The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-07-13

| commenced within The present century, has
already reached nesJ seventy thousand souls,
| (sixtytwo thousand, three hundred and SIX
ty-fo.lr by The State Census Of la45.) and is
increasing perhaps as rapidly as any county
iuthe State.
! All these facts were fully known to the
Legislature who granted the Charter Of this
Company upon the petition and prayer of
this very population, and as they supposed
and believed, end as they will no debut their
Legislature intended, for their benefit and
| the benefit of the section Of the State in
which they reside.
| II was well known TO them and TO the
Legislature, that peculia, and important ad-
vantages to the States East of this portion
of the State Of New-York, and between it
and the Atlantic coast, and particularly TO the
City Of Boston in the State Of Mass, rival
in trade to the city ofNew- York, were an
ticipated from the construction OF the Rail
road authorized TO be constructed by this
Company, by giving to those States, and that
great trading city, direct access to the i'm
mense trade of the Western Lakes, without
encountering the competition of the city Of
New York and the other cities ofthis State,
other than as that competition might be ex-
tended TO distant points upon this remote line
of transportation.
Governed by no narrow views Of local ad-
vantage TO be INDUCED at the expense oil
this section oil their own State, the members
Of our Legislature cheerfully granted this
Charter, nor was remonstrsnce or resistance
offered from the commercial towns. 10 whom
a powerful rival was thus to be introduced IN
their rear. All felt that the Northern Sec
ton Of the State, for the benefit Of which the
State had constructed no Canal or Railroad.
had rig BIT to ask for this Charter, Ifby it the
construction Of the proposed Railroad could
be secured, and its mineral and other resour-
ces developed.
In the face OF all these facts. the idea new
er once occurred TO the undersigned, or to
their fellow citizens Of st. Lawrence Coun-
", and they feel sure il did not to The Leg
islatnre Of the State, that the great interests
Of Northern New York in this improvement,
the advantages and resources Of the country
for the benefit of which the Charter was
granted, would be thrown aside and utterly
Gisregarded, and tho Charter be considered
and treated as a mere right Of 17ay for the
people Of the States East, and Of the city of
Boston in particular, upon which 10 con-
struct a Railroad 10 carry The trade OF the
Lakes 10 the Boston market around the
markets of their own State. With n conf
ding faith. honorable TO their integrity, and
10 their confidence to the fidelity Of American
citizens when executing public trust, the
Legislature simply required the location oil
the road 'ou such route as the majority Of
the Directors Of said company shall deter
mine TO be best adapted to the public accom-
moddtioa.'
Judge then Of the surprise. the utter as
constituent, Of the undersigned, and Of the
great body Of their fellow citizens Of the
county, when location of this road for a
distance Of more than forty miles in ST.
Lawrence county, extending from the ,ermi-
nation at Osdensbufgh on the West Of the
bounds of the county on the East, is an
nounced to them as made by persons calling
themselves, and assuming to be. Directors OF
this Company, upon line something like
midway between the two greatlines Of COM
munication, travel. and settlement Of the
country before described. substantially en-
bedded 10 The range Of swamps which divides
those lines, and not touching single bust
ness point in the county, except the termina-
ton at Ogdensburgh, and leaving ityet q
matter of extreme doubt whether that is TO
be more than touched in the final establish
ment OF the Western termination of the road.
Thus is the road thrown. not as near as poss-
lille to the mineral region and TO the resour-
ccs of this par: of the country, which
it was the design Of the Legislature
that The road should develope, but as
fan as practicable from that region
not as far as reasonably practicable from the
ST. Lawrence River, which supports good
water anspor,ation TO tho citizens Of ttat
part Of the Country, but as near to the river
as line could be carried without losing ell
ovation 10 he reascended in surrounding the
high lands in Franklin county and not
through single business village Of the in
terror Of the county.