Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-12-25
RAILROADITIES.

ONH IOdu 10 npuNcU, anu nave plenty 10 cut.
RAILROADITIES.
O. We have been requested to publish the fol-
lowing article IF we approve of j." we publish it
Notwithstanding our opinion that newspaper dis
cussion of this question of routes is premature and
that it is impolitc, until other means of obtaining
satisfactory decision have been fairly and fully
tried. Thearguments used by Mr.. Reed are strong
and appropriate to be used in the right place. A
portion of them are proper to be urged upon the
Chief Engineer, ere he shall make up his opinion
urged upon the Board of Directors, when they shall
have been asked to reconsider this questions or up
on the stockholders, if it shall turn out to be ne
cessury to appeal to them in special meeting as
sembed. Upon so important question as the To-
cation of one third of the whole road, we con-
ceive that it is the right and the duty of either par
ty if they shall be aggrieved to hold all the agents
of the company to strict accountability; TO sub
ect their dongs to as severe scrutiny they please
SO far as we now, they have no desire to escape
this scrutiny.
The first proper step, we think, is for each party
TO present their claims to the Engineer who is first
charged with the great responsibility of giving an
opinion upon this subject; and then, if necessary,
to the Directors. IT, after this, an appeal is
sary to the stockholders, then it seems to US is the
time for addressing them through the newspapers,
or the press in some other shape. If the question
unfortunately comes to that, we have intended to
be ready to do our duty according to the best of
our Judgment hit where it may. In the meantime
if discussion is to be prematurely forced upon
the public, the friends of both routes will find us
ready to give them fair play in our columns, res
trictng them only 10 suitable limits and requiring
each writer to be responsible for his own articles
We must express our confidence, however, that the
Chief Engineer and the Board will place their de-
csion upon grounds which will abide any test-so
strong grounds, trust to satisfy at least every
dsinterested stockholder and preclude the necessi-
ty of any measures if not of public discus
sion itself
In all discussion there is one point which the
stockholders of the Central Road ought never to
lose sight of: it is that there is an interest greater
than that of either route-the interest of one quar-
ter Of the population of Vermont IN hauing his
road having II sOme,ehere, be it by one route or an
nc 10 IL llidltcl VI ldSllllg
portance, compared with which any local advanta-
ges or any temporary wrongs are IF small impor-
lance. We say temporary ,crongs, tor an errone-
Gus decision either way cannot withstand the scru-
tiny which would await it from the opposite party.
TO THE VERMONT STOCKHOLDERS IN
THE CENTRAL. RAILROAD.
The active part taken by me in procuring your
subscriptions to the stock of the Central Railroad
is my apology for obtruding upon you my ndividu-
al advice as to the course you should pursue amidst
the embarrassnens of the present position. learn
that many of you, on account Of the temporary To-
cation of the road by the way of Mortified and a.
way from the capital of the State, in defiance of
the condition of the subscription Of the stockhold-
ers in the company, have lost confidence in the
present directors and have resolved on Withholding
the payment of the assessment now ordered upon
the stock. beg you, gentlemen, TO reanimate your
confidence, and reconsider your resolution. Al
though the present aspect of things may be dis
to those who have not view of the
whole matter, to those who have, there exists per-
feet guaranty that the road will ultimately be laid
g. built where nature the legislature, and The stock
holders designed it should be- viz: by the way OF
Montpelier | will endeavor to convince you that
this guaranty does exist and then you will be pre-
pared for the advice propose giving you. In the
first place, should the directors themselves finally
decide no: to change the present temporary loca-
ton of the road, there is the body of the sockho-
ders, their masters, TO whom you can appeal, with
confidence, for reversal of the decision: for the
doubt is not to I've entertained for a moment that
the company will sanction any violation OF the con
drtions of,subscrpton
But should this source ofredress disappont yod
there is power above both directors and company,
and which neither may with impunity disobey
which is sure to change the present location Of the
road, if persisted in. | mean the power of the
l. O.. LII -, .frf, .t,a..r
press stipulation IN The articles Of subscription 10 The
stock OF The compa1y ptat the road should Dedicated
via" 10y the way off montpelier. 1t is certain that
the present location does not take that dlrection-
Hence if it be not voluntarily changed, the hum
best stakeholder has efectually within himself the
power by an appeal to the courts OF compelling the
change. | am aware that those engaged in the eff
fort of diverng the road from its proper direction,
fancy .hey can avoid this impeachment by conStruc-
ting a branch from the main track up to Montpe-
lier. But this contrlVance will not answer their
object. The charter Of the company conters no
for that purpose. And II 1t did the con-
struction of Il branch would be no compliance with
the terms of the subscription, which requires that
the "ioad" shall be located from Lake chaplain to
Connection. river, Z" via" Montpelier.
Here, then, is perfect guaranty to every stock
holder, that the present location will be changed.
But there are others equally sure, in my eshma-
ton, ard much more agreeable to contemplate, as
they refer only to peaceful action OF these will
name two.
The first Is, that the present location cannot pos
sibly be satisfactory, reflection, to the directors
even should no new discoveries be
made by the surveys now going on The bare
idea of running away from the Capital of the State,
and the Legislature which gave the road existence;
and in defiance Of the wishes of seyen-eghths of
the stockholders in the State and the express stip
uaton in the articles of subscription of all Of them,
both in and out of it; and taking route by many
miles longer, of much greater elevation TO sur
mount, and much more sinuous in its COURSE with
out any hopes of gain by way of freight and pass
engers, but on the contrary, a certainty OF an I'M
mense loss-will not, cannot bear the test of
ond thought.
The other guaranty alluded to, is the high prob
ability, that the esurvey of the two routes now in
progress will satisfy the directors that the route
hv tho wov Of Montnalinr and the (,ulf ia in