St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-05-03
From the Portland Pre:e, April IS.
The Shortest Route to the Vest.

From the Portland Pres, April %.
The Shortest Route to the Vest.
1t has been contended in these columns
that, by the construction of the Portland
and Ogdensburg railroad, opening d.
rect connection with Ogdensburg on the
St. Lawrence, Portland would enjoy a
connection with the west shorter in the
aggregate than by any other route, which
combines both land and water transport
alton, and the rail portion of the route
being shorter and the water portion long
er than by any other, the expense of
transportation must be less than by any
other route between the lake ports and
this city. From Montpelier to Portland
is fifty miles less than from the same
point to Boston. This would give to
our city geographical advantage moi
easily overcome.
1t has been saidt however. by those
who are opposed TO or have no faith in
the proposed road, that, if built, while
it would answer a very good purpose for
summer, or during the season of open
navigation Of the lakes, for a winter
route it would be comparatively worth
less. This objection is susceptible of
several answers, and upon it we propose
to state Il few facts.
l. 1t does not follow. because lake
navigation closes, that winter transport
alton deriges no benefit from such navi-
CATION. During the season OF open nav
gation the grain, fur and other nom
perishable products of the west are sent
forward by water craft much faster than
the railroads can take them. 50 that
large Accommodations OF such products are
found on hand when the ice closes the
lake ports. This accumulation or sur
plus is stored in elevators and ware
houses, at Oslenshurg. Cape Vincent,
Oswego. Rochester and other ports OF
Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence.
awaiting forward movement All OF
these ports contribute largely TO the fleet
that navigates the lakes These vessels
make it point TO come home for the
winter, and they invariably come home
full, thus gorging the warehouses and all
places available Tor storage. An elevator
at OgdensbuIg is now being constructed
at a cost Of 100000, to accommodate
just such a surplus as We have spoken Of.
The railroad companies have their ware
houses. the different lines of vessels have
theirs, private individuals also have
theirs, 50 that the accommodations for
such storage are very extensive. and all
these combine TO make Il vast reservoir
upon which the railroads draw for freight
long after the supplies Cease to come for
ward by water. 1t takes a long time,
often, TO work down this accumulation.
which gives winter business to the roads.
and withdrawing had the benefit OF
cheap water carriage-can bear the ex-
pense of storage without making the ex
pense OF transportation larger than by
any all-rail route with freedom from
storage.
?. \ road depending upon a connec-
ton at Schenectady with the New York
Central for its winter supply Of freight,
! has no assurance of receiving single
pound at the very time when all other
sources of supply are cut off; and for
this reason the New York Central is
run in the interest of New York city,
and when the canals are closed TIE Or
der goes forth from headquarters to the
operators of the road. not TO take a
pound of freight for Boston or any other
point east, until oil the freight bound to
New York is first provided for and the
amount Of this freight being amply sutfi-
Gent to exhaust the entire rolling stock
of the road, of course an ettectual check
is put upon all merchandise bound east.
This Is precisely the evil under which
Boston has groancd, and the aid Of the
Hartford and Erie road Is designed to
remedy it by opening new route, en-
tirely independent OF the New York
Central. The facts here stated are sutii-
cient to show that road having con-
nection with an all-rail route to the
west is not thereby assured Of winter
freight business.
3. 1t may not be known to some of
our readers-and Yet such is the fact
that the construction of the Portland &
Osdensburs road, opening direct con-
nection by rail with Rouse's Point,
would-with other connections already
made or sure to be made-give a shorter
all-rail route from the west than any
other either now made or in contempla-
ton. We show the fact by the follow.
ing figures, which represent miles
: From Portland to Rouse's Point, 80
Rouses Point TO Pot:sdsm Junction, %