Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-10-31

tons of iron ore, manufacture about
twenty.fonr thousand tons of iron, and
employ about thirteen hundred persons'
That they contemplate increasing the
annual consumption OF Iron Ore to ono
hundred thousand tons: That they own
two Iron Ore Mines and a Limestone
Quarry in the Southern part OF the State
Of Vermont, from which they produced,
tse past year, about twenty thousand tons
Of ore and limestone, giving employment
to about three hundred and fitty persons,
and one hgadrsd horses /; That they desire
10 enlarge this production, and should do
so but for the heavy cost OF animal trans
portation of these ores from the mines to
the roailroad That both Of the mines now
operated by YOUR petitioners, are situated
in The town Of Bennington, and so located,
with reference TO railroad facilities, as to
impose very large expense for animal
transportation: That the Vermont ores are
not so rich as those produced along Lake
Champlain, rendering it necessary to
cheaper their production, in order to just
ify the raising OF the ore: That the an
nexed diagram represents the situation OF
the mines TO which reference is made, and
their relations to market facilities:
That for the purpose Of an economical
production of said ore, so as to compete
with the supplies furnished from other
regions and TO enable your Petitioners
more fully TO develop the mineral resources
Of Southern Vermont, and extend their
manufacturing operations, they desire au-
thority to construct railroad from their
mine, known as the Bennington Ore Mine
TO East Bennington, and thence along the
Walloomsac River to the State line -as
more particularly indicated in the diagram
annexed.
Your Petitioners deem this enterprise
desirable irrespective of the difficulties
which, of late, have obstructed the com
munications to and from Southern Yer
mont. None Of the existing roads har
eUsr adequately accommodated the inter
est represented by your, Petitioners. They
are persuaded that they can add immea
surably TO the rich productions of th'
State, il they can be enabled to employ
| their capital advantageously both for thu
public and themselves During the pas
year their expenditures in Bennington anC
SALISBURY have been over one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars; and for wage
and supplies IN the month Of February
last year, twenty thousand dollars, TIL
difficulty which obstructs, and limits thei
operations, arises from the remoteness 0
their mines from railroad communication
and the consequent expense Of ANNA
transportation to the railroad.
| The Henry mines are three and one
eighth miles from North Bennington depot
which is the nearest point on any Vernon
railroad to these mines. The highwa,
leading from the mines to North Benning
ton is billy. Entering North Benningto
the ere is drawn by horses up Hill whc
rises three hundred and sixty feet to tn
| mile. Before railroad communication wa
| interrupted animal transportation from tn
| Henry Mines to the railroad at Mort
| Bennington cost more per ton than wa
paid for railroad freight from North Ben
nington to Troy, a distance of thirty-thre
miles, The Bennington Mines are distan
two milas fran RanninGton denot 9TH
! nearest point on any railroad TO tbes
mines. Here, too, before communicate
was interrupted, animal transportion /
the railroad was necessary. ~ 4aS.-
Il Two years since your Petitioners cause
line Of railroad to be surveyed, which
substantially represented in the annexe
diagram 1t was postponed only on al
count of the extraordinary high prices {
material and labor. They pray authorit
from your honorable body to construct i
, believing that they can thus advance tn
RI interests of the State, while promotin
their own Your Petitioners believe thf
to be the truest exhibition of public splri
> and philanthrophy, which unites and ider
titles private effort with public advance
ment And they are confident that t
enterprise they ask your permission
r prosecute will possess, in an exalte
degree, this commendable character.
H. BURDEN & Sons.