The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-10-09
DUTcHEss Co., NEAR QUAKER HILL, !
Oct. a. l845.

construction OF a railway TO Albany, independent of
all spectators stocks, or corner los'' in Har-
lem or Poughkeepsie, am induced to address you to
express the fear of myself and those In this region,
that between your several projects TO get good
railway to Albany, we shall be jockeyed, and you
will be disappointed in getting the best line 10 COM
munlcate with the north and the east. use this
language, as perceive the old divide and conquer
game Of "a railway on the margin Of the river is
revived, and the less ridiculous plan, to extend
the Harlem Railroad from White Plains, by Dan
bury, to the Housatonic Railroad and then to pro-
coed to Albany by rival road in another State
although it is clear that good time cannot be made
on this round about road, nor can you contend with
your fine steamboats, on the North River
II may not be known that the owners of wharves
and towboats at Poughkeepsie, who take produce
to your city, "want no railroad" but az they see
they cannot longer delay the construction of rail-
road between your city and Albany, they, through
the gentleman who mainly owns the two turnpikes,
east and west through this county, got up conven.
ton and desired another years delay and charter
to make surveys at your expense BY engineers who
the route, without having surveyed either the river
or the interior.
At Albany, last winter, in consequence Of these
opinions, we gave our support to the extension Of
the Harlem Railroad, subjecting this company, as
then thought, safe restrictions, to
the construction Of the railway, through our county
and State by having clause inserted in their char
ter, that they ''shoud not go to the Connec
tIcut State line, than two miles" We shall also
hold them to their offer, Ito expend $500 900 In tho
construction Of the road by May next OF they are to
forfeit their rights" Five months have been passed
in engineering, where had surveyed, selected
and commenced the work under the New York and
Albany charter, and we are to be disappointed, in
our wishes, by the Harlem, well as the Albany
Company. An able report and estimates tor the in.
terror route was made by Edwin F. Johnson, civil
to BE- found in legislative Of
engineer OF the New York and Albany Railroad,
pending the application for charter for railroad
along the east margin OF the Hudson river, 1S43"
merits and advantages of the two routes, and to the
city of New York, (Which defeated a charter in
1873 )has never been answered BY our Poughkeepsie
neighbors, although it 10 true they have recently
published letter Of Mr.. John Childe, chief engineer,
that has been widely circulated in your city, in
which he argues on wrong premises, but does not
answer Mr.. johnson. We are jealous and doubtful
Of the mparti"lity and disnteresedness of the en-
gineer and some of the men who now figure in your
city, committee ito get survey and charter
for the margin Of the river" however learn
that these men, with the exception of one, not
! at the Poughkeepsle Convention, and hope their
| names may have been used without their consent.
| There are two men on that committee, am sur
| prised to see there. Mr.. J Harvey once came
among friends, friend HIMSELF and made
speech at Dover IN favor OF the interior routes did
| Mr.. Van Setback, with MIR. Samuel Stevens OF your
city They battled Justify with the Harlem Com
pany, to infuse into their councils to join
| with the old Albany Company. From Mr.. Saul
Alley had hoped better things than TO him act
ing with those who want no road, but are so ilbe-
raj pass resolutions that they will vote against
any man, and of any politics. going to the Legislature
who will not vote tor a charter on the margin OF the
| rlver-when, IN the published proceedings of the
Convention of river towns at Poughkeepsie, July.
| 1872 they refused when they had the offer of the
charter of the New York and Albany Railroad
| Company, with the agreement rendered in writing
by the Company 10 adopt that route II dslnteTeet-
| ed and uncommltted engineer should say II the
| best, and your capitalists would adopt II.
| The river towns III 1912 did not want railway in
the interior, to interfere with their present valuable
business from our region OF country nor do they
| aow want any road. They say--New Workers il
there must be railroad, do build II anu put IL on
the margin OF the river without telling you thai the
steamboats, and river craft interest," naturally opposed
| 20 II, with the owners OF mills, ana OF ineis, would
claim draw-brIdges as they have the right do, tor
the greatest breadth OF beam (slxy feeD of steam.
| boats that floats the Hudson How are GU 10 make
| time with the draws open, and oppos iiion from
,loops stuck fas 6y accident, at the coming up of
| train. train OF three our hundred passen-
gers to run of In fifteen or twenty feet water would
oe more destructive OF lie than the blowing up OF
steamboat. With Ice on the rails, passing over
| water In the several bays, would alarm even those
Ut strong nerve Again, you get by the river craft
every thing on the margin Ut the river that you
would get by railroad. There are many articles
we can raise and send you that will not bear trans
poration, or the expense CT II, Poughk and
the other landings. Al these landings merchants
nave grown rich at our expense, and now wish to
defeat any railroad IN the INTERIOR they desire to
L
not interfere with them, and On which time cannot
be made.
But to sum up, we want you New Workers to
help oppose this river charter, and we will do our
part to build good railway to supply you, winter
| and summer, with your daily food at cheap rates.
| You are growing fast with Brooklyn, and want our
milk, butter, cheese, potatoes, coarse grains, fruit,
NC. &c. which now cost us 81 for a load Of less
than ton, drawn over a mountain, and two days
in tune, to get it to the river, there to be shaved
with heavy commissions. We were in hopes, az
We hav m in t.ith
under the charter OF the New York and Albany
Company, for complete surveys to Albany, and have
got three miles graded In this town and Dover and
SIX miles In Westminster, that this commencement
on our part In the country, OF this important road
would have been responded to by your citizens
We had a right to expect this, when your
Mayor and Councils, with he Mayor and Councils
OF Brooklyn and Troy, und your judges and leading
men, came TO our town to break ground. They
took oil their coats to wheel the first barrow OF earth,
and then set US and their contractors work, and
Il will only whlsper-left us to foot the bills. To
De sure, II much, and we shall not mind IT, but
will renew confidence, that some years past,
must confess, was impaired by the loss Ut the odd
thousands OF dollars we paid into New York COM
mlssloners' hands to commence the Sharon canal
out, sorry add, they lett us the bag TO hold
Ne offered your councils 10 make 40 miles Of rail-
road towards New York in 1870 and we w, anil
stand the stump.
We are not entirely satisfied with the plan of the
Harlem company to borrow our money and give us
a mortgage on the road Gan Intangible security
from White PLAINS to Putnam county, and then
they may slip round us by Danbury into the Housa-
tonic railroad. We fear the borrowing system and
debts OF this company, which they acknowledge to
be above $6OO,OO0. Can you not devise some plan
between these Two old companies by which we can
subscribe to stock on fair terms, to put our road
through to Albany?
Piety and Politeness.
To THE EDITOR
Many OF your readere, will doubtless, recolect
incident which occurred here some two years ago,
which was noticed several OF the city papers, OF
/, gentleman from Georgia having taken seat In