Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-08-12
For The Standard.
TOT filN oklAINAEA'
Barton v. the Rail Road.

impression in reference TO The position OF
Barton on the Railroad question, ask
the privilege of making plain state
ment of facts to the public through your
paper in relation TO the matter. They
say you have got the road al Barton,why
don't you pay your subscriptions :
Previous to the construction of the
railroad Barton was desirable business
location, the staging business that GEN.
tired there was more than at any other
town in Northern Vermont. One stage
TO St. Johnsbury, one to Montpelier, one
to Troy and one to Stanstead, via. Derby |
Line This helped the business of the
place much, and Barton was then con-
stantly though slowly growing, and if its
growth was not so rapid as some other
towns, ii was healthy.
In 1852 when the question of the ex-
tension of the Railroad from st. Johns
bury North began to be agitated the road
had been surveyed through Barton, East
Bloomington, West Charleston and Der
by Center to Derby Line. A map had
been made Of that survey, Autographed
and distributed among the people by the
r. R. company, and when any question
was asked as to the route from Barton
North, the enquirer was referred to this
map, called the Fox Survey; and when
the subscription books were prepared to
present TO the people to solicit subscrip
tions, the terms of that contract covered
the extremes of this survey, viz: St.
Johnsbury via Barton to Derby Line; and
an express condition was entered in said
books that no part of said subscription
should be payable until the road was To-
Gated to said point.
1t was then urged upon the people Of
Barton, and more particularly of Barton
Village, that they were to receive more
benefit from the construction of this road
| than any other portion of the County
this was urged by the Directors of the
road, and others-and of course should
subscribe in proportion. We were told
that Glover, Greensboro, Craftsbury, AL
bany, Irasburgh, Coventry, Lowell, West
field, Troy and Jay must come to our vii
lage to do their business with the road,
!, and that we must not expect the towns
2 through which the road would not pass
to subscribe as much in proportion to their
wealth as we were asked to do. This
+ was said to US by Director on the day
e the book was opened in Barton, and
among those towns he mentioned Coven.
: try and Newport, and said Coventry
2 cannot afford to pay as much for the roaC
# as Barton, for her citizens will be obliged
d TO come ten miles to Barton Village t.
do their business with the road, while yol
e have it at your very DOORS
e We appreciated the arguments, res
l. ponded to the call, and Barton subscribed
= thirty thousand dollars for the extension
\ of the road, and this was subscribed
ir mainly in the village and vicinity, 70
e the same Director above alluded to toll
y US " As Barton Landing was to be fiY
miles from the road we must be content
lie ed to have them subscribe in proper
b. tom
50 We appreciated these arguments an
!. felt that we could see bright future fo
re Barton Village. We had no doubts, Q
I'll fears of tricks, or fraud. The corpora
IL ton was then represented by Presider
~ with whose name the word dishonor wa
if. never associated, the Hon. Erastus Fai
In banks. We knew tue man, why shout
bis we not trust him with confidence
lys AS to what the term Derby Lin
ne meant there was then no question:
IL understood it to mean the village of De
ST, by Line. The people so understood
10 and the corporation so understood, so sal
= Gov. Fairbanks now, when interrogate
no upon the subject.
nd But alas in an evil day for the we
m fare of the people and the credit of IL
~ corporation, Gov. Fairbanks retired fro
he the Presidency and a new order of thin
err, is initiated. And one of the first NOV
OF is to consult the Learned Peter to asce
Ne tain if it was not possible to change Il
mi location of the road, deprive the subsci
bers Of all the benefits promised thel
u.s. and on the faith Of which they subscribe
aih and still compel them to pay their su
ao scriptions.
his The location was changed (by VII
ich kind of trickery it is not necessary
lne speak here,) and how was Barton V
ose lage to be affected by the change?
ill the road is built down Barton River
ale are deprived Of eight tenths of the bu
~ ness that would legitimately come to q
A.rs4f Al.