Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-12-30

III COkllnS up ~ ~ WIN
having reached it, we hope they will show
hereafter the resoluteness and determination
to succeed which are also characteristics OF
the town when it puts its hand to any under
taking. Books of subscription to the capt.
tai stock will be opened as soon as the
charter allows at each of the banks in Mont
pelier, and we have no doubt that a liberal
private subscription will be made by our
capitalists in addition to the aid voted by
the town. Other towns will act shortly, no
doubt, and we may hopefully look forward
to an early Inauguration Of the actual work
of building the road.
We speak thus confidently of the success
Of this enterprise, because we cannot believe
the people to be benefited by the completion
Of the undertaking, will be blind to their
own interests and suffer the project to fail.
The people of Montpelier have shown their
understanding of the Importance of the
road in the unanimous action already taken.
But there is scarcely a town which now sends
and gets its freight through the Montpelier
depot, that, SO far as railroad facilities are
concerned. Will not be equally benefited with
Montpelier by a road to Wells River. If the
new road cheapens freight, as it most as
suredly will, every pound of freight shipped
and unshipped here will get the benefit of
that reduction, whether it belongs to Cabot,
lIardwick, Williamstown, Orange, Worces-
ter, or any of the other towns now coming to
Montpelier for railroad facilities. There is
not a town within ten miles eff any point on
the line of this projected road that cannot,
we believe, afford to take eight times its
grand list in the stock of the road as it will
receive enough benefit from the road when in
operation to more than pay for that amount
of stock.
But freight will be cheapened by this road,
in other ways than by competition. Every
farm almost in the country produces articles
like wood, lumber, potatoes and hay, which
are heavy in proportion to their value. and
whose value is largely diminished by every
mile that is added to the distance they must
be transported by teams before reaching the
cars. Every dollars worth of these articles
within ten miles of Montpelier depot is
worth to-day twice what it would be if we
had no railroad facilities and anything that
cheapens freight as railroads do cheaper it,
adds to the value of all commodities sold,
and at the same time lessons the cost of
every commodity received at cheaper rates OF
transportation. 1t follows, therefore, in
general, that everything we buy is made
cheaper, while everything we sell for a for
eign market is made more valuable by these
better facilities or, in other words, it puts
every farmer and producer nearer the great
markets which fix the prices of every COM
modify in which they deal. Persons who
own farms on or near the line of this road
could give the present value of their farms,
if necessary to secure the road, and yet be
richer for the gift and no town through
which the road will be laid can afford to let
this opportunity pass without doing the ut
most it can, both by corporate action and by
private subscription, to secure the success of
the enterprise. A railroad is an improved
highway, and any farmer or manufacturer
or merchant, who knows the value to his
business of a short and good road to his
market or to his customers ought not to be
Indifferent for a moment to a p~rojeoefor the
best highway that human enterprise and in
genuity have yet constructed.
As this road is not to be by any means 10
cal in its benefit, We hope to see concurrent
and hearty action in aid of it, by all the
towns and individuals in this part of the
State. The road cannot be built without
money, and foreign capital cannot be expect
ed to aid in the work if the wealth of Central
Vermont refuses to push it forward. Port
land, Boston, and the roads with which this
road will connect, are undoubtedly ready to
do all that can reasonably be asked of them
but they first desire to know whether there
is enough enterprise, business sagacity, ener-
" and wealth in this part of Vermont to
make it worth their while to open commune
cation with US. If we want that communi.
cation, and Will do what we are able to, t.
show them we are in earnest about it, they
will do their part. If, by our Indifference,
we give them to understand we don't want
any closer business relations with them, then
they Will, and ought to, leave us to our OWL
folly, dead conservatism and sure if not
speedy decay.
In addition to the reasons already given
the towns in Central Vermont ought to see
that they have something to do to keep pace
with the rest of the State in public spirit and
enterprise. East and West, North anG
South of US, railroad projects are being push.
cd with intelligent energy and zeal, some
with assurances of success, and others very
hopefully. 1t will not answer for Washington
County to remain isolated, with no direct
communication with the valley of the Pas.
sumpsic and upper Connecticut, while a roac
passes north through Lamoille Valley, ant
} south through Woodstock and Rutland t.
; Lake ~Champlain. We would not stop thes,
enterprises if we could-though we should
be glad to have the Lamoille Valley find ever
a better outlet than the one it is now striv
ing for, by a railroad through Washington
County-but we would have this Count,
, build a road more feasible, cheaper, ant
more promising of good results to itself an
the State, and thus lay the foundation for
: future success and prosperity greater thar
any achievement of its past.
Meetings will shortly be held in the town
to be Immediately benefited by the propose
road, and we trust the people of those town
f will be thoroughly aroused to the importanc
: of early and liberal action in aid Of the un
dertaking.
c The Year 1858.