The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-06-04

III thls Northern railroad is carried uI
, the valley OF the Hoosick river, via Norlt
Adams, and forms a junction with the
Boston road al Pittsield or Dalton, it is in
vain for the New Workers to suppose thai
-, the travel will be diverted from Boston ,c
their place, especially in the winter. Il
IS true passengers can come down to Pitts,
field during the lime navigation is open in
the Hudson, and a take the cars for ALI
bany if they choose; but navigation on
the Boston railroad is always open, and
the people of Vermont can get their goods
in the month of February as easily as any
other month in the year. The Boston
people are stralning every nerve TO divert
trade to their city. The products of the
places l have named can now find a bets
ter market al Boston than they can find in
New York, or will when this road is fin,
lshed. And when we consider the in
ducements held out by the Boston mer.
chants, together with the fact that the Bos,
ton capitalists are building the North Ad-
ans road, a person must be blind not TO
see that Boston is working for an object
beyond the dividends upon their capital in.
vested in the railroad. 1t is also true that
the Housatonic railroad now forms a juno
ton with the Boston road, by means OF the
Hudson and Berkshire railroad at the
state line, and you might say that passen.
gers coming down the North Adams road
can take the cars for the stale line, and
thus find their way to New York 5y this
route. Ii the New Workers owned the
stock in the Boston and Albany and North
Adams railroads. they might possibly so
manage matters as to direct the travel as
the directors choose. But if you know
anything about railroad corporations, you
have learned the fact that a great deal de-
ponds upon management. The question
is not where will people find the best mar.
ket? but who owns the stock2 and for
whose benefit was the road built2
The distance from the state line (where
the Housatonic can form a junction with
the Boston road)b by way OF Pitts6eld, N.
Adams, WiIIiamslo wn, to Bennington, Vt.
will be forty-eight and one-half miles,
BY this route, passengers will be subjects
ed to the Inconvenience of q shift of bag
gage, ETC., besides a delay. ifthe Boston
train should not think fit 10 run in connec-
ton with the Housatonic. Now the pros
posed route which might be a continue.
lion OF the Housalonic. and, therefore, in.
dependent) might be built from the state
line OF Edwards depot in Canaan, NY.
10 Bennington w., in less than thirly-six
mlles-being a saving of more than IL
miles in the distance, and getting almost a
straight road, with a grade of no. more
than forty feet 10 the mile. From the state
line to New Lebanon, the proposed road
has already been surveyed by Mr.. Tai
colt, the engineer who surveyed the Bos>
ton road from Albany 10 the state line
This will be the wors: part OF the route
from Stockbridge TO Bennington, we: he
found no difficulty in getting a survey OF
a road which would be Of a grade of forty
feet to the mile, and nearly a direct line
From Lebanon Springs north, about five
miles the grade would be less. Here you
wonId find the summit, where the streams
make Oft both ways-the one falling into
KInderhook creek and finding their way
to the Hudson river at Stuyvesant, the
others running north until they find the
Hoosick river in the north part OF Peters
burgh; here the grade would be Amos.
level, through a rich country, with very
little filling; from thence it would be feas-
ible to take a gap in the mountain, at a
place called the "Kilchen," passing into
the state OF Vermont and iniersecting The
Northern railroad at the foot OF PownaI
mountain. Should a junction be formed
at this place, ii would shorten the distance;
but should judge it feasible to connect
with the Northern road at Bennington
should this route be decided upon. The
advantages gained by this road would be:
LIST, an independent road from New York
TO Bennington; I'D, a route nearly straieh,
with an easy grade; 81, a shorter route
by at least IL miles and 4!h, securing TO
New York the trade and travel of West
ern Vermont and Canada, together with
that OF the eastern towns of Washington
and Rensselaer, counties, and part of The
northern and eastern towns Of Columbia.
"A shorter route might b. made by
passing from Stephentown through
the Hancock valley. and tapping the
Northern road a, Wi,liamstown Mass
But 1t is uncertain whether a charter
could be Obtained from the Legislature of
Massachusetts for this last proposition; be-
this route would not pass through so
dense a population. Or the road nigh,
be extended through Pelersburgh, Hoo
sick, White Creek, Salem, etc, as the
valley continues through to Caslleton, /
understand, and how much farther | know
not.
"But these suggestions are thrown ont
by one totally Ignorant of railroad affairs.
That they are the words of wi dom, it re-