Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-03-08
Ttrm ont aDbosMtr.
Friday, MARCH 8, 1874.
RAIL ROAD.

We give below the doings Of the Senate of Mas
sachusetts in reference TO our Rail Road charter,
as reported in the Boston papers, from day to day.
1t will be seen that the bill to incorporate the Fitch
burg and Brattleboro Rail Road has passed the Sen
ate and also the Bill for The Fitclburg and Keene
road These bills now await the action of the
House, and we have confidence that ours, at least,
will pass in a satisfactory shape.
The speech of MIR Child, which we copy from
the Atlas, will be read with interest The report,
however, does not do justice to the speech. Ii was
one of the happest we ever heard.
THURSDAY, Feb 29.-On motion Of Mr..
Lincoln, the special assignment foSsf6day,
the consideration Of the bills TO incorporate
the Massachusetts and Vermont Railroad Co.
and the Keene and Winchendon Railroad
Co. was taken up On his further motion
the Senate resolved itself into Committee
Of the Whole, Mr.. Adams in the Chair.
Mr.. Child said that he would state the
reasons briefly that induced the Committee
Of which he was the chairman, to report this
BILL So Car as the extension Of the Fitch
burg road was before them, there was no
one who had any doubt. 1t was an impor-
tant route--the extension of railroad into
a region of country that had never before
received any benefits from the new mode of
conveyance. There were strong claims for
such road. lie would not here go at large
into the general question. So far as public
necessity and convenience were concerned,
there could be no doubt. 1t was a well
known fact, that until the projection of the
Fitchburg Railroad, the northern part of
this State had received no facilities at all,
from the different railroads Incorporated
A large portion Of the people of this Com
monwealth were to be benefited by this bill
The north part Of the county Of Worcester,
and the county of Franklin. The business
was large that was to be accommodated by
it. In Worcester, the amount Of transport
tation was very great. lie would cite in
stances. In one of the towns there was one
man who annually transported 80 tons Of
shoe pegs to Boston, and from thence they
were sent to Constantinople, Smyrna, and
all parts Of the world The manufacture of
pals and chairs yearly, was very great
There were 10 900 pals and 100000 chairs
sent to Boston every year. These towns,
in the north of Worcester, furnish larger
amount OF freight than the largest manufac-
tories in Lowell These workers OF wood
make more freight, in bulk, than the makers
of the costly cottons. Besides the great
question of benefit TO portion Of our own
people, il would make an outlet for the sur
plus productions Of the State Of Vermont,
which are very large. Vermont has in COM
parison, but small number OF manufacto-
ries, and has large surplus Of production
to send Off Massachusetts does not raise
all the agricultural productions she wants,
and is, therefore, compelled TO export large
| ly from her sister States. Vermont furnish
es larger surplus of these productions than
any other New England State, by million
of dollars An immense amount Of Apri-
cultural productions, from this State aud
our own County of Franklin, seeks an out
let like that proposed by this bill. 1t was a
question OF immense importance 10 that sec
ton of the County. The same benefits
should be extended TO those citizens who
would be affected by this bill, and the same
means afforded them, as 10 other portions OF
our citizens. These were all the reasons
he should now give. There was one feature
of the bill, though containing no new pro-
vision, to which he would allude; that was.
so Ear as the tracks OF the Road are con-
cerned, the selection, TO limited extent, is
| left with the stockholders The Road is TO
commence at the termination of the Fitch
bug Railroad, in the town of Fitchburg.
and by common consent of all parties runs
on the general track, as far as Baldwnsyille,
in the town of Templeton. There was no
controversy so far. At that point, the route
to Keene, N. H. comes in. The Brattle-
boro' route, after leaving this point, again
by common consent goes to Athol. Then
one class Of petitioners wish TO leave Athol,
to go through Orange and Warwick; anoth-
er through Mortified to Vernon; and anoth-
er through Greenfield TO Guilford. The
Committee have reported the bill, leav-
ing it discretionary with the stockholders
which Of the routes they would select. He
defended the course OF the committee, on
the ground that il had been the usage ofthe
Commonwealth, TO pursue the same course
as now recommended, in granting Railroad
interpretations in times past, with the ex-
ceptIon, that this was more limited in its
provisions. He named the Boston and
Lowell, Boston aud Worcester, and Boston
and Providence Railroad, in support Of his
position. He deliberately defended the
ground he took upon this question.
Mr.. Lawrence, Of Hampshire, offered the
following;
Voted, That the bill to incorporate the
Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad Co.
be referred to the next General Court, and
that commissioners be appointed to view and
survey the various routes, and to report
thereon to the next General Court.
1 Mr.. Lawrence then took the floor, and in
an able and lucid manner defended his mo-
ton, on the ground that ii was an object OF
immense importance matter of grave i'm