The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-13
,sas gal;ssmsi gsearsisas
ST. JonNsguRy, VT, June 10, 1867

sunset In addition TO the Portland delegation
there were Mr.. Willard, Mr.. Boutwell, and
Gen. Pitkin, of Montpelier, and Engineer
Lindsy, of Burlington, who accompanied u.s.
There were two six-horse teams, such as Yer
mont alone can furnish; for they have always
been celebrated for good stage lines long be-
fore the iron horse passed through her rich
valleys and along the banks of her beautiful
streams. The party was received here as they
had been elsewhere, with open arms. Here
the fever for the new rou:e to the West RACES
and the citizens of this beautiful place VIII
come square up to the work Inc rue "oross
the country was splendid, and all enjoyed IL
much. We first Travelled on the baaks OF the
Winooski some twenty miles, and then passed
over the hill in Cabot which is well rsmem-
harad Inv all who have travelled over it. 1t is
two miles to its summit, and in goin. that dis
lance we rise $50 feet. From this summit a
most magnificent landscape view is spread out
on every side, but especially towards the val
ley of the Connecticut river and the White
Mountains. All were highly pleased by such
splendid prospect. IT
We passed many beautiful maple orchards
on the route where large quantities of sugar
are made every year. One of the party IA
cetiously remarked that they were interfering
with his business. The land all the way is of
an excellent quality and the farmers are very
thrifty. The earth is thickly covered with luz
uriant grass everywhere. The contemplated
railroad will follow the Winooski river some
twenty miles to Cabot. Here we come to
what is called Molly's Brook. which has two
branches, one running to the north of Cabot
hill and the other to the south, and both of
these valleys open a good way for = railroad
There is nothing in the way of making good
railroad track from this place to Montpelier
There is another way of intersecting the Ver-
mont Central further north. This route runs
runs through the Lamoille valley and on b
more direct course to Rouse's Point to connect
with the Ogdensburg road. This route has the
advantage of saving some twenty miles or
moro in distance; besides, it passes through
the best agricultural section in Vermont
This route would connect with the Vermont
| Central at Georgia, few miles south of St.
Adams L have always been impressed that
this would be decidedly the best route provid-
ed the means could BIO raised to build it.
There will be more new road to build by going
through this valley than by the way of Mont.
peier. All these matters are to be taken into
consideration hereafter.
1 gave some views touching the Lamoille
valley week or two ago in the Press Sever.
al years ago L had been partially over the
ground and knew something about it. then
thought, and now think, the Lamoile valley
route decidedly the better one 1t has but a
single drawback, and that is, there will be
more miles of railroad to build. And the cues
ton il whether a saving of some twenty five
miles distance will not more than compensate
for the additional outlay. But will not dis
cuss that question now. Facts, and not spec.
ulations, are what we want at the present
juncture. The reasoning will legitimately
come afterwards. -s. ~ 81 TaA
We shall start for the Notch this Monday
morning. Some gentlemen from Montpelier
and from this place will accompany the party
The more the question is agitated the more i'm
portant it seems to all that railroad from
Portland through the Notch to this place and
ON to connect with the Vermont Central and
Ogdensbure railroad should be built Mr.
Brainard, an old and successful merchant Of
Danville, living some eight miles from thi,
place, used to trade with the Portland mer
chants good many years ago. He has sent t.
Portland in single year as many as one hun
bred teams loaded with pork These team.
brought back salt, molasses, fish, sc. Year,
and years he followed this business, which
shows how important was the way to the At
lantic coast; and the Notch furnished the
shortest way there, and it will furnish it now
if the railroad through should be built. Such
road would open vast trade between the
people in this section of the country and Port
land, to say nothing of the great West Blu
L will not open these questions now
st. Johnsbury is one of the most beautiful
places we have seen since we left Portland
Every thing IS as bright as new pin. There
is not pile of rubbish in the whole village
The Fairbankses have made the village what il
is. They set the example of neatness and
thrift years ago. and it has been well followed
by other settlers here. They established thei
scale manufactoryin 1880, and have been in
creasing their business ever since. Last yea
they used two millions of pine, spruce anG
hardwood lumber. They employ between foul
and tive hundred hands, and many of them art
skilled laborers who have been with them evel
since the establishment of these works. Theil
sales of scales last year came to between twelve
and thirteen hundred thousand dollars; beside
their works in Jersey city where they max,
their finer scales. 1t must be confessed thei
business is very extensive. Such men he'll
support the Government. They are ricl
enough now, but they would have been muel
more SO had they been less liberal. Their hand
f have always been open and something in then
too. There are several beautiful private resi-
: dences here. Much taste has been manifested
in laying out and adjoining their grounds. Blu
few places anywhere are more beautiful. On,
would hardly look for such princely mansion
SO far back in the country, and yet here the!
are in all their taste and beauty.
There are two Congregational churches here
one Methodist and one Catholic. The tw'
Congregational ministers here are from Maine
and they are much respected and beloved b,
their respective societies. Their names ar,
Barstow and Cummings. I heard the forme
preach yesterday morning, and if he didn'
pitch into Holmes and some other writers fo
the Atlantic Monthly, never heard one. Hi
text was BLESSED is the man that sitteth no
in the scoffer's seat" He ran sharp parable
between the satirist and the scoffer The latte
didn't get much sympathy from this pulpit
He condemned in pointed terms the tendenc!
of the spirit of popular literature at the pres
ent time. But he rather liked the satirst Mas
by, and thought he had used his keen weapon
for some good That the Rev. Mr.. Barstow il
sharp preacher there can be no doubt. H,
had a full congregation and tho organ playing
and the vocal music were excellent. Seldom d.
we hear better in any church. But the mail il
about to close and SO must this letter. b.
New Hampshire Letter.
4 PORTSMOUTH, n. H., June IL, 1857.