The Northern galaxy, and Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1843-1844, 1844-01-31

Taunton Br. S 250,OO0 100
Charln. Br. 3 100000 70
Concord S 100
); Such is Rail Road stock. II need, there
fore, occasion no surprise that the balance of
the stock in ia Fitchburgh road $500, O0O)
has been recently suddenly taken up, and
that livestock is now above par.
! 1t is notorious that there is now no better
stock in market than that of rail roads-as is
manifest from the foregoing statements
oVbat is the reason Of this is question not
difficult TO answer.
1t is remarkable fact that the profits of
rail roads have uniformly exceeded pre-
vious estimates-contrasting, strongly. with
the very common failure Of calculations of
profit from other investments. The reason
is obvious; and if thoroughly understood by
the farmers and merchants of Vermont, as
well as by the capitalists of Boston, will, at
no distant day, draw forth an amount Of cap
ital which will ensure the completion of rail
road communication between Boston and
Burlington. The calculations Of profit from
ordinary investments are based upon the or
binary productions and business Of the COM
munity, which those investments do not, nee
essarily increase. This may be illustrated
| by a toll bridge, the stock of which may not
only be stationary, but may sink below par
by the diminution Of business and travel from
various unforeseen causes. A toll bridge o.
dinarily creates no Few business-develope
no new sources Of wealth., and stimulates no
new enterprise.
Not SO with rail roads. By bringing dis
tant parts OF the country to the very door of a
market, they give value to many things that
had little or no value before while they add
to the value OF staple productions. New en-
ergy is put forth in every branch Of industry.
The earth Is tasked to an increased power Of
production; its bowels are opened TO draw
forth their mineral treasures; the forests &C.
quire new value, and a new and stronger
impulse is given to the ingenuity and energy
| and enterprise of man. Rail roads TINS be-
come tho instruments ofnew Developments
Of resources, and new creations of values to
enter into the exchanges Of the world.
This view Of The subject is full Of interest
to the people Of this state. Give US ready
and cheap access to a market, and no state
in this union Of the same size would be rich
er in the productions of its focks, its forests
and its mineral treasures than Vermont
Western Vermont has, it is true, better ac-
cess TO market than it had before the opening
of the Champlain Canal and the use of steam
in the navigation Of the Lake; but that chan
mel is closed from four to five months in the
year. The contemplated rail road is presen-
ted to supply this deiicishcy; and it will more
thar supply il, for it will enable us to reach
the Boston market in single day, aud 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 establishments which such an
access to market would multiply upon the
numerous waterfalls. in this part Of the state.
may perhaps be asked, where is the irooden
tcGre which is tn be transported ON your rail
roadl j answer--it is in our forests; the
streams to move the necessary machinery are
running from our mountains, and the skill
and energy TO give effect to the whole, is in
the fruitful minds, and strong arms, and ready
hands Of the sons of the Green Mountains
Wooden ware OGe of the most striking
facts presented liz report which have be-
fore me OF statistics connected with the Bos |
ton and Fitchburgh rail road, is, that ten thou |
sand tons of wooden wares of various descrip- |
tons are annually manufactured upon the !
line ofthat road which; il is estimated will be
doubled, by the opening of the road And
this estimate is not founded on mere conject-
ure, but corresponds with the actual results, |
in regard to 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 employ !
ment to all branches Of orr industry; they |
will add to the value Of every species Of pro- !
duction, by so much as its transportation to
market is cheapened. Now, there is heavy !
deduction made from the amount received N
Boston for our productions, for the expense !
Of their transportation, while corresponding |
addition is made to the price of the articles
received in exchange, when they come into |
the hands Of the consumer. The freight be- |
tween MiddIebury and Boston will probably /
be between 81, and IS, per ton by rail road. |
This, compared with land transportation at
$50 per ton, would bring MiddIebury within
from twenty five to thirty miles of Boston
and. compared with the circuitous transport
tation by the ChamPlain canal, and the Mas
sachusetts rail roads, or the voyage round, by |
water, would reduce the price OF transporta-
ton more than one half, besides enabling US
to send our productions to market every /
day in the year.
1t would be paying but poor compliment
to the intelligence Of our farmers TO suppose |
them IncapaDie OF approaching sucn au'dn-
tages as these; for it needs no argument to
show that every cent Of diminution in the ex-
pense Of transportation to and from market
is so much gain to them, both on what they
buy and on what they sell.
This is a consideration Of great Importance
in regard to our heavy productions, large
proportion of the value Of which is lost to the
producer in the expense Of their transPorta-
ton to market. And this brings me to acon- |
sideration of the nature and amount OF the
agricultural productions of Vermont as ex-
hbited in the returns Of the marshais accom-
pauying the census Of 1870 They are as
followsi.