Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-06-07

in their power TO complete the work. The
grant extended from Connecticut River TO
tide water at Dover, giving power TO build
a canal or railroad, and navigate the Lake
with a steamboat. The Company were to
pay me for my past services in surveying,
exploring and obtaining the former grant,
such sum as the Superior Court should a.
ward. In 1910 the Court awarded me
S3,256, which sum have never received,
as the Company failed TO prosecute their
enterprise. Unless the State of New Hamp-
shire shall see fit to make up my loss, |
shall receive no compensation for my grant,
nor for all my la5ors in its behalf
In 1924 | communicated to Congress,
that canal could be opeued from the out
let Of The great Lakes, through New Eng
land, to the Atlantic, as well as the Erie
canal could he built in New York. From
the year 1924 was employed as civil en-
gineer and as guide OIL the part of New
Hampshire and Vermont, for the succeed
ing six years, in the summer seasons, in
connection with the United States engn-
GERS, exploring and surveying the country
from the Atlantic ocean and the Kennebec
country to the outlet of the Great Lakes, in
order to ascertain the best location for a
canal between these points.
Immediately after the veto Of the Mays
vile Road bill, May 9th, 1880, the United
States engineers were recalled and never
suffered TO return to pursue the enterprise
any further at the expense of the United
States 1t was known, however, to the Gov
eminent, that if a commercial intercourse
were opened from the eastern coast by way
OF Lake Winnipisslogee, through Vermont,
TO Ogdensburgh, thence through the great
Lakes to Toledo, thence by way of the
Maumee, Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi
rivers to New Orleans, the distance would
be less than it is upon the coast around
Florida, and great advantage would be az
fordcd US in case of war aud the blockade
of our Atlantic ports.
In New England it was confidently be-
lleved that if u water communication were
opened between Ogdensburgh and the At.
lantc, through Vermont and New Hamp-
shire, it would be one of the greatest thor
oughfares the world afforded.
In October, 1880, at a convention held
in Montpelier, by gentlemen from Boston
Ogdensburg, and The many large towns be.
tween, was chosen, with james Hayward
of Cambridge, Mass, and Gen. johnson OF
Burlington, VT, committee to explore a
route for u railroad from Ogdensburgh to
Boston. This we accomplished and repor-
ted the project to be practicable for the
whole misunderstanding the lake between
Pittsburgh and Burlington with steamboats,
Between Montpelier and Concord we repor
ted two practicable routcs--onc by way o
Lebanon, and one by way of HaverhiI, N
III. We recommended careful and accurate
surveys Of both routes before preference
should be given to either. This was never
done. The great opposition to corporations
which New Hampshire exhibited at tina
time. blasted tine enterprise. Boston PEG
pie, however, were not thus to be put dowI
and deprived of the vast trade of the grea
West, and they set about opening the grea
Western Railroad to Albany, to intersec
with the Erie Canal This enterprise ha
more than doubled the wealth of Boston.
This much have said predatory TO thu
following
STATEMENT
Tohe Honorable Committee, chosen in seq
eral tODns in Washington, Caledonia an
Orange Counties, to e1piore Route o
Routes for a Railroad from Montpclirr t
the Connecticut River, either at Bradfor
or Wells Riuer ViHage:
GENTLEMEN:-Iw was suddenly and uney
pectedly called before the Convention late
ly held in Washington, to give informatio
respecting the construction of railroa
from Montpelier via Waits or Wells Rivel
there to unite with railroads constructe
and being constructed through New HamI
shire to the Atlantic, and connect the Who'll
with Ogdensburgh and the far West o
that occasion time would not permit me I
give such detailed accounts as could hay
wished, and improve the present opport,
nifty to express myself more fully. The in
portance to Montpelier and the State of We
mont of having railroad connecting o!
densburgh with the East, upon the route vi
der consideration, must be apparent to ev
ry considerate mind. No doubt good l.
cation for the road can be found and ii
distance be less than 40 miles, betwee
Montpelier and the Connecticut. The pre-
ent railroad distance from IIaverhill
Montpelier, via White River, may theret
be shortened more than so miles.
This connecting link will unite the gre
chains of railroad, clear of all lakes ar
mountains from Bangor and Boston, to II
railroad from Ogdensburgh--t is therefor
particularly important that the most caref
surveys should be made
AT Ogdensburgh the st. Lawrence riv,
seldom or never freezes over, as the wat,
flows warm from deep lake, and a stear
boat can always ply there to convey Il
n cars across the river to Prescott.
: From Prescott railroad is soon to
: opened, in Canada, through Kingston an
: Toronto, to Sandwich on the Detroit Ri
h er. Here a railroad bridge may be bu
? leading to Detroit city. The distance,
e Canada, from Prescott to Detroit, is As
Il miles.
h From Detroit railroad is already cor
n peled across the STATE of Michigan to S
d Joseph, a distance Of 300 miles. From S
l. Joseph railroad will soon be opened
l. round the head of Lake Michigan to CT
e cago, distance offs miles. From Chic
= go to the lead mines of Galena on the M
d sissippi river, railroad is now building,
d distance of 100 miles. This opens a wi
l. ter as well as summer communication wi
p the great West by land, clear of the lax,
In 1914 Of Galana he