The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-01-18

Of her central railroad, she seeks 10
throw obstacles in the way of her rivals,
and, by vexatious restrictions, to force
the producers of tho West to trade with
Philadelphia. The Legislature of Penn
sylvania assumed the initiative in this
obstructive policy. In 1913 that body,
in spirit of fairness and libcrality,
granted charter to the Eric and Ohio
Railroad Company to build road from
Eric west to the State line, which would
have completed upon uniform gauge
the great Northern liuc of communica>
tion between the Eastern States aud the
West. But the charter Of this com
pony was repealed at tho next session
through Philadelphia influence, for the
arowcd reason that the projec. would
benefit New York But connection
was nevertheless formed between the
Eastern and Western roads A railroad
was built from Eric to the State line
under the charter Of the Franklin Canal
Company, the privilege Of constructing
railroad instead of canal having been
granted to that company. The next
step in the restrictive policy of the
Pcnnsylvanians, was the passage, in
1851, Of an act providing that railroads
east from Eric should be constructed of
the four feet eight and half, or six
feet gauge aud the roads west, Of a
gauge of four feet ten inches. But this
illibcral act was too disgrnceful to the
State to be suffered to remain on tho
statute book and the Legislature Of 1858,
more liberal and enlightened in its po-
Icy, repealed the gauge law, with full
knowledge that the gauge Of the Eric
and Northeast road would be changed.
Believing that the State had abandon.
cd its narrow Policy. the roads interest.
cd made arrangements last summer to
change the gauge Of the Eric aud North.
cast road, with a view to afford those
facilities for travel and traffic which the
wants Of the business community SO i'm
peratiycly demanded, and which were so
necessary to the full development of the
resources Of the country, for the accom-
mediation Of which this great line of
roads was built But all efforts to bring
about this desirable improvement have
thus far been frustrated by the lawless
interference Of the people of Eric. Into
the details OF the recent riots we need
not enter Suffice it to say that the CT
tizcns of Eric, and of the neigh boring
township of IIarbor Creek, succeeded in
almost entirely cutting of the transport
alton Of merchan lisc over the only win
ter route between Northern Ohio and
New York Tons Of merchandise have
accumulated at Buffalo and Cleveland,
which mus: in all probability await tho
opening Of navigation in the spring, t.
be forwarded to its destination. They
have INSTRUCTED the mails, compelled
the travelling public to submit to dc.
lays. serious inconvcnicnccs. and even
suffering and insult. They have want
only destroyed property to a large a
mount, and set at defiance the authority
Of the courts.
Were the controversy only one Of
rivalry between the cities of Erie ard
Buffalo, there m ght be some excuse for
cxcrtion OH the part of the former of all
lawful anu HouOTIDIc means 10 secure
the break of gauge. 1t might perhaps
make that city port of entry to Il limit
cd extent Of Western products But a
mere slanrc at the map will show that
the advantages thu, acquired must be
very small. Buffalo, situated at the
eastern extremity Of the Lake Erie, is
the natural outlet for the produce of the
Lake region, and Erie would reap far
more benefit from devcopemcnt ofthe
resources Of Northern Pennsylvania.
making her port the place of deposit for
the produce of that region than by vcx.
a,ionsI restrictions upon the through
traffic. The railroad companies propose
to aid the Orleans in making the i'm
provements. They offer to subscribe
literally to two or three different rail.
road projects which have been talked of
for years-to extend their tracks down
to the water liuc-and to locate their
machine shops in the city So obvious
are the advantages offered, that the
more intelligent and far-sccing portion
Of the community have ceased to oppose
the change of gauge, and it is only the
rabble-that class who arc prone to cx
citemcni-secrctly aided and copntcuanc.
cd by interested parties, who now op.
pose the laying Of the new track.