Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-10-27
WAsHINGToN, October IL, 1853.

10 The following article, with varia-
tons, meets the case of every Printer, and
we commend it to the public, of whom
the Printers are the "most obedlent aud
humble servants"
Rapidly and surely, yet peacefully, the
railroad is working revolution among us
BY the substitution of steam for the mus
cles of ANIMALS, the whole relations be-
tween the producer and consumer are
changed, also tbs condition of the various
industrial classes are changed. As the
mechanical construction aud daily opera
ton of railroads is not effected without the
loss of mems lives, so the general benefits
of railway communication canno, be expe-
rlenced without injury TO some kinds OF
labor
Five years ago, the inhabitants of the
towns aud counties IN this state remote
from the Lake, deemed those very forlu-
nate who lived so near To water communi.
cation with market The flocks aud herds
went blearng aud lollIng along their dusty
/ pilgrimage of one hundred aud one hundred
and fifty miles, TO Boston or Montreal
Produce went to market, and goods return
ed on wagons drawn by eglt or ten horses
/ 10 the middle of Vermont, transportation
from Boston cost one dollar per cwt. To
the northeastern portion, II cost one dOiidy
and ffy cents. In the winter, the farmer
or his hired man" loaded his "pung'
with frozen hogs or poultry, and started
/ Tor Boston. Alas for hun /. thaw came
on lie might start from home with snow
aud frost tn aid, and with the market quo
tations high. lie might reach the marke ct
on wheels deep IN the mud with backened
meat and low prices The fruits of a hard
summers toll were lost to him. lie return
ed, perhaps walking all the way beside his
team, loaded with merchants goods, or with
iron aud groceries for himself II makes
one sober TO recolect the tedious way, aud
hard work, to sell Vermont products, and
obtain supplies.
How did the PRINTER and other me-
chanics fare ia those daysl Rive, oats,
Indian corn, peas, beans. beef, pork, but
ter, aud potatoes, came ia abundautly. at
prices generally far below what they now
are The Printer provided himself with a
grdnery IN which 10 store his protiered pay
OF grain. Butter, of the best quality, he
was importuned to take at foeive and a halt
cents per pound lie often had more than
he could dispose Of Cheese, also, came in
IN large quantities in pay for the newspa-
per, aud he was thanked for taking it at
SIR cents per pound, lie had cheese 10 sell.
Fire wood also, was his. without dunning,
at one dollar, or one dollar aud half per
cord.
But, the newspapers began to talk about
railroads, and to advocate their conslrac-
ton, even in snowy Vermont. They talked
and planned, and advocated aud argued. -
They set forth the advantages to the people,
aud 10 the cites of Boston aud New York.
A majority SAID, mo, railroads cannot be
built IN Vermont; our State is full of rocks,
hills aud mountains. Besides no cars eau
run through our yalies ia winter We
have nothing to export but rocks and ice ,
aud II the locomotive canes along II will
do away with horses, aud con sequeurly hurt
our market for oats aud corn" Did we
DOT hear all this said
But the newspapers said this state could
furnish vast amount of mineral aud agri-
cultural products. They SET forth week al.
ter week, aud year after year, labored sta.