Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-05-14
Portland and Rutland Railroad

We copy from the Rutland Courier the
following excellent article on the pros
poets Of the Portland and Rutland Rail-
road, giving pointedly survey Of the
whole subject, which cannot fail to COM
mend itself to the consideration of our
Portland and New Hampshire friends, as
II must to our own citizens:
A large convention of the friends of the
Portland and Rutland Railroad was held
at Portland on Wednesday and Thursday
of last week, and much enthusiasm was
manifested at the fiattering prospects of a
speedy commencement and completion of
the most direct east and west through
line OF railroad from the Atlantic to the
Pacific ocean, or nearly the same parallel
OF latitude. The year 1870 is named as
the time for the completion of the Union
and Central Pacific railroads. The four
teen miles of road from Woodstock to
White River Junction will be completed
next year; and should the gap of 35 miles
from Woodstock to Rutland and short
link or two in New Hampshire and Maine
be completed in two years. San Francisco
and Halifax will be in direct communica-
ton by rail all the way by the fourth of
July, lSO--or two years hence
Until quite recently the people of the
city OF Portland, and other parties inter-
ested in railroad connections with the
great West, had their attention drawn to
more Northern route, either via Wells
River and Montpelier, OF via ST. Johns
bury and through the Lamoille Valley.
and via Rouses Point and Ogdensbury.
The development Of the fact that nature
has formed a passage-wey, as if it were
purposely designed, for the iron track of
the locomotive through the centre of the
Green Mountains, from White River
junction to Rutland via Woodstock.
b1idgewater, Sherburne, Pittsfeld and
Chittendep, has upset all the arrange
ments heretofore made relative to these
circuitous routes from Halifax and Port
hnd In the East to Buffalo, Chicago.
omaha and Cheyenne, ON the great line
OF travel to the Pacific. The Portland
and Rutland route is comparatively a
new project, which has not vet been fairly
brought before the public, bu. has only to
be examined to be adopted. The grades
are light and the curves snobjectionablc
while in the Lamoils Valley distance
OF 10 miles had to be run to gain miles
in the town Of Danville, and miles to
gain one mile in the town of Hardwick,
between which point and St Johnsbury
the lowest point of the summit is 1,G9a
feet above tide-water. The Rutland route
passes through Whitehall, at the head df
Lake Champlain, while the other routes
pass l20 miles north of straight line, at
the outlet of the same lake, making the
distance from Portland TO Rome, n. Y.
l36 miles more than the Rutland route.
Our northern friends seem 70 Law great
stress on the Importance Of tapping water
communication at OgdeRsburr, during the
navigation of the lakes We admit this.
but claim that the route via White River
Junction, Woodstock and Rutland ,riW be-
the shortest as well as the best route from
Portland to Ogdensburg, as well as Ia
Buffalo and Chicago. In two years hence
the Plattsburgh and Whitehall road, So
called, will be completed as far south as
crown Point, requiring only nine miles of
road, and a short bridge across the narrow
bake, to make a connection with the Rut-
land and Burlington road near Whiting.
or even at Brandon, if the enterpr:sing
people OF that town lend helping hand.
This route across and ON the west side OF
the lake, is much shorter than any route
around the lake, between Portland and
Ogdensburg, and the road will soon be
co@paeted. In the meantime, we must
INFORM our readers that ere the lapse of