The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-04-23
THE WATCHMAN vs.. OUR
RAIL ROAD.

Since the decisive indications Of popular
sentiment in Boston in favor Of the Western
route which appear from the Atlas, Daily
Mail and other papers, the Central route
men seem TO have been seized with sudden
panic. They accuse the Boston Mail of down.
right burglary for asserting that the Rutland
route will pass directly through the most pro-
duc,ive part ofVermont, and command near
" the whole trade ofthe State, and claim all
this advantage as belonging exclusively to
the Montpelier route. Perhaps we may be
ignorant of the whereabouts OF the Central
route 1t has recently become unsettled.
In the commencement Of the Rail Road ri
valry the Central route was to be an extension
o. the Concord Rail Road TO strike the Con-
pecticut at the mouth of White River. But
now it seems to be the extension ofthe Fitch
buigh and Cheshire Roads through New
Hampshire to the same point, while the Rut-
land route it is now expected will pass up the
Valley Of the Connecticut and cross the river
either at Bellows Falls or Springfield and
thence follow up the Connecticut Valley to
the Black river and on through Cavendish &
Ludlow 10 Rutland. These being conten,pla-
ted as the two rival routes, by what authority
we would ask, does the Watchman claim that
the rich productive County Of Windsor would
be better benefited by the Central route
which passes over her Northern border, Than
by the Rutland route which passes through
her most rich and manufacturing towns at her
Southern extremity. Or why does that pa
per claim Chittenden County as enjoying SUI
perior advantages frem the Central routel
The truth is, as will be evinced by an in
spection ofthe map,that Orange Washington,
Lamoille and Orleans are the only Couniiesin
State which would be more benefited by the
Central than the Southern route. But the
grand list of all these Counties united bur by
a mere trille surmount those Of the Counties
o. Addison and Rutland, while their mineral
and manufacturing wealth scarcely admit'ofa
comparison.
But there is another prominent considera-
ton which stands out in bold relief to the cap
italists Of Boston. The whole region, trav-
ersed BY the Central route must concentrate
its trade with or without Rail Road at Bos-
ton, while the rich Counties of Rutland and
Addison must be nearly lost to that market
without that Road. Beside take from the
table which the Waterman presents Of the
principal manufactures of the Counties best
accommodated by these conflicting routes the
Counties of Windsor and Chitteudcn, and add
them to Rutland and Addison Counties and
with very few exceptions the balance would
be vastly against those Counties.
But we would ask, has not the Editor fIhe
Waterman, for the purpose of meeting his
own views of the subject suppressed what is
the most important Of all things to come into
the calculation of freight, the wool, butter,
cheese, pork, beef and mutton for which Rut-
land and Addison Counties, TO which might
be added Chittenden and Windsor Counties,
so wonderfully excel all other sections Of Ver-
mont, and which are likely to swell the profits
Rail Road far beyond all minerals and man
ufactures united.