Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-04-25
Connecticut River Rail road.

we see by inc oprtngnclu iNepuDlcan, anu ' CT
mont Chronicle, that simultaneous movement is about
to be made both up and down the river, for the extern
sion of Railroad up the valley of the Connecticut At
Windsor there has been organized Railroad Associa-
ton of which, Hon. Horace Everett is Presidents Mr.
J. d. Hatch, Treasurer, and Dr. f. c. Torrey, Secre-
tary.
The Springfield Republican in noticing the movement
at Windsor says II is "hgh time to take to
have the work advance steadily to its termination.
1t would seem that other town the Connecticut
f except Hartford) has deep an interest in the
success Of this enterprise Springfield" Mr. Price,
of Windsor, expected at Springfield, on Monday
last for the purpose of comforting with gentlemen there
upon the subject.
We right glad to see this movement, and to see
IL in the right quarter. There can be doubt the
tmo for il is fully come. The field of railroad enter
prise in this direction is ripe for the harvest. Two
things already certain. The Vermont and Massa-
chusets Railroad will be built this place. probably
in the course Of years. The river road will be
completed to Northampton the present year, and TO
Greenfield during the next year. On whichever Of the
three proposed routes the VT and Mass. road is built
il will in any event be but few miles in point
from the river road Greenfield and there can be
doubt that the connecting link will be Immediately
stucted The interest of both roads will require that
construction nltnln tfAt time Two Nedrsl rail- ROAD
will be completed from New Haven to New York, and
very possibly from Hartford direct to New York We
may then count with certainty upon the fact that in
lsf7, there will be perfect chain of Railroad commu-
ncation between this place and the two great markets
of Boston and New York.
The work then to be done by the friends Of a river
road above, aided by the friends below is the extern
sion of road from this place up the river till /, shall in
some way connect with Montreal.
The two great questions 10 be settled are, Ist Is
the route feasible one 3D. will road constructed
upon it be good stock. The first is not even proble-
matical. If a Railroad cannot be constructed in the
valley of the largest river in New England where can
il be The naming of the route proves its FEAST
bity But not en this evidence satisfactory
as it NAV be- The route has been thoroughly and ao
vuIauey surveyed and its easy Feasibility pfsctu
a shadow of doubt. In 1887 Professor T'winng, by
the authority Of the State of Vermont made survey OF
the route from Massachusetts line, to the Canada line
at Derby 19l 83 100 miles His table Of gradients show
that in the whole distance there is but about miles
where the nclinations need exceed GO feet in mile,
and only about 25 miles where they need to exceed 20
feet to the mile. OF the miles where they may exceed
60 feet per mile, there but miles that exceed
TO- and the highest falls short Of 8o and he expresses
great confidence that further observation would show
the possibility of reducing these. South Of Wells River
there are no inclinaons that exceed 80 feet to the
mile The estimates of expense made when labor and
materials bore the highest prices shew the great adj
vantage of valley route, oyera cross country route
Professor Twinng estimates the total expense of grad
ing the road and preparing it for the rails, at S622 63
per mile or 1894 for the whole distance, If
we recolect rightly, the estimate for grading the
Cheshire road, through Cheshire County is $4,000
per mile being more than double the cost Of grading
the valley road
As the second question: there can be as little doubt
The valley of the Connecticut is proverbally Of
the richest and most fertile valleys in New England It's
Agricultural productions are immense, its Manufactures
are extensive and constantly increasing. Railroad
traversns the valley would not only be the channel for
the travel and transportation of the valley strictly
speaking but it would receive to il all the agcultu-
rail- manufactured and mineral productions of all that
country lying between the ridge Of the White Noun
tans the East and that of the Green Mountains on
the West which would pour down its wealth from its
Thousand hillsp with unlocked for abundance.
II not necessary in any degree anticipate the yet
undeveoped wealth and of the valley OF the
Connecticut decide that road would be good stock.
The present business travel and products alone, would
make it such But what antcipatons might not safely
be made. Such road would give to this valley the
ready command of two markets. and would turn its now
useless water power into gOldits lands would double
in their productions and value and its hidden minerals
become sources of wealth.
Whether the road TO Montreal shall be extended by
the valley of the Pasumpsc and Stanstead, by Mont
pelier and Burlington it would turn smaller portion
of business and travel to the Connecticut valley
road.
These considerations together with many others, moi
adverted TO- show that the effort making for the ex
tension of the road up the Connecticut are well timed
and we trust they will meet with abundant success.