The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-02-15

as is manifest from the foregoing stale
ments. What is the reason of this is a
question not difficult 10 answer.
1t is a remarkable fact that the profits
of rail roads have uniformly exceeded
previous misunderstanding strongly,
with the very common failure OF calcula-
tons of profit from other investments.
The reason is obvious; and if thoroughly
understood by the farmers and merchants
of Vermont, as we'll as by the capitalists
of Boston, will, at no distant day, draw
forth an amount of capital which will en-
sure The completion of rail road commun-
ication between Boston and Burlington.
The calculations of profit from ordinary
productions and business of the communi-
ty, which those investments do not neces-
sariIy increase. This may be illustrated
by toll bridge, the stock of which may
not only be stationary, but may sink be-
low par, by the dimnution Of business and
travel from various unforeseen causes. AT
toll bridge ordinarily creates no new bu-
Isiness-develops no new sources of wealth,
and stimulates no new enterprise.
Mt so with rail roads BY bringing dis
liant parts of he country to the very door
of market, they give value TO many
things that had little or no value before
while they add to the itle or no value OF
staple productions. New energy is put
forth in every branch Of industry. The
earth is tasked 10 an increased power Of
production; its bowels are opened 10 draw
forth their mineral treasures; the forests
acquire a new value, and new and
stronger impulse is given to the ingenuity
and energy and enterprise of man. Rail
roads thus become the instruments Of new
developments OF resources, and new Gre
atoms of values to enter into exchanges of
the world.
This view of the subject is full ofinter.
est to the people of This State. Give US
ready and cheap access TO market and no
State in this Union of The same size would
be richer in the productions of its hocks,its
forests and its mineral treasures than Ver-
mont Western Vermont has,t is true,
better access TO market than it had before
the opening of the Champlain Canal and
the use of steam in the navigation of
tlIC l1uhCS Uul lIut SuduuCl 10 CIUSCu lIOlIl
four to five months in the year. The
contem2 plated rail road is presented to sup
ply this deficiency; and it will more than
supply it, for it will enable US TO reach
the Boston market in a single day, and
every day in the year, with our lumber,
live stock, beef, pork, butter, cheese, lard,
wool, iron and iron ware, wooden ware,
marble, lime, manganese, copperas, and
the productions of manufacturing estab-
lishments which such an access to market
would multiply upon the numerous water
falls, in this part of the State. | may
perhaps be asked, where is the q0ooden
ware which is TO be transported on your
rail road? | answer--it is in our for
ests; the streams to move the necessary
machinery are running from our mount.
aims, and the skill and energy TO give eff
feet to the whole, is in The fruitful minds,
and strong arms and ready hands CT the
sons of The Green Mountains. Wood en-
ware! One of the most striking facts
presented in report which have before
me of statistics connected with The Boston
and Fichburgh rail road, is,that ten MoW-
sand tons of wooden wares of various de-
scriptions are annually manufactured up
on the line of that road; whichit is esti-
mated will be doubled. bv the opening
of The road ! And this estimate is not
founded on mere conjecture, but cores
ponds with the actual results, in regard 10
numerous productions, of the opening OF
rail roads in various parts of our country.
But rail roads will not merely increase
our productions, and give more steady
employment to all branches of our indus
try; they will add to the value of every
species of production, by so much as its
transportation to market is cheapened |
Nov, there is a heavy deduction made
from the amount received 10 Boston for
our productions, for the expense of their
transportation, while corresponding ad-
dilon is made TO the price of the articles
received in exchange, when they come
into the hands of the consumer. The
freight between Middlebury and Boston
will probably be between four and five
dollars per ton by rail road. This
compared with a land transportation at
thirty dollars per ton, brings Middeburv
within from twenty-five to thirty miles of
Boston; and, compared with the circuit
Gus transportation by the Champaln ca
nal, and the Massachusetts rail roads, or
The voyage round, by water,would reduce
the price of transportation more than one
half, besides enabling us to send our pro-
ductions to a market every day in the
year.
1t would be paying but poor compli-
ment lc the Intelligence of our farmers to
suppose them incapable of approaching
such advantages as these; for ii needs no
argument 10 show that every cent of dim
mutton in the expense of transportation TO
and from market is so much gain to them,