Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-06-11


lively worthless portion of the state. From Mr..
IIovwnrds Report il would seem that he has been so
coptiva,cd with the novel idea OF bridging Lake Cham
Main that he has violated almost every sound principle
in rail road Engineering. 1t is not at all strange that
mass meetings have been called by the citizens of
northern New York to show their disapprobation OF
road iooisly through their territory, avoiding
it does almost every thing OF value, from the Racket
River to Lake Champaign. II it was his object to get
n road on which the grades and curvaures should be
the least possible irrespective OF dircctncss, or OF the
character of the country travcrscd then he has with
out doubt succeeded by following the valley OF the
St lawrence along the base Of the central tabe-land
of Northern New York he has reduced his summit
level so as to require quite an uniform and maxi mum
grade of only 26i feet This is doubtless considerably
lower than either of the other routes surveyed, or low
or than could be obtained on any route nearer the
summit of this table land Thus far the route has the
appearance of feasibility but it is to be regretted that
every other consideration has been sacriced to that
OF easy grade and curvature.
1t will not be necessary proong rcmarksupon this
extraordinary Report after the critical and just review
of it that appeared in an Editorial of your paper two
or three weeks since. That Report is calculated to
convey erroneous ideas mot intentional of course) to
the people of Boston, who not familiar with Lake
Champlain and the country TO the west OF it. 1t was
stated in the Free Press some time since, that Mr..
Hayward looked upon a bridge necessary, from
the fact tina, the navigation Of Lake Champaign DO
tween Burlington and Platsburgh DISTRACTED by
ice during four five months of each year In look
ing over the Report | found no such statement. and
am inclined therefore to conclude that nothing OF the
kind was ever asserted by Mr. Hayward Those ac-
quaintcd with the navigation Of the lake are well
aware, that between those two places Ferry Boat
plies nearly ten months vi the year, BY referring TO
Thompsons Vermont, it will be that for the last
twenty years, the average time that navigation has
been closed docs not exceed fifty five days This time
might cnsily he reduced to one month by using some
means to break the ice.
Every one, after consideration, mus, he Of the same
opinion with yourself in regard to the great COM
ni,tcd by Mr. Hayward in allowing himself to d.
gress far to the NORTH from the main course, and
directly from the timber and mineral resources OF the
state. Here, too his Report (bu more particularly the
map accompanying it, will be apt to give an erro-
neous idea to the people of Boston, o the nature Of
the country contiguous to his railroad route lie has
on that map placed mountain ridge north Of the
Saranac River, which runs parallel 10 it nearly Its
whole course One unacquanted with the topogra-
ply Of the region, on inspecting his map, would con-
cludc that it was impossible to sirnoun this noun
tain barrier penetrate the intcro from st Lawrence
1t is fact however, well known by some, that the
mountains of Northern New York all lie to the south
east of the valleys of the Saranac and Racket Rivers
, and that Mr. IIavwards mountain can be crossed a
, almost any point by II rail road with grades not
cccding fifty feet.
Bv keeping so far to the north of these valleys
which are the natural outlets Oh this whole region he
eiicctually excludes the possibility of way business, tc
the, pt
! road Ii is admitted that this species OF business
should form an important item in sustaining every
rail road and it is well known fact that the stocl
has almost universally been below par upon those road
where nothing but the through business has been taker
: into consideration. In this have an instance
oi long and somewhat expensive road depending en-
. tirly upon business from the east OF Lake Champaign
$ and ron the of the St. Lawrence. 1t needs NJ
l. comment to expose the folly Of such course. Mr.
10 HAYWARD does not seem 30 have considered singh
t, contingency het. under sulposdtio circumstances
= might seriously affect the value Of the stock upon ihi
II road. lie t,at d, way business is Of com
: paratvcy small importance, when the whole bushes
: OF the great West is to be poured ever the road. Ill
does not consider what proporon of all this bushes
may be directed from its course To take the New OIL
and Erie Rail Road NJ D"nhrk Tor New York, or tn
rnil-road at Buffalo for Albany, coming still arhc
the centre OF the State All oihcsc are equally dircc
Tor the products of the West seeking an Eastern mar
kc and it requires bu, little stretch of the imagination
TO conceive of circumstances that would draw off mos
of the western business from this road. Suppose, 70
instance that his road is constructed near the Canad;
Line and that some difficulty arises between the Eng
, lish government and own, il the road were no
actually torn up by maraudcrs, would not the produc
OF the West fluid market by one OF the south
ern and safe routes! In fact whether this road
built where Mr.. Hayward suggests or upon either q
the previously surveyed routes south of it, it must eve
have to contend with the two great southern and par
allel rail roads of New York lis rivals which ma
or may affect the business of the road, according
: circumstances The true policy then undoubtedly i,
to secure the way business first and then get all OF tn
r through business possible
n There is another point which Mr. Hayward has en-
tirey overlooked 1t has always been considered a
important object, particularly in New England, I
locate any given railroad that it may ntcrscct til
water courses upon the line at points where the powe
can be applied in driving the machinery necessary io
the development of the natural resources OF the
y try So important has this been considered that wild
d, dgrcssions frequently made from the main line q
the road where higher grades and heavier excavation
are encountered to secure such contacts with streams
or cNnlnpe ol lnl- IL u 'y
ID TO the entrance of the Vermont Central Rail Roa
!, into your own place, by way oil Wmoosk Falls whcI
. an extra expense of some hundreds Of thousands a
dollars incurred merely to render available tn
>" water power of that place. Notwithstanding WinoC
XXI Falls is only one and haltmilcs from the concn
re plated terminus OF the railroad in Burlington und
Sc any circumstances still the Engineers of that roa
IN saw the advantages derived from bringing that pat
r upon the line OF the road, in preference TO Mr. LA,
wards plan OF avoiding such Positions to be reduce
" TO the necessity o reaching them by side cuts.
le would seem that Mr. Hayward the Importance G
H. access, by some method the rr'"~"l ioii o We
lc York, by the following extract from his Report:
ri "COmcCted with the plan of bridging the Lake
-, Rouses Point, and there meeting the railroads ro
Montreal and from burlington, ii may be well To col
" slider the eXpcdiency oi constructing branch Of Il
rail road Ia Platishurgh the most eligible point
ia that village for depot Tor that portion OF the busnc
oi the said road which is connected with the busne
OF the lakes, aud also for junction with the brant
ne roads from the Au sable and the Saranac valley
SC These valleys constitute the great iron district
Northern New oTk, and will ultimately conrbu
" an Immense amount o business TO the Vermont ron
fie as well as to the Ogdcnsburgh and Lake Champa
r RAILROAD The expense OF such branch will
lui comparatively light. The distance is about l6 mile
aud the country favorable"
According 10 tins plan, it will not only he necessa
10 construct the sixteen miles referred to IN the Repo
cen but also branches equal sixteen miles more exlen
rgh ing up the Au Sable and Saranac valleys IT, ther