Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-11-05
Bridging the Lake.

Our friend of the Montpelier Wafciman, in
his daily of the et ffistahY,' Introduces COM
munication from, as he says, " one of the most
distinguished of the jursts and statesmen Of
Vermont; prudent man, as well as an expo
renced legislator in former years, with the
following rather animated flourish Of trumpets.
We propose to pay our respects, briefly, to both
the communication and the edorial-tlIe pre-
face and the book-and We do it the more cheer
fully because they furnish the only avowed ai-
ienpt that we have vet seen to vindcatc the
necessity or TIE policy of bridging the navga-
BILE waters of Lake Champlain. The following
is the editorial
THE BRIDGE QUESTION
Though we have been familiar with the legislation
of Vermont, by our presence at every session, and
nearly every day of each session, for almost twenty
years, cannot call to mind any PROJECT ot greater
magnitude than this OF bridging Luke Champ aiii--it
it BE- II lgcd, should be judged, by the Interests iii
vowed and the results that viii probably rnsue We
have expected, therefore, TO have something to say
though our ilca OF proprrty has been 10 await the
suits of the thorough investigation now going on
before the committees Ron,is OF both Houses Oh
serving however, that our friend the Secretary of the
Senate the editor OF the Burlington Free Press has al
ready entered the field, wc can 10 longer have any
drlicncy in the matter
1t would from the rec trcSs Oi 81,
the interests OF the town OF Burlington wee the most
important u! ALL ini led We may say tlc Oa'y Interests
deserving the consideration oi the STATE bat are
glad TO that our trends circle OF VISION has since
been somewhat enlarged and that now the gieat IN
er.st growing out OF l. Ike navigation, with rapidly
increasing commerce. now valued at SIX MILLIONS OF
dollars, and wthaI one or TWO lmpoItfrt auHd COM
pancs in his view deeply concerned This is an
approximation to the true point from which To stait in
the discussion OF tins question that point beng that
eccry town in the Stau-a!l Ms coinmrlce-Hi It's
rallroadsaH its iutcrcstsl!iot its prople-nnj all
too, OF severai o the adjoining states, are seriously
! concerned. The editor ot the Press has agalu and
again advcted TO the village oi Burlington we
tninly would not overlook tint beautiful AMI iinpnr-
tant village advocate any step unnecessarily IN
tcrirrlnI with its existing prospective Interests but
We nu. remind our mend 81 the Free Press TINT YER
mont, and New Eng! md, and tie great Western
States. have an interest which deserves attention. lie
has spoken OF local busincss-ot the Interests OF
sngle class, limited to the borders OF the lake and
concerned Ih lis nhulGation but We must remind hIl
OF the interests oi the whole people. lie has pointed
Us to the SIX MiLIloNs on DOLLARS representing me
'c'r'iniecr' # the Lake. rsnind hnn OF the
TWELVE MILLIONS OF DoLIAns, now Invested and to be
Invested III vermont alone, IN the of rarruIBg
on commcrce--in railroad companies already organic
ed, and most ct them already IN the process OF con-
struc,ion and we will n,lI every one OF which cX-
cep, the Central road, will be crippled it stopped
by the refusal o. the hi ge. We must remind him
also of the commerce OF which these TO Ids be
the carrrsthe comm rec not baieiy of Vermont but
oi an area eq al TO one tI part o the Union The
SIX millions may he safely multiplied by ten.
Surely this Is no village contrst-no local contest
no railroad contest it rather matter OF serious
sequence 10 the whole State, and to ncighborlng
Suites and deserves TO be discussed and decided upon
higher considerations than are usually sought after in
village tights and corporation squabes. 1t deserves
TO h. ,crOl>iy ali caulldy ttuted--lnd So We snail
! endeayor to treat it.
To-day we postpone further remarks to give place
10 the following n. ticc, winch we have Unexpectedly
received from OF the most disting s.rJ Oi the
lursts and statesmen oi Vermont pru lent man, rs
we'll as an experienced legislator IN former years,
whose opinions entitled to ,ae highest respect.
So II appears that the ed uro the Waterman
has hitherto been restrained from discussing the
merits Of proposed course q: public policy,
that he regards as "of greater magnitude "
tian any that has occupied the attention OF the
people and the Legislature for almost twenty
years. simply from motives Of "delicacy y
And he now informs his numerous readers that
this deIicacy is finally overcome by our viola-
tons of ''propricty or in other words, be-
cause the Free Press is indicate he means the
Waterman snail be The grounds OF both the
=. decacy" of our friend, and of his reluctant
surrender of it, are so novel and curious, and 20
little in agreement with what Is commonly as
sumed to be the dizzy, no less than the privilege,
of the Press, that we are afraid they will pro-
woke smile. Such feminine scn-ilvrness
touching the somewhat robust matters Of build
ing bridges over Lakes, and obstrnc'ng mpor-
tant navisablc waters. particularly when eynccd
by the Clerk of a Corporation deeply interested
in the project and enerce,ically urging it upon
oopular favor. is quite affecting and is only
eouaIlcd by the nicely Of that idea of pro-
nrie,vn which Restraints all discussion of great
nublic measure mill after .,he RESULTS of the
thorough investigation ), of it are made known
Ia sor, Of most n,orten,, examination that mirh,
he satisfactory to the curiosity of the living bu,
xouId rosscss very little interest for tle dead
The Uo,cbuap's man appcars to us highly
croJ,ah,e 10 III. tindne.. Of It's h, arr if no, 10
,,,a ,la.,r,as, ,f T.. understanding Orr nation
h.. hoo, Cha, :, ! ho,,or 70 dis,uss rro,os,io,s