Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-03-02
The Railroad Celebration.

We omitted last week the speeches and some
Of the other proceedings for the want Of time,
and supply them now.
' The citizens, with very few exceptions, exert
cd thousclvc. to supply our foreign guests with
comfortable lodgings, and fully sustained the hos.
pitable character of the people but there are
some individuals whose public spirit and gener-
Gus hospitality deserve more particular mention.
DR.. wcsselbGft opened his large Establish
ment, and entertained ut Ills house and table 80
guests. This Is the more worthy of acknowl-
edgemcnt, inasmuch as his is private Institution
altogether, and all the expense Of the entertain
mcnt fell solely upon him. DR.. Rockwell, with
like hospitality, received and entertained at his
house and table 2s guests, who else had no place
wherein to sleep II is pleasant 10 record such
instances Of liberal public spirit though doubt
not they would have occurred in the families Of
most OF our citizens, had their ability equaled
their inclination.
But to the speeches, (for which we are in part
indebted TO the Boston Signal and the Advent
ser) The President Of the Road gave some
statements Of the causes that delayed the compile
ton Of the Road, which, as it has been the coca.
sion Of censure upon the Directors, ii is due to
them to make public. Col. Croker commenced
BY abiding to his efforts to procure stock in the
Fiichburg Railroad, which It would seem obtain-
ed little favor here, as the extension Of the Road
to this place was deemed visionary. But the
vision was now reality, and We arc here to cele-
bratc the event. Col Croker then proceeded
thank my God sir, that ] have lived to see
its contamination, this browning day TO the se-
yercs, struggle which have ever witnessed for
| Railroad facilities And well does this delight
\ full spo, deserve the benefits il receives. Richly
docs she deserve TO see what she has 10 day
been witness to. And to hear the shrill voice Of
the whistle the announcing trumpet Of the en-
glue as il arrived. In our darkest day, amid our
sevcrcst obstacles, with the arrows Of sarcasm
and iidicule aimed ut Us, the citizens of this
place have ever stood firm at their posts
| Through all the Bucna Vista struggles they
have boldly stood up TO the work
Don't give up the ship 30 long as spar !,
standing or rag Of canvass remains, has ever
been their motto and now the ship, or morc
properly speaking the car, has cast anchor here
| 10 taste of the many rich viands with which
southern Vermont abounds. For my part, gen
tlcmcn, ] say--ihanks 10 the Supreme BeinI
that such as we have been spared to witness ,hi
day.
Perhaps il is no, nmss 10 aiude 10 a histor,
Of the Road. II is proper and right that VI
should stand forth, and say that no Road has me
with more difficulties than this Road Look 70
a moment to the Fitchburg quick sands, and Il
the many bridges We have built over the Nashua
River. the 10000 yards Of hard pan, in wliel
the pick.axe could make no impression, and il
which blast Of powder would only make hol
r LII IL. Al.
River, within one Of those PERCEPTIONS, marrow
aud winding gorges which seemed to defy al
humsn effort 10 penetrate or follow, but which
nevertheless VIC have not only passed with GU
Road, but actually changed the channel Of th'
River to make room for It.
Sir, these are but few Of the many diiIicultic
, which we had TO encounter, but labor and per
severance did finally conquer. We started Il
; build one Of the best Roads in the country, AM
one which, il was the intention, that no Vernon
or Massachusetts, man should complain OF. w
have fought our way through till We have srriy
: ed at this point (Cheers)
Something sas t ssi s Ct puE mesaRg IN POS q
about four years, and also that il cost double Q
its estimates But, SIR, q we live ill October
will be four years There other Difficult
tics besides natural ones, but will say nough
about sectional ones, nought about the Baldwins
: vile affair. We have had pecuuiary embarrass
ments our stockholders have been disheartene,
at the difficulty of obtaining money. We hav,
been short OF supplies, sir, and these At time
when they were most wanted. hope the meet
! ing will pardon me a single minute L allnde Il
! one or two facts which seem TO have been for
gotten.
have been informed that the original est
mate did not include furniture. The Road wa
also calculated for 900 II. instead cf bs
ing cut down at such immense expense. w
have had TO bridge the Millcr's and Nashu
Rivers some twenty times for the same caus,
and have cut new channels for it in at least NV
several places.
Gentlemen may ask, Why this great expense
a reply that the time will come, aye, and il
4 not far distant, when the inquiry will be, as
condition Of subscribing for stock, What are ii
gradients and curves upon any Roadr The
you ask, Why have we been so long buildin
G this Road ? viii say we began, as has bee
, truly said, without half enough capital TO con
plete the Road. We commenced with only
million Of dollars, and the Road has cost thrs
millions Many Of the stockholders have pal
promptly, while others have tartily paid, an
= some not Mt all.
When we got fairly under Roadway, some ne
mnrmur or story would be raised to arrest OF
progress, and alarm the stockholders, in rcgai
TO paying assessments. And the Treasur,
would write me that we must hold up. lie
}. sir the watclfword from the commencement
!. has been, Mr President, hold up. So il b.
been, sir, and would be obliged TO give the el
gineer directions, perhaps in the very best pa
7 Of the season, to stop work whenever he cou
without paying damages, and in some cases ha,
to do that. Tho Board OF Directors have bee
called upon from time to time to furnish none
from their own private means, and they ha,
a become personally liable for thousands Of dolla
!, and now, sir, ask, does it come with a vel
. good grace to say We have been great while
n building Road seventy miles in length? VIII
+ sir, have myself been obliged to ride fro
l. place 10 place, and from Bank to Bank, (yS
aud l think by this time the Cashier of yol
Bank is acquainted with me,) [Laughter] al
o have borrowed, during the past summer, tho'
n sands and thousands Of dollars on my own r
/ sponsbity, in order 10 keep the work alon
and others of the Board have done the same
, Boston, and are we 10 be told now that the d
d lay is our fault?
d When we got into the quick sand near Fite
burg the enemies of the Road circulated repor
that il was bottomless pit, which was 10 swao
a up the whole stock. The stockholders becan
alarmed, and refused to pay their assessments
;, We had then either TO stop the work and p,
II damages 10 contractors address personal solicit