The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-03-26
Railrod Meeting.


bgan Hall. on Wednesday March. 20,
At II o'clock. The Han was hllod im.
media;ely after the arrival d the spec
al train from Rutlaed, aud the meeting
called to order promptly, nnder-the or
gauiEation made at thg meeting a. same
place, hold ou the 6th inst, with Hon.
A. G Clark. u Manchester, President,
John H. Fiaeg q Bennington and
Lawrence Roche, OF Rutland, Sccreta-
ries.
Hon IT, G Root. from Committee app
pointed at the meeting on March G, sub
mit,ed tho following Report which was
unanimously adopted
The committee appointed by The
meeting convened on the 9Th inst,
make the following report That they
have had several meetings and debber-
atcly considered the subject referred to
them, and are unanimously Of the opin-
ion that the only way in which the pco-
I pie Of Western Vermont, can secure to
themselves permanent rail road facih-
ties, is to build a rail road connecting
the Bennington & Rutland Ran Road,
with some other rail road, leading 10
New York, and the West
Your committee arc satisfied that tie
best line Of rail road to New York, and
tie West, viii be secured by the con
struction Of the Lebanon Springs Rail
road, connecting the Bennington and
Rutland Railroad with the New York
and Harlem railroad at Chatham -Four
Corners. The road to be constructed
is about fifty-lour miles in length, and
VIII cost, according to estimates your
committee believe to lie reliable, about
fourteen hundred thousand dollars
Subscriptions have already been made
III the State Of New York, to the amount
of Eve hundred thousand dollars, and
we have reason to believe that still fur
ther subscriptions will be made in that
State.
The Bennington and Rutland railroad
Company offer to martgage their road
which is free from incumberance--to
any amount necessary to secure the
completion Of this work. and your ccm-
nnttce have no doubt that the great in
terests the towns on the hne Of the Ben
nington and Rutland railroad have in
opening this line, would induce them to
lend temporary aid to the construction
Of the road if power is given them to
do 50.
The construction of the Lebanon
Springs railr Dad viii open the best line
Of railroad from Montreal to New York
distance Of over four hundred miles,
and with the through business and the
local business on this great thorough
fare Of over 400 miles, would yield to
The Lebanon road in income at least sui
licient to pay the interest on the cost OF
the road, III which case neither the
Bennington and Rntland railroad Com
pany, nor the towns lending their
aid, would suffer any pecuniary loss,
The whole State is deeply interested
to have this road constructed, as with
out it all the railroad outlets from this
/ State to the great West and New York
viii be owned and under the control OF
tie Rensselaer, and Saratoga railroad
companya a foreign corporation whc
have not shown themselves friendly &c
Vermont interests, and whose only oh
ject is gain, without any regard to The
public good or convenience.
/ The best evidence Of what our situa-
ton would be if our communications
by rail TO the South and West are con-
irolled by the Rensselaer, and Saratoga
Co is found in the fact that since that
Company has been able, by taking q
lease OF five miles of road connecting
with our road, to break our Western
and Southern connection, they have in
creased thor rates on freight, which
we're before higher than on any other
road ia Vermont, over twenty-five per
cent
4 Your Committee are oil Of the opin-
ion that no greater calamity could be-
fall Western Vermont, and, in fact, the
whole State. than to have the Renssel-
acr AMI Saratoga Company secure the
control Of the bennington and Rutland
railroad. and to prevent that, every Yer
monter should exert himself
The Bennington and Rutland railroad
company could not mortgage their
road to aid IN the construction Of am
other road nor could the towns par;ic-
ularly Interested, lend their AID without
The authority d the Legislature. and
your committee deemed il the subject
Of such importance to the whole STATE