Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-05-14

refuse TO pay their SUBSCRIPTIONS were
soliciting subscriptions in the central and
western portion of the county, their Ian
guage was far different. The story then
was, "give US roads" eve must have
road-the county is ruined if we don't;
we know not, we care not, where the
road may be laid, if it only comes into
the county; put down your subscriptions
literally, and the road shall be located IN
the best place Alas, what change
between their professions and their prac-
tice.
But true it i, that surveys have been
made of the route for this rail road, and
great pains evidently taken TO bring the
eastern route before the people, and fore
stall the public sentiment. These sur
veys now propose TO examine.
In 1886, one year after the company
was incorporated, the Legislature appro-
priated S3,O00for preliminary survey
through the Connecticut and Passumpsic
valleys in reference to the construction
of railroad" This act has some SIN
gular features. 1t is liberality towards
this company which has never been eX-
tended by the state to any similar enter
prise, in saving the corporation from the
expense of making survey, to ascertain
if their plan was practicable or not, and
throwing this burthen on the state. But
more singular still, the governor of the
state is not directed to cause a survey to
be made, or appoint an engineer to make
one, but the act provides that there be
constructed a board of Commissioners
consisting of two persons, to be appointed
by The governor, whose duty it shall be
to employ an engineer for making the
aforesaid survey" &c. The governor in
the exercise of the limited powers as
signed him, appointed two gentlemen as
commissioners, one residing near the
southern. the other near the northern ex-
tremity of the contemplated route
These commissioners employed Mr.. A.
c. Twining, who made the survey and
reported TO the Legislature in 1887.
The report, too, contains some singu-
larities. The route is pronounced feast
bic and highly advantageous to the state
The whole expense of making it through
the whole length of the state from Mas.
sachusetts to Canada line, is estimated al
a little over two and one fourth millions
of dollars.
The engineer reports that in contin'
uing the route north of Barton, the most
obvious idea was TO run down the Barton
river valley, but a Reconnaissance eXhib
tied this route to be difficult although
praCuTCaUIe; subsequently u SECOND rouIt
was found, passing northeast from Bar
ton village" &c. That the learned en-
gineer after having passed the main sum
nit of his route, instead of following ;
valley which he pronounced practicable
and which led almost in direct line to
wards the desired terminus, should have
thought it better to leave the valley
make long bend to the right, increasin!
the distance, and ascend hill instead 0
going down the valley, may seem at frs
sight little strange. But it we refec
a moment on the strange influence of pat
ronage, the mystery may be solved
They have had little experience of tn
same kind on the Central road. Tn
prophet Of old celebrates the strange in
Stinc,s of the brute creation: g The o,
| knoweth his own and the ass his master!
crib" The experience of modern time
. shows that the unerring instincts of til
brute are not more wonderful than til
effect of patronage on men in publ
: affairs. The recipient of public patron
z age has a sagacity TO discover the wis
I and the will of him who employs an
: feeds him, as remarkable as the instinC
Z of the OK or the ass. Opinions we know
.. will yield TO patronage, and even mathe
a MATES cannot be relied on against Its Sc
n ductive in fuence. But after passin
with his road through the village of til
e commissioner who appointed him, tn
: engineer is attracted to the valley of til
o lake, and he terminates his survey g
+ Beebe Plain, the very spot which on
). located road reaches by more diret
e and more level route.
In 1876, survey was made of tn
g road by Mr.. Fox which follows the rout
so sagaciously marked out by Mr.. Twir
d ing, except that Mr.. Fox adopts Derb
S Line village instead of Beebe Plain fc
e the terminus of the road. A map an
e profile of this survey was lithographe
o and copies circulated over the countr,
IT evidently with an intention TO lead publ
a opinion in that direction and exclud
+ the idea that any other route could L