Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-03-15
MASSACHUSETTS, LEGISLATURE
Vermont and Massachusetts, Rail Road

Vermont and Massachusetts Rail Road.
THURSDAY, March I.
The first subject was the bill to incorno.
rate the Vermont and Massachusetts Rail.
road, The question before the House wa,
upon an amendment proposed by Mr.. Morse.
of Shelburne, hat the location Of the route,
instead Of being left to the stockholders. &C.
cording the report of the Committee, should
be determined by Commissioners appointed
for that purpose.
Mr.. Gibbens, Of Boston, explained the
advantages and disadvantages Of the differ.
ent routes that had been laid before The
Committee, and the reasons that inducedth
Committee to report as they had 10 the
House.
Mr.. Hopkins, of Northampton, asssnted
TO all tina, had been said in regard to the i'm
p%ortance of a railroad through the part Of
the State referred to the only difficulty
was in regard 10 the precise route. Ind.
viduals had appeared before the COMMITTEE
in behalf Of three different routes, and had
labored hard to obtain a preference, each
for his paticular route. Although the Com.
mittee had given the subject a patient inves-
tigation, they had been unable 10 come ina
satisfactory conclusion as 10 the route 70 DC
selected. and now the House should not
undertake to do what a diligent and faithful
Committee had been unable TO accomplish.
The question then is narrowed down 10
leaving the choice Of the route TO the stock.
holders or 20 Commissioners appointed for
the purpose. The designation of the route
had been left to stockholders by the Legis-
~lature, but this fact belonged to the early
history Of railroads, and to a period when
their astonishing effect upon the places thrO
which they passed, was not appreciated
While from the location of a road, a wilder.
ness is frequently built up into fruitful
place, great care should be taken that a
fruitful place is not changed into a wilder.
ness. 1t may be better to let a road run
farther, and go through certain places, than
by shortening the distance, TO deviate from
them, and to blast their prosperity and sap
their hopes.
Mr.. ii. proceeded TO inquire whether the
important question of the location Of rail
road was 10 be left 10 be settled by persons
whom W. do not know, and who come from
every where and any where? If the road
10 be constructed in this manner, there will
be but a small chance of the stock being
subscribed, for who would subscribe TO-
railroad, without knowing the route it was
to run. The value of the shares may be hS-
ed by the directors at any thing, from one
cent it may be 500 it may be So. And
only 5 per cent. is necessary TO be s~ubscrIO.
ed so that it is totally within the power oil
the corporation to make SIS the value ola
share, and then a man by subscribing 81
cents, may have a right TO vote. This was
a very weak point in the law. Any number
of voters can be made at a very cheap rate.
and brought in to determine the direction Of
the road according TO the wishes OF the moa
active interest-and what a scrambllng THIS
would produce. A subject Of general ana
great importance to the whole State shoua
not be settled in this way, but by the decs-
ion of commissioners, impartial, caPaOe
and worthy of deciding the matter,
Mr.. Nash, of Hadley, said that the course
proposed had not been pursued in reference
to any railroad in the State. If the ro's
were to be determined by commissioners
and not by the stockholders themselves ne
stock would most certainly not be taEenup'
The stockholders were the best persons 10
settle the question, because they could na,e
no interest but that of the road, and Oh luz
business community.
Mr.. Wales, of Boston, said there wele
three routes proposed-one through uIesu,
6eld-a second through Northheld-anua
third through Winchester, in New ha~r
shire. And all these several places wan
the road, and are ready to do all they Cav
to get it. Mr.. w. went on to speak OF W "
certainty of the stock being SUBSCRIBE"
the location were left to the stockno'O.S,
and that, when the amount mentioned ID "a.
bill was subscribed, there would be PelsO",
responsible for it, and bound TO carry v%
the purposes of the charter. The VIII
truth of the matter was, that the stocAuv d,
ers would locate the road to suit the Pu"S
but all the individuals who oppose 'n'' \,
%rNIgement, would locate the ROAD "
themselves, and not the public. ,h,
Mr.. Stevenson, OF Boston, observer n
if the bill as reported, allowed a HalISarTI
be built between Boston ind bra'uV0'''