Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-04-01
Gge fireman.
MONTPELIER, VT:
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1868,
Railroad from Portland West.

Since the people of Woodstock have put
their railroad t. White River Junction
under contract, the people of Portland, and
along projected line of railroad from that
city to White River Junction and the West.
have exhibited a new interest in Western
railroad connections Meetings have been
held In Portland and Concord and other
points, and prominent business men have
shown zeal and confidence in the enterprise
IL has been manifest for some time that
the Portland people must have some outlet
to the West affording them better facilities
than the Grand Trunk does or can. Last year
they turned their attention to the project
of road through the Notch of the White
Mountains 10 Connecticut River, thence to
St. Johnsbury and west to the line of the
Vermont Central railroad. At first, Mont
pelier seemed likely to be the point of con-
nection Of this road with the Central. but
the people OF cur town not subscribing lib
orally to the project, the friends of the pro-
posed road caused 4 survey to be made down
the LamoiIle Valley The towns along the
route through that Valley have subscribed
generously toward the cost of the road and
while 1t Is by no means certain that it Will
be built at present, the friends of the route
speak confidently of its ultimate success.
But just now the Portland people seem to be
turning their attention 70 q connection west
by the way of White River Junction and
that route has the advantage of being,
probably, more feasible than the one through
the Notch, with not nearly so many miles OF
road to build, and with the hope of speedier
outlet to the West, either by the way Of the
Woodstock road-which looks to an outlet
west by the way Of RutIand--or by the
way of the Vermont Central The people
of Portland would probably prefer more
northern route. but they will take the first
one that offers unquestionably and this
accounts for their present interest in the
connection with White River.
1t is clearly for the interest of the people
of this county to have another railroad out
let to the seaboard, as well as better railroad
connections with eastern Vermont, and these
efforts of the people of Portland to get west
ought to be met with corresponding exertions
on our part to have this route pass through
Washington county We believe the Port
land interest would prefer road from Wells
River to Montpelier, giving connection by
the Concord and Montreal railroad through
our village over the Central to Ogdensburgh,
to any more southern route and if there
was any immediate prospect of the cOnnec-
ton between this place and Wells River
being made, we should confidently look for a
much warmer interest at Portland in this
route than in the one by the way of Wood
stock. We do not wish to injure any other
enterprise, but we ought to have energy and
decision enough to help ourselves, and at
once. Every step taken east of the line Of
the Concord and Montreal to reach White
River, is step toward Montpelier WELL
and one which we can reap the advantage of
if we do anything for ourselves.
Montpelier has achieved something of a
reputation for being eontented with what it
has until in some spasm of progress it does
twice as much IS could be reasonably asked.
1t was contentei With old and rather shabby
churches until its places of worship were a
reproach to the town, and then it went to
the other extreme, and is spending nearly
one hundred thousand dollars in church edi-
fees which will have in cost tho equal in
the State except the Catholic Cathedral at
Burlington. Its educational facilities were
for years unworthy to be called schools, but
at last it aroused to a sense of its wants
and by expending S25 900, established a
union and graded school, which has nc
superior in the commonwealth. We are
anxiously looking for some premonitions OF
similar spasmodic action in respect to rail
road facilities. but we fail yet to see them.
The time is no dpubt c0ming,-how far
ahead we have no means of predicting-when
the town will see that it must have railroad
communication with the valley of the Con
necticut as far north al least Wells River
at any cost, and then we expect too see the
town pay without hesitation double what
it would now have to pay to secure the same
result. We have only to express the hope
that the conservatism that waits for tina
necessity to arise will have to bear at least
It's share OF the increased burden.