Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-10-14

worthy Of being trusted. A number Of young
men have graduated respectfully prepared for
business, and are in good -ituatous. 10 is sug-
gcstcd that the law in regard 20 alternative sen-
tences, needs amendment TO make it effective, md
that the profitable employment of t'e buys, would
seem to require an enlargement of the farm,
The Trustees report the school as under efficient
and that il accomplishing its work
Of reform with reasonable expectation of useful
and honorable lives from IL. updnaies The facts
developed in this Report, ore well worth Your
candid consideration.
RECIPROCITY.
Tho subject of Reciprocity, in trade with the
dominion Oi Canada, il now "a matter Of ncnutin-
ton between the General Government aud the au-
thorities in Canada, in connection with their home
government.
Any treaty that may be entered upon viii re-
quire ratification ON the part of The Senate OF the
United States, and doubtless some legislative me-
ton On The part Of Congress tO make Il elective
Although II might not De- best f1rus ~ enter ur0u
the discussion of the details Of exchange Of prod
ucts, while these negotiations are pending. we
may properly consider the commercial and plliIi-
cal aspects and in that view no ap0llgS j. n,ce--
slry Tor inviting your attention O. the subject.
The questions involved are Of vital mplrinnce
not only 10 Vermont and New York. bat to ali
the New England States, and the states bordering
upon, and tributary To-, the Northern Lakes
The annual increase OF the productions of these
Western States has exceeded the capacity of tsn.,
portation Of oil the avenues o. the Atlantic. At
a recent commercial convention In the West it
was declared a. the deliberate sense Of the large
assembly that The canals aud various lines 0f
railroads leading % and from the Lakes, while
they have contributed vastly % devotion the re-
sources, increase the wealth and promote the per-
mnncnt union Of our country ARE wholly iundo-
qunte To the demands of the Increased and rapidly
growing commerce
II we can secure, though the neg tiatons now
pending, the construction of ship canal connect
ing the waters Of the st. Lawrence uud Lake
Champlan. a new and desiuhe route would be
open To the great trade which passes between tide
water in the Hudson Ryer, the railroads of New
England, and the Western States and Canada
The opening of this route is Of vast Importance 10
Canada as well as ourselves, and have reason 10
believe that she i, ready 10 construct this work i
a reciprocal treaty can be secured, which in It's
operation should be mutually beneficial
This project is not new. 1t has attracted the
attention Of many leading minds, and been APP
proved by eminent and practical engineers In
1854, careful and accurate surveys and estimates
were made under the direction Of the Canadian
Board Of Public Works, by Mr.. Jarvis, well known
from his connection with the public works OF the
State of New York The survey of several routes
was made, but the preference "as given % the di-
rect line from Cauglnawaga to St. Johns. the
country being very favorable, requiring but lit
tie heavy work at any p1int ON the line with a
distance of but twenty-six miles, and summit to
be attained Of only twenty-five feet, and involving
cost Of construction of, say three millions of dol
lars, for canal that would pass vessels Of six 10
seven hundred tons.
As freight and tolls then stood il was ascer-
tained that the cost Of taking property from Chi
cngo to Troy, n Y, with the enlarged canals of
the State Of New York, then in contemplation
would he, via Buffalo Sls5, via Oswego, &i0l,
via the ST. Lawrence and Lake Chnmphin 50 90
Mr.. McAlpine, an engineer Of high standing
came 10 the same conclusion. lie declared that,
with the Caughnawagna Cannl. the cost Of trans
portation by the New route from Chicago, would
be less than by any other
1t is stated as follows by Mr. McAlpine
Chicago to Whitehall, l,i5l miles, at two mills
per mile, S2.s3 per ton
Expenses on the Canadian canals
CaughuawHga inclnded--g6 miles,
at three mills, 20
Transfer of cargo at Whitehall, ~
Transfer on present Champlain
canal, SO
Total cost $500
With Il connection Of this character, no other
route from the West to the tide waters Of the
Hudson, will possess any advantage over the route
via the st. Lawrence and Lake Champlain to the
same point And this route is greatly superior
10 any btutT. IN liS ltlttlhiN " nfANtfn
the West and that portion Of New England and
New York, which borders upon and can be reach.
ed from the waters of Lake Champaign Ii i
demonstrated that produce from the West can be
delivered lcn Assxe tlhamplain, by the 1T. law
renee route at one-fourth less cost for nnspnrta-
ton and IN less time than by the other routes,
while the connection with the Ottawa valley will
be shortened ninety miles, and the rise and fall
lesiencd one hundred and eighteen feet. an i'm
prOycmcnt Of great Importance, as we are depend
ent largely upon this source for our supply Of
lumber, which, a. an article Of commerce, stands
next almost to grain.
The saving upon the single article Of flour, t.j
the people OF Vermont alone, in opening this new
line, would amount to nearly or quite fifty thou-
sand dollars annually, in the cost Of transpOra-
ton. Ii we did not succeed In retaining this sum
in our own pockets, it would 90 to the producer,
which would be a like benefit to the country as n
whole.
Should not the building Of this canal under
proper guarantees, be made a cardinal point in
the pending negotiations for new treaty? Has
it not become almost a commercial necessity to
the producing states of the West, us well as the
consuming states of the East2 There can be but
one answer to these questions. Believing that an
expression of your views may have an effect in
promoting the progress of this work | recon-
mend the adoption of resolutions of instructions
to our Senators and Representatives in Congress
ON this subject.
RESOURCES or THE STATE.
The opening of this new line Of transportation
will largely develop the internal resources of the
country, aud it may he well briefly to consider
this aspect of the ease in its bearings upon YER
mont.
The railroads extending east from St Johns,
Rouses Point, Burlington and Whitehall. with
their numerous connections, would distribute and
collect the trade on Lake Champhin 10 supply
the New England States with Western products
for consumption, would, Of itself be an immense
trade, which, in connection with the export trade,
would require the enlargement to at least five
fold the present capacity Of all our roads The
increasing business of the country would not only
furnish such an amount Of business as t0 require
double tracks ON the roads now built but ensure
the building of the projected new lines from
SwantOn through the lAmoille Valley, and from
Rutland 10 White River Junction, and thence on
30 Portland. The natural increase of trade will
furnish these new lines "A largo business, without
seeming % affect the roads now in operation.
- Our railroads are and must be the main ar
terry ON which much of the prosperity, and much
of the relative Importance Of the community de-
pends.n Develop and extend these arteries, and
you Iargely increase our population and the value
of the real property Of the State. believe we
should continue the policy Of the laws Of last
session, to encourage our manufacturing and me
chanical industries, with such notifications as
their practical application may require Instead
of an increase of thirty millions of dollars as
from 1850 10 1860, we may record in 1880 an in
crease of more thnn one hundred millions of dol
lars The internal and local traffic Of Vermont,
must depend ON the convenience afforded by its
railroad system 10 its local trade, and while we
guard the public interests, our railroads should
not be hampered with any legislation tending to
cripple their power Of beneiitiing the community,
70 meet the policy of other States, in extend
ing aid To new roads, would II not be well to en-
quire ii carefully guarded law satisfactory in
its details,-giying towns authority to take ac-
tion,-might not be beneficial
The interests of the people on the line of
milroad, in its operation and management, and
that OF is owners, are, 1t seems 10 me- clearly
identical, and cannot be separated without great
injury to both.
You will have applications for charters for new
roads, and they should receive your favorable ac-
ton, unless il should appear that the facilities Of
the community asking are now ample, OF that the
application is made in the interest Of foreign
the grantinglof which would be q
great detrment 10 those interests we are bound
10 protect.