Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-05-09
WATCUNIAN e. JOURNAL.
Z. p. WALTON, JR., EDITOR.
MONTPELIER, FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1915.
BOSTON AND MONTREAL RAIL ROAD.
No. v,

tern Vermont" though brief review of the arti-
Gle may lead to some repetition of matters already
discussed in our columns, we cannot resist so polite
an invitation.
"Western Vermont" starts by assuming mate
rial advantage in distance from Boston TO Montreal
in favor of the Rutland route, from which he ners
the following advantages to that route:
!. That it will take $5CO,COO less TO build the
Rutland than the Central road.
9. That it will cost $45C00 less par year to run
the Rutland road than the Central,- an advantage
which the writer claims will be increased by the
difference of Sno,c* on the two routes.
3. That Chittendcn, Franklin, Grand Isle, and
one-third of Lamoille, will be best accommodated
by the Rutland route, because it is the Shortest
1t will be observed, that all these advantages
claimed for the Rutland route deEend on tie assunp-
ton that it is the shortest say assumption, for
the reasons that the friends of the Rutland route
do moi permit as 10 see the distances By their S,ruey
even far it has been made, and also that there
has been no surrey from Burlington to Canada Line.
We are aware that somebody made out table of
distances before committee of the Massachusetts
Legislature last winter--and evidently this some
body was friend of the Rutland route he took
the longest Surveyed railroad route for the Central
road to Burlington, while for the Rutland route we
are told that the distance is givcl according to the
stage route. On this statement difference of &c
miles is claimed for the Rutland road over the Cen
trial by Keene and 90 by Lebanon. Granting that
ll-road can be built (Which we are assured is
not true,) within The distance claimed to Burlng-
ton, we claim that the Central route 10 Montreal
will be 9GS miles shorter than the distance assign
cd 10 it, and that miles of the route surveyed may
be saved, making l6GS miles to be deducted from
the Central route--leaving 33i32. On the other
hand, we claim that the Rutland route will be fore.
cd TO come 9G6 miles up Onion river to 90 North
to Canada. In reference to this it has been sug.
gested that the road may on The Lake shore we
reply that Vd does 60 there-coasting Colchester,
st. Adams, and Missisquoi Bays, instead of taking
the straight line offered by the Central route the
difference will be at least Is 90 miles against
the Rutland route Oh the line from Burlington north
Taking the most favorable view we can of the Rut-
land route we cannot put the distance at less than
S:}4GS miles.
Shortest Central route via Keene is 33i.32
Showing fraction of a mile IN favor of the Cen
trail route. Thus, then, all the advantages as stat
ed above for the Rutland route, fall to the ground
at once. But we are not obliged to rely upon this
difference in distance. "Western Vermont" con-
fesses that the maximum grade on the Rutland
route is ten feet greater than that of the Central
and we are told, on what we regard undoubted
authority, that the GO feet grade will doubtless be in
creased to 10 feet and that to get along with even
that, 1T will be necessary to build long wall, be-
fore reaching Mount Holly, some IL feet wide and
40 to so feet in height. Just think of building
wall as high as an ordinary meeting house seeple,
to say nothing Of riding over it after it shall be
built! We venture to say, there is nothing on any
rail road IN the world 10 compare with this. From
these nklngs, given out without the report of the
survey to be sure, but still on the very best author
y 1T is perfectly evident that the Rutland road, be
the distance what it WILL will cost more than the
Central road that it will cost more to run it, and
require longer time than the Central. These are
the results which expect to sec derived from the
engineers report Of the Rutland route, whenever
it makes its appearance. We ar, so confident on
this head that regard it as Of the utmost conse-
quence to route to have surveys Of the
Rutland route, and of both from Burlington north
ward, laid before the public at the earliest possible
moment. We beg Our Rutland friends to get out
their report as soon as possible.
The reader will bear in mind, that thus far we
have confined our remarks to the longest Central
route Let us have your attention for a moment to
the Central route ria Lebanon. The distance from
Boston to Montreal, assigned by the somebody
aforesaid, is 345 miles. We deduct as before ex-
planned, I4.6S miles on the route from White Riv-
err to Burlington and miles also in New Hamp-
shire-all which may be saved if the stock holders
choose 10 do it. This leaves 324GS for the Central
route via Lebanon, which deducted from the Rut-
land route leaves the Central route exactly ten
miles the shortest. In addition to this, the route
from Lebanon TO Concord has also an advantage in
lighter grades none over $3.50 feet,) and conse-
quently the advantage Of being the cheaper road to
construct, keep in repair and run. Either Central
road, therefore, we must insist has the advantage
over the Rutland in all three of the advantages
claimed by "Western Vcrmont:" either will cost
less than the Rutland for construction-either will
cost less 10 run it-either can be run the quickest
and finally, adopting the reasoning of {" Western
Vermont either Central route will best accomno.
date the business of Windsor lat least half by the
Lebanon route, and all of it by Keene,) Chitenden,
Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamolc, Washington, Or
leans, Caledonia and Orange counties. Hitherto
we have estimated Franklin and Grand Isle as be-
ing equally accommodated by both the Central and
Rutland routes, and we now claim them simply up.
on the same ground that Western Vermont" has
claimed them. We observe that Windhdm and a
part Of Bennington are claimed as best accommo-
dated by the Rutland route. This is not conceded
as between the Central route via Keene and the
Rutland ronte there is not one particle of difference
as to Windham county, and hardly particle as to
Bennington. Both of these counties should be put
out of the question. Wndham is accommodated by