Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-10-14

direction of the Canadian Board of Public
Works, by Mr.. Jarvis, we'll Known from
his connection with the public works of tn,
State of New York. The survey of severa
routes was made, but the preference wa
given to the direct line from Caughnawags
to st. Johns, the country being very favora
ble.-requiring but little heavy work at any
point on the line,-with a distance of bu
twenty-six miles, and summit to be attained
of only twenty-five feet, and involving
a cost of construction of, say three millior
of dollars, for a canal that would pass vessels
of six to seven hundred tons.
As freight and tolls then stood, it was as
certained that the cost of taking property
from Chicago to Troy, N. Y, with the en-
larged canals of the State of New York, ther
in contemplation would be, via. Buffalo
/ S4.s5 via. Oswego, S4 .Ol ; via. the St. Law
renee and Lake Champlain $500
Mr.. McAlpine, an engineer of high stand
ing, came to the same conclusion. He de-
clared that, with the Caughnawaga Canal
the cost of transportation 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,451 miles, two mills pc
mile, AIS per ton
Expenses on the Canadian canals,
Caughnawaga included-96 miles,
at three mills, 29
Transfer of cargo at Whitehall, 20
Transfer on present Champlain
canal, -
Total cost, $3.50
With a connection Of this character, nc
other route, from the West to the tide
waters of the Hudson, will possess any ad-
vantage over the route via. the St Lawrence
and Lake Champlain to the same point. And
this route is greatly superior to any other
in rela tO the trade bptwapn the
" est and that portion of New England and
New York, which borders upon and can be
reached from the waters of Lake Champlain
1t is demonstrated that produce from the
West can be delivered on Lake Champlain,
by the St. Lawrence route, at one-fourth
less cost for transportation and in less time
than by the other routes, while the connec-
tion with the Ottawa valley will be shortened
ninety miles and the rise and fall lessened
one hundred and eighteen feet. an improve
ment of great Importance, as we are depend
ent largely upon this source for our supply
of lumber, which as an article of commerce
stands next almost to grain
The saving upon the single article of -four,
to the people of Vermont alone. in opening
this new line, would amount to nearly oi
quite fifty thousand dollars annually. in the
cost of transportation. If we did not sue
ceed in retaining this sum in our pockets, il
would go TO the producer, which would be a
like benefit to the country whole.
Should not the building of this canal un-
der proper guarantees, he made cardinal
point in the pending negotiations for new
treaty? Has it not become almost com
mercial necessity to the producing states OF
the West as we'll as the consuming states oi
the East? There can be but one answer Il
these questions. Believing that an express
ion of your views may have effect in pro-
noting the progress of this work, recon-
mend the adoption of resolutions of instruc-
tions to our Senators and Representatives in
Congress on this subject
RESOURCES OF THE STATE.
The opening of this new line of transpor-
tation Will largely develop the internal re-
sources Of the country, and it may be well
briefly TO consider this aspect of the case in
its bearing upon Vermont.
The railroads extending east from st
Johns. Rouscs Point, Burlington and " hitc-
hall, with their numerous connections. would
distribute and collect the trade on Lake
Champlain. To supply the New England
States with Western products for consump-
tion, would. of itself, be an immense trade,
which. in connection with the export trade,
would require the enlargement to at least
tive-fold the present capacity of all our roads
not only furnish such an amount Of business
as to require double tracks on the roads now
built, but ensure the building of the pro-
iected new lines from Swanton through the
Lamoille Valley, and from Rutland to White
River Junction, and thence on to Portland.
The natural increase of trade will furnish
these new lines a large business. without
seeming to affect the roads now in operation
=. Our railroads are and must be the main
artery ON which much of the prosperity, and
much of the relative Importance of the com
munltv depends. " Develop and extend these
arteries, and you largely increase our popu-
lation 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 mechanical indus
tries, with such notifications as their prac-
teal application may require. Instead of
an increase of thirty millions of dollars, as
from 1850 to 1860, we may record in 1880
an increase OF more than one hundred mil
lions of dollars. The internal and local traffic
of Vermont, must depend on the convenience
afforded by its railroad system TO its local
trade, and while we guard the public in
terests our railroads should not be hampered
with any legislation tending to cripple their
power Of benefting the community.
To meet the policy of other States, in ex
we'll to enquire if carefully guarded law
satisfactory III its Misunderstanding towns au
thOrty to take action might not be bene-
fetal
The interest of the people on the line of a
railroad, in its operation and management,
and that of its owners, are, as it seems to
me, clearly identical, and cannot be sep
arated without great injury to both.
You will have applications for charters for
new roads, and they should receive your fa-
vorable action, unless it should appear that
the facilities of the community asking are
now ample, or that the application is made
in the interest of foreign corporation the
granting of which would be a great detri-
ment to those interests we are bound to pro
tect.
1t has been well said that our relative i'm
portance to the whole external world must
in great degree depend on the facilities and
conveniences we afford for through travel in
comparison with other communities. The
management of our roads, and the spirit in
which they are conducted, must III great de-
gree depend upon our external communica-
tions and the relative Importance of each
railroad system and each railroad centre. In
these days of intense activity and eager COM
petition, it is therefore of the first impor
tance to every growing community that the
through lines of its railroad system should
afford every facility for traffic and should
themselves be impelled by the utmost eager
ness to extend their operations, and to In
crease their volume of receipts.
CONCLUSION.
1t was said during the late war, when the
Vermont boys led the column. " We are all
right, there will be no faltering from them.
The ranks were kept well closed up by de-
termined set of men, who went forth with