Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-04-24

RAILROAD MEETING Az PORrLAND

In the Portland Daily Press Of April 10th, Their,
is full report Of a meeting of merchants aud 9th
ers at that place on the 10Th inst 10 consult res
pecting railroad from that cit, to the west by
way of Northern Vermont At this late hour we
have room only for an abstract OF some Of the re
marks ;-
Ex-Governor Israel Washburn, Jr smoke at
some length upon the proposed route from this
city via Fry burg, Conway and Il notch OF the
White Mountains TO 81. bloomsbury and Montpe-
ler,N Vermont, aud thence connecting with Ogdens-
burg. lie said the visit Of the gentlemen from
Vermont some two months since, and their CONVEX
satlon, had led him TO look into the matter, and
the more he looked at it the was he in favor
OF IT. VI the measure was carried out IL would be
OF greater importance TO tie merchants OF Portland
and To the prosperity Of the city than any road
that had ever been thought of-eVcu more than
the Grand Trunk road Gov. Washhun spoke
at some length upon the route its adyait ages its
cost, and oi the comparatively few engineering
obstacles TO be met with.
The road, when completed. would be under the
control Of one company, and in the interests OF
the city. Freight can be laid down from Chicago,
at Portland, cheaper than it can be at amy seaport
in the United States. Chicago and Portland
would be ouc--or Portland would be Che outlet
for shipments from Chicago. 1t would be the
largest freight road in the Union exceeding even
the Great Western
Responsible parties stood ready to lease the
road when completed, and 10 pay six per cent. in
terest upon il, 1t was for the people of Portland
nor to secure this important road to their own in
tercsts There is a tide in the affairs Of cities as
well as men, which it taken at it's Hood leads to
fortune, and now is the time ior Portland to take
advantage of this tide.
Col G. q. Capp inquired who the parties were
that would lease the road
Gov. Washburn said he was not authorized to
name the parties lie appealed to Mr.. Fairbanks
OF Vermont, whether bis statement was not
correct
Mr. Fairbanks said IT was, and that the offer
came from responsible parties
Col. Clapp said he understood il was the Yer
mont Central Company that had offered to lease
the road. Col Capp then spoke at some length
in favor of the Portland and Rochester road
The route of the proposed road through the Notch
he did not consider as feasible lie would cheer
fully vote to loan the credit OF the city to this road
TO so 10 Fyburg or Conway ~ H., but he did
not believe they could get further than the latter
place, unless at immense cost.
Mr. Lindsey, Of Vermont. a civil engineer, at
the request OF Gov Washburn made some state
ments as to the feasibility of the route through
the Notch OF the White Mountains The surveys
had not been completed but he had examined the
route and was satisfied that the route could be
constructed easier and with better grades than
through the passes of the Green Mountains The
road would run along on the side of the mountain
and, therefore, those obstacles that appear so in
superable in the travelled road would be avoided;
the grades would not exceed 60 feet TO the mile
lie thought the road could be built from here 10
Montpelier for $50 900 per mile