The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-04-21
Boston, Concord, StaDstead and Mon
treaI Rail Road,

THE EDITOR or THE MoNrhENL "A|hi re |
SIR,-IIavng spoken of the business OF the cou"-
try traversed by the Concord route its products &c.
come now to speak Of the feasibility OF the route Tor
railroad construction.
And here unlike its rival route, the claims OF this
line do not rest upon conjecture, nor are they
subject TO any uncertainty
That part of the proposed route which is in the
Stnte of Vermont raverses, centrally, the counties
of Orleans and Caledonia, from the line Of the State
at Derby (Sanslcad) to the Connecticut River
This part of the route was carefully surveyed with
reference to the construction Of railroad, in 1887,
by Professor Twining, of Nliddebury College, the
expense being betrayed Ivy an appropriation by the
Legislature Of Vermont
Being associated in the Commission for expendmg
the appropriation, had ample opportunity, in our
tours Of exploration, to acquaint myself with the to
biography and general character Of the country ira
versed The opinion formed orthe availability of
the route was fully coroboratcd by the result of the
survey; and hazard nothing in assuring you that
the route is feasible of easy grade and cheap consrnc
| ton.
| Professor Twining is the gentleman who has re-
Gently completed the survey Of The New York and
New Haven railroad. Ills experience engineer
had been very considerable prior his survey Of this
tied to very great confidence.
The section ofthe route through New Hampshire
is even more favorable. Leaving the Connecticut
river at ElaverhilI, md passing up the Overan
stream in the direction of Concord, you suunount the
highest land necessary to be passed between the
waters Of the Connecticut and Merrimuc rivers at
an inclination exceeding forty feet to the milo eli
Their way. The formation is very rcmnrkabIe-os
| ,Lo oh Jas;, hy for sncl work
Thence to Concord, by tho way Of Plymouth and
the valleys of the Pcmigewasset, winnpissiosce
and Merrmac rivers, tho route is very level and
murkubly feasible. Surveys OF much Of the distance
embracing the mo st difficult parts Of The entire
line, were made several years since by the U. $.
Government, with reference to the construction of
canal, and the ncnatons have mentioned,
tnated, in part, from these surveys. My personal
knowledge Of the route in connection with the reports
of the surveys, enables speak with great conf
dence when | express tho opinion that the survey
now in progress will show that the maximum grades
for the railroad will fall below forty feet to the mile.
This position is fortified by the recent exploration Of
the route by the present engineer.
4 liberal charter has been granted by the Lcgjsla-
ture Of Vermont for u rail road through the section
lying within that State, and no doubt Company will
be organized under it so tho section in New
Hampshire is placed under contract.
Allow me now, Sir, to call your attention TO the
fact that the contemplated from Boston TO Mon
treal is comparatively direct.
From Boston, please trace upon large map OF the
United States n line intersecting Concord, Plymouth
and Ilaverhi N. II thence in the valleys of the
Connecticut aud Passumpsic rivers in Vermont, pur-
suing the direc, to the Province line at Derby
Rarely, through inland country, can practicable
railroad be found, of equal distance, which de-
viatos SO little from direct line,
The distance from Concord To tho Province line by
this route a estimated, correctly, think, by a COM
mitea Of the Massachusetts Legislature at so miles
This is the actual distance by the present stage
Thence TO Montreal you have two surveys, one ria
Sherbrooke 1913 2-S miles, and the other uia the out
let of Magog Lake, 90 miles. The length of the
Concord Railroad being 76 miles, it follows that the
aggregate distance this line ria Sherbrooke is
, $40 2.3, say $50 miles, and ria Magog Outlet Sls
miles. You will recollect that this table OF distances
is from actual measurement except from Concord to
the line, where the distance Of the present stage line
is adopted. or course tho statemen: is roabe.-
While, respects the Portland route, the estimates
Of distances rest on no such basis the distance through
the unsurveyed section of that route between the An
droscoggn at Rumford, and the Province line being
estimated essentially OS the scale OF distances upon
the map.
5 And, Sir, in comparing the distances OF the two
lines of route, please observe that direct limo from
d Boston to Montreal would pass westward of Magog
l. Lake, and since any route, passing eastward of sale
l. Lake. must describe apg!e, increasing
somewhat the distance will it follow that the lint
of route which describes the largest circle cute
l. curve will increase the distance most?
70 Now Portland lies far TO the eastward of direc
l. line from Boston TO Montreal Much to the eastward
Of direct line from Boston to Stanstead and to tn
n eastward even Of direct line from Boston to Sher
, brooke While the route from Boston TO S!ansteal
IN is almost on direct line, and in passing thence
Montreal it describes the inner circle the Jesse
curve and Of course, averes the shortest distance
'e With these plain demonstrations, is it not appnren
&c that the arbitrary representations that the Poran
" is the 10 from your city TO Boston
r should be received with much caution, at least up
it is demonstrated to be such by actual survey?
u There other points of comparison between til
two routes which deserve notice, and which, at Gu
, tuTe time I NAV submit for your consideration.