The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-02-28
Connecticut and Passumpsic
Rivers Rail Road.

milrs--a people, bound together by the strong
est ties of origin and intercst--than whom n
more hardy, vrtuous, intelligent and energet-
ic do not exist. And I very much doubt
whether there be a spot Of earth which holds
forth greater inducements to the capitalist
and setter-where there is greater promise of
long life, or where enterprise and industry
could in so shsrt n time convert poverty aGd
embarrassment into competency and ease 1t
might seem therefore, supererrogatlon in me
to address such n people, especially on a sub
ect so clearly of vital importance to their in
tcrests-a people too, who have always shown
themselves ready for the Performance Of any
good work in any emergency. But men are
constituted every where, that they need
"linc upon line ,precept upon Precept." They
need information and something continually
to stimulate and encourage to action. 1t
would seem that the grand enterprise in which
we are engaged should be sufficient of itselffor
all this, and were il not that there is always
more or less opposition to any and every great
good, would dcsist and say no more but even
now, man al my elbow says, ga Rail Road,
would be of no use to us in this country, in
fact it would be ufincalculablc injury on the
whole, as it would Cypress the poor, favor the
rich and build up dangerous monopolics!''-
| replied if reason were required, he had Civ
en- the strongest possible one for the entire con-
trnry effect, for the poor man whose days toOrkS
is his capital and as dear to him as that of the
milionury, would not then, as now be obliged
to spend half of his time in begging for labor,
and the other half in laboring for ''stny tape
and buckram" at double its value. No, his
whole time would command the money at
fair price, and his money from the competition
consequent upon the life-giving elements of
railway operations, would be worth as much
as the rich mans money. And the farmer
would not then as now, with "strong crying
aud tears, be obliged to beg off his surplus
bushcl of produce at a measure pressed down
and running over, and at price set entirely
by the merchant,-but the same competition
would give him the cash at rcmuncratng
price.
would ask my man, and if there be another
of the same calibrc in our whole valley, !
would ask them what they mean by "monop-
olyi" If II be the sordid wretch who revels
upon the necessities, the Likelihood of the poor
family--withholds his hand from charty-aud
whose heart is callous and insensible to all the
calls and wants of society, l agree with them
but they cannot mean this kind for such are the
legitimate offspring of our present isolated CON
diton & want of facilities TO market, but thank
God, through his kind providence, by dint Of
the perseverance and industry of our people,
these few and far between, and are crying
out in view of our prospects "greal is Diana
of the Ephesians for ''thcir craft is in dan
ger" These men take no stock in our rail
road; they do nothing for the good humankind.
In fact, they n clog to all improvements
and pest 10 themselves and all good society,
But by "moaopIy," is meant the thousands
scattered throughout the length and breadth
of our land, whose wealth acquired by superb
or sagacity and honesty, cannot be counted
every dollar of which is in circulation-givng
profitable employment TO hundreds of thou
sands in all the noble enterprises of the day
men upon whose virtues we dwell with
honest cxultation--the founders of our race
and of all that is great and good among us--I
eaRnet agree aoih them,-for such arc the men
who must take the lcad-thcy have the means
and they have minds and hearts commensu-
rate with great undertakings-hoy withhold
not the wages of the labor-they make them
selves rich and enrich the world Such are
our patrons-we may and must depend upon
them. But enough of this now. ! was pro-
voked to this DEPRESSION from my intention TO
say something of the particular benefits of
railway communication through our pleasant
valley. In addition to the fertility of our soil
our valley abounds in rich Iron ore, Lime,
Granite, Lumber beyond estimation, and wa
ter-powers unequallcd. A railroad would
bring all these into life, rcquisition and profit,
noto dead, comparatively, for want of mar
ket. We can barely live we have done, but
productions by railway, would soon make MS
rich, and to speak of our crtra productions
carried by this mode ofconveyancc, cannot
now begin. We have experience of course;
our data must be gathered in all respects from
the experience of others, and what is realized
in other places must be realized here. In N.
York, it is ascertaned that the cost of trans
portaton on the best common roads, is ut least
25 cents ton per mile, and on rail roads and
canals 2cents per mile, saving 90 cts. per ton,
per mile; that there are annually transported
in that state, of agricultural products alone, an
average distance of 100 miles 800, 900 tons on
their railroads and canals, thus saving to the
people annually on this amount of freight the
sum of S., 2S0,000; besides, the indirect and
incidental benefits to the agricultural class are
numerous, but not easily estimated, such as
tho On v;ny in characterization Of ,,orchond;,o