the advantages G,
the Southern route strongly stated as they are Il
nay, with the exception of the gain in distance be d
laimed well for the route through Bra,tleboro. Il
70 counter balance the disadvantage of "a miles o
reater distance, have route on which the cost u
construction will be very materially less the &c
ost of running essened in yet greater ratio from n
be lesser grade of inclination we accommodate if h,
= miles more of Connecticut valley and lastly we CT
eep wholly clear of New Hampshire. 1t is already al
fully ascertaned that charter satisfactory 10 W
he applicants, can be obtained from" that State Ia
'lhout change in her statutes. If "there is a W
ecided change in the feelings of large numbers of u
lie majority upon that subject" it is some what r
ngular that at the late Rail Road Convention at ~
eene, no one of that majority there was willing to al
" So 1t is certain that some declaration TO that in
tect was openly and repeatedly called for by dele 70
'les from abroad, but none made and if Gov to
nor Hubbard's demeanor might be taken as an W.
dex of the prevalent feeling of his party none nl
'uld be made prominent delegate, he retired 81,
rly from the assembly and "gave no sign" 6e
| nn 70 ,aI,o riV
this time, Mr.. Editor. | will barely say that IN
lille am snre that mora u,o,, az i'll, =. - ne