Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-03-17

The North Adams Transcript contains the
following description of Edward w. Serrell Of
New York, the new contractor for the Troy and
Greenfield railroad, and sketch of his speech a,
late meeting in behalf of that enterprise in
North Adams
lie is quite youthful in his appearance, and
We understand is less than 30 years Of age
The manner in which he spoke soon convinced
his hearers that he knew well what no was a.
bout, had carefully and scientifically examined
the subject, and had business talent and energy
which well fitted him to engage in gigantic
enterprise like the present. lie first explained
the terms of the contract, which are in gen
eral as he has been stated For SO SOC, 900 he
is To build the road, complete the tunnel (cut-
ting II vide enough for two tracks, and furnish
1t with certain amount Of running machinery,
so that when he gives it up to the company it
is to be ready equipped for business The com
pany are to get $3.50 900 by about the first Of
April in cash subscriptions, and the contractors
then agree to take $4,000 in the stock of the
road. This will make the state loan 50 900.
600 available, and for the balance the cuntrac-
tors agree 10 take the bonds of the company at
slA pei cent. Oh If the company will gel $780,
COO in stock taken, the contractors agree TO take
Sl,0OO,OOO in stock, and bonds will thus be
dispensed with. Whatever amount of stock.
the company get taken, the contractors agree to
take twice as much more, or two dollars for
one. lie expresses the most perfect confidence
in his ability to complete the work according to
the contract, and said il the company furnished
him the money as agreed he should build the
road. As To where the work would commence
he said if The money was furnished, he should
commence al all points simultaneously, and that
the road from-here 10 Troy would probably be
completed before The Alb OF July, 1856, and that
both sides of the tunnel before two years from
the second Of April next. He said that respon-
slble parties were ready to contract to convey
passengers across the mountain in one hour and
half, and that when the road was done on each
side, the passage could be made between Troy
and Boston in one hours less time than now on
the Western road. Being called upon to give
some recount of the great enterprises with which
he had been connected, he proceeded to do so
first alluding to the fact that his father was &C.
tive in getting up tho first American compan,
for navigating the ocean with steamships. i
had been his fortune TO be connected with sew
eral enterprises which had been denounced al
humbugs, but had turned out differently. A
the age of II years he was engaged with Pro
Morse in his Electric Telegraph operations
which have now proved so Indispensable III
was also engaged in building the Niagara Wiz,
Suspension, the Suspension Bridge over tn
81. Jbhns River, New Brunswick, the grea
trunk line of Canadian railroad, the Panami
railroad, the Niagara Ship canal, the Atrat'
lnieroceanic canal, which is to connect the At
lantc and Pacific oceans about 400 miles soutl
OF Panama, and numerous other gigantic works
railroads, etc. 1t has been his fortune TO b,
associated with no enterprise that has failed.
M..a... IA.....l