Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-12-08
lpcckln frce Dress.
BURLINGTON, FRIDAY. DEC. :. 1854
The General Assembly--Railro


/ On the subject Of railroad corporations there
was great change in the legislative action
4 Of this year, from that Of former years. Here
4 tofore, the din of railroad warfare in the
| General Assembly rose high above tina. If any
| other or of all other contests. The strifcs
! between rival interests were fierce and inces-
SAINT, and the waves Of contention spread go
far around that almost all other questions
were affected by them. Each section Of the
| State WAS eager for the success of it's own
railroad scheme, come what might Of the rest
The pecuniary interests Of individuals whose
landed property or whose business wa 80 be
( benefited BY railroad through particular
! neghborhocis. came into active play. In
! this way the warfare was made hotter, while
the means and modes of carrying 1t on we're
more multiplied in kind than they were COM
mcndable in character.
For wears the minds Of legislators were 50
. occupied with these ~ransles about new roads
parallel routes. extension. and consultations
Of charters, and whatever other schemes
spirit If fair and proper enterprise, or one of
seltshness and opposition, brought forward,
that scarce a thought was given to what vas
necessary to folly protect the public welfare
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there for the legislature to see to it chat beings
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lha' ""'c" sh'u'u nave 'eeh reason 'of
extraordinary caution III inc framing Oh char-
ters' an" greater ""'chi"'hess over inc man
ner OF their neihg carried out was IA cause OF
reckless an" dangerous l'gis'"uoh ~ the out
set, ana OF needless ana cu'r"hie neglect
Afterwards
The faCrant injustice done to individuals.
the inextricable ruin brought upon multi
tudes from the ignorant bunlerings. the mon
strous individual selfshness, the concealments
and dishonesty Of officials who were author
lied to act Tor the good Of aH' but who abused
their power for their o"" ends Tor q tilne'
were almost lost tiSht Of IN the incidental
| benefits hich the community wac recciNng
from having an improved way opened Tor
themselves and their property 10 get to
markrt. Since SO many were 6e"chti'@, Vt
was thought to be almost abusive Cor ihdi-
7iduals TO complain because they had been
.rossly aJrnudf in the process,
The evil Consequences Of such neglect have
, already appeared 10 IN Alarming eSteut, and
greater ONES are sending then portent"us
shadows across the State. II the weak were
crushed first, the strong fell next. l.rcn those
who spread uets 20 catch the un@ary hove
been .a.auslcd in their own snarr,, and 1t
no." moods no spirit OF prophecy 70 iorr-oc
that unless great change tor the "e'lei l' :
brought about coon in tbs IGanagrE.s.' Of
most " tusso corporations, the running Of the
: roads themselves must stop, and their Affairs
will b. bound up in knots Of litigation winch
mus take ycors to cut or unite, to the inc4l-
euiAbiy injury o. all business throughout the
s,a-"'
Oh.ious a, this Danger Is, iqany dread all
attcmJts At Legislative interpretation. 90 It
won't ,o to be too hard upon the rallr oads,"
said some, " only see how much they have
benefited the farming interest II individuals
have los, great deal by them the people
, have rcuped great benefit - |; will be