Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-11-06


necessity to relieve the people of Vermont from
depending upon the good will and pleasure of the
Concord corporation, and to secure railroad to the
State, the Central road went to Fitchburg. No
right Of the Rutland road wds infringed: she still
had, and now has as perfect right as ever to con-
meet with Fitchburg or Brattleboro. She cxercis-
ed this right fully, and under it appeared in Boston
by her agents TO advocate her claims. Day after
day were they heard before the Fitchburg board {;
and the agents of the Central road gave them the
ground exclusively, and suffered them to have
hearing entirely ca pa,te. They then appealed to
the public and both parties had full and free a
discussion they pleased. The result was that
the capitalists of Boston chose the Central road
Rutland has since that for months had her agents
in Boston, to obtain stock-thus amply showing
that she considers her rights to be as perfect
as they were before the connection with Fitchburg
They and VIC will add that Rutland has
had quite as many railroad favors extended to her
as has any part of the state. She can go to Chesf
ire and Fitchburg-she can go TO Bratteboro'-she
can go TO Burlngton--and finally she can go, by
the VT Western, to Bennington and thus on to Bos-
ton under a charter which think is more ,tdUor-
able than even the Central charter Her right to
unite and form one company with the roads in Mas
sachusetis, is better to her than all the peculiar
privileges of the Central road, construed in their
most liberal sense. We do not complain-nay, we
would add to her privileges and give her the right
to go to Whitehall: but we do insist that the Cen
trail and all other companies should have the way
freely opened for them ALSO to secure the advanta-
ges of railroads to the public.
But it was argued that the Central road can now
connect with Concord, and in that case the Fitch
burg road will unite with the Rutland and build it
thus giving hco roads to Vermont If the Rut-
land road will warrant the expense certainly it will
be built still: to be sure, not quickly as if it
were the only one. Can it be said that she has an
exclusive right to priority? We think not-both
took their chance. AS to the Central this posi- ton
assumes too much. Should the Central road dis
connect with Ftchburg, she must give up her stock
-disappoint the decision of the capitalists of Bos-
ton-thwart the great project of connecting Lake
Ontario and Montreal with Boston through YER
mont, and deprive the people of very large por
ton of Vermont of road, at least for long period
and then what security has she that the Lebanon
road will be built? We never have seen the bond
yet and cannot infer one from past history The
Lebanon road is controlled by the companies be-
! yond-the very companies ,cho pould not come to
White River, so long they could get the business
of Vermont without doing so. 1t was the connec-
ton of the Central with Fitchburg which forced
them to take the Lebanon stock; and in this view
of the case the people Of three fourths of Vermont
under the highest obligations to the Central
road. Now let the Central road depart from this
arrangement, and things are placed precisely as
they were before there will be the same motive for
Concord and the companies below to keep away,
both from the Central and Passumpsic-the same
conflicts to be gone over again-and in the mean
time, the people must suffer all the disadvantages
arising from the want of railroads.
But let suppose that the Lebanon road ,oilI be
built to the mouth of White River taking the ar
gument of the friends of the Rutland road to its
fullest extent which was, that this connection was
all the Central should ask. We recall their atten.
ton to three extraordinary facts:
|. The Passumpsic road may enter the Connect
cut valley and run to the mouth of White River
to the Lebanon and Central roads, having convent
ent points of connection with the Concord and
Plymouth road, and also the extension of the Ieb-
anon road by Canaan-Hree points Of connection
3. The Central road may enter the valley of the
Connecticut at point convenient to connect with
the Lebanon road, and run down to the Cheshire
t,co points Of connection.
3. The Rutland road may enter the valley of the
Connecticut at point convenient to connect with
the Cheshire road, and run down to Brattleboro'-
tico points Of connection.
As between the Central and Rutland roads, there
fore, they standing precisely on the same footing,
the argument fails. We have only to add, that If
all these companies allowed these privileges,
then the people in the valley of the Connecticut
will be accommodated with railroads.
Were the question open one, whether to allow
the Central road to 90 down to Fitchburg, would it
do for the friends of Rutland to claim an exclusive
right there? Would it be reasonable for her to
ask that all other roads shall be forever excluded
Could she rightfuly claim monopoly of the whole
line from Connecticut River to Boston? The Cen
trail might as well claim that she shall have a mo-
nopoly of the Concord road, and that the Passump-
sic or any other road shall not connect with tor
that she shall have monopoly of the Ogdensburg
and Montreal roads. Indeed either the Central or
Rutland road might as well claim that no road shall
be built in the valley of the Connecticut But the
Central road claims no such exclusive privileges {:
it does not object to the Vermont and Canada road,
which unites with the Rutland as well as Central
it does not object to giving the Rutland road equal
privileges there-and for our life we cannot see
why Rutland should object to equal privileges at
the southern terminus. If both roads can be built,
so much the better for the public they have the
advantage of competition. If but one can be built,
then it was certainly proper to leave it for capital
lists To decide in which thew wond nvost their mon