Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-02-28
COM MUNICATlONS,

Mn. EDrron; You are probably aware that much
mas oeen sad IN your town upon the Rail road ques-
ton, and that II has all been upon one side of that
question, or in favor of what is called the Southern
route. Satisfied as l am of the error in judgment up
on this point, permit me TO EXPRESS a somewhat differ
ent view, through the columns OF your paper. While
tneie are but few so shott-sighted as 10 discard roads
OF this kind altogether, the great majority of the peo-
Pie foresee the advantages 10 be derived from one in
tersecting the State in any direction. The voice of
the people is plainly for a n il-road. The question of
location, however, arises, and il is not strange that
among the 100000 inhabitants of the Stale there
should be much diversity OF opinion. Sectional inter
est must of course be expected in various parts, lut
justice and sound policy, require that particular and
local interest must be sacrificed for the general well
fare Of the State. 1t is not, therefore, a question
whether Burlington, Montpelier or any other place is
to lie benefited, but the State. Ii would be the great
est impolicy TO suffer any such places TO govern the
location, only so far as through them the general in
terest is subserved. II is quite obvious that Bnrllng-
ton from lis commanding position must be the west
ern terminus OF the road. But while there is a gene
raj agreement on this point, there is a diversity of
opinion as TO the couf Sc to be pursued from that place.
AT present the people Of Burlington and the Cham
plain valley generally favor the southern route which
will be parallel to AMI in the immediate vicinity of the
Lake, while On the contrary the people to the East of
the Mountain desire the route east by way of Mont
pellcr. The location must be determined by the inter-
ests Of the State and of theiproprietors,o f the road. If
we look to the topography of the State,and notice the
facilities, those upon the west side of the mountain
already possess, of getting out by water communica-
ton, and the inland and isolated position of the east
sue, thsre can be but little doubt that the harmony of
interests will be more etlectually secured If the east
ern route is pursued. This route will accommodate
about 90, 600 ci,izens of the state residing in the North
ern part of the Connecticut valley, who would all lie
left in an isolated position should the other route be
adopted. This Is an important consideration and
should have a great influence in the location OF the
road 10 the east. The principal, and almost only ar
gunent advanced by the people of Burlington IN Ia
vor of the southern road consists in securing the trade
OF the north east part of the state. II this argument
is viewed narrowly, there will be detected in it a sell
fshncss quite unflvorable 10 other portions of the
Stnte, and hostile to equal rights and liberal views
This eNpcdient of forcing the trade from this source TO
Burlington is beneftiing a few to the great disadvan-
tage OF The whole northeast portion of the State
This is a species of selfshness nearly allied to eytor-
tim The unreasonablene,s and illiberality of which
will be apparent 10 those in every other part of the
country. This very necessity of $1,000 inhabitants
being forced TO 90 over rough roads an average dis
lance Of 60 miles to transact business is the mos, con-
vlnclng argument in favor of having the road pene-
!rate, as far as practicable with dtrectness, their own
territory. This is a fertile portinp of the State and
susceptible of great pro1uctiveness, but from lis IN.
for'u.ate position in relation to It's access with other
parts OF the country, its resources n,e as yet uhde.
veloped. So much so, that we find only a sixth part
of the inhabitants of The State scattered over more
than one fourth of lis area.
Again, the advocates of the other route say that the
Eastern road, in cutting off the Northeastern trade
from Burlington, will change their point Of intersec-
ton with the road, from Burlington TO Montpelier,
and thus build up the latter place at the expense of
the former. Here, too, the sectional character of The
argument appears, for there would be no greater alb
surdlty in Montpelier drawing the people of Chitten-
den County east, for the benefit of that place, than
for Burlington TO require the Northeast to build itself
up. II Is therefore an Liberal policy that would bring
the eastern side of the Mountain TO any place west,
upon the lake, and will lmpoverish any country in the
proportion that 1t prevails. But does it appear that
Burlington will actually lose by this diversion of
trade2 Let us suppose that Montpelier is increased
to 20 900 inhabitants by being the depot of the coun-
try north OF il, II does not follow that this is wrested
from the present resources of Burlington, or any por-
ton of the line west Of the mountain. The moment
the road il constructed east, there will soon be two
large places, Burlington and Montpelier, both con-
necied with the great governing markets of n. York
and Boston. Beng about 40 miles distant from each
other, and both about an equal distance from the
markets they will avail themselves of either ms cir
cnmsiances require. No one can fail TO see the ad.
vantage in this peculiar relation Of places and the mu.
iual benefit each will derive from the other. All the
Boston trade of the western place pass through the
one while all the New York trade of he eastern must
pass through the other. These considerations i'm
portant as they are to the state and all the parties
concerned are not the most important and olvious.
connected with the e1siern route This course will
secure for Burlington the whole domestic trade of
the Champlain valley with the coast of the lake and
contiguous country IN New York and Canada EN-
brnclng n territory of from 5000 10 10000 square
miles. 1t the southern route is decided upon and
White Hall should be connected with the road at n
point in or near Rutland (Which, without doubt,
would be donc,. the whole trade Of this vast territory,
which ia bound both for New York and Boston,
would be diverted from Burlington. This would in
duce a loss of 80 per cent To Burlin,on of all its DO.
mestic ira le, while there vii, bcl00 per cen. loss ofihe
foreign trade which will at some Gay cross the St.
Lawrence from the country north of the great lakes.
For the moment the road is constructed parallel and
near to the lake, thus involving it-elf with an already
existing line of water communication. with which il
never can success fully compete, ii must of necessity
lose, upon an average about Is per cent of the whole
foreign and dome tic trade of this northern region
Would your limits permit many other arguments
might be advanced in favor Of the route by Montpelier.
In brief, then we find, that by the eastern route, the
interests of the State will not only be equalized, bu,
Indefinitely increased, the fertile valley of the Connec-
licnt will be laid open to market and It's resources de.
veloped, n nd its now stationary villages be placed in n
condition of prosperous advancement. An immense
trade will be brought into Burlington from he West,
which will not only pass through, but will actually
stop, be ~unloaded. stored and loaded again. These
changes in the mode of transportation will furnish
employment for a large number of men, and give
the place the wealth and business character of our
largest sea- port towns. -.