The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-08-24
The White Mountain Railroad

VIC uo NOT KNOW VINO lrSt cOnCelY
>, the idea Of railroad up the steep decli,
Il ty of this mountain, but the credit
~ making the idea a practical thing, u
" doubtedly, belongs to Mr.. Sylvester Mars
1 a native Of Champion, but for many yea
- successful business man of Boston-no
. residing in his native State again Abor
y dozen years ago he applied to our Legi
7 laturc for charter for railroad to I'll
top OF Mount Washington, and the ide
seemed to be 30 utterly absured tha
y y amidst derisve laughter, it was propose
to amend his bill by extending the roa
to the moon. But in due time he got hi
charter,and he then set to work to socur
the attention and aid of railroad men to hi
scheme, and after seven years prcsistcn
effort this was accomplished. lie frs
pulIt little engine weighing nnctecI
pounds, and track twenty feet LONG
which he fixed up in his Office in Boston
and with this he would carry 100 lbs. o
pig IRON up grade Of one foot in three
by these experiments he convinced rail
road men that his scheme was practca
one. Among those who first lent him
countenance and aid were Mr.. Lyon, Prcsi.
dent of the Montreal Railroad; Mr.
Stcarns, President of the Northern: Mr.,
keycs, President of the PaSsumpsic Mr..
Nath'l Whitc,of this city,amd Mr.. Tolmc,
ilnkiey, the well-known engine builder.
By the aid of these gentlemen, and per-
severance and pluck, he ovcrcamc all the
hatura obStructions that stood so formid.
ably IN his way, and on the 81 day of
July his great enterprise was completed.
lie first, three years ago, built section
OF 100 feet to clearly demonstrate the
practlcabllty Of the scheme and it was
so satisfactory that company was at
once formed and the work was pushed
forward as rapidly as the natural obstacles
would permit.
The length of the track is two and
three tourths miles, very slight curves. If
ascends about $500 feet in that distance.
Delhg on average over one foot in four.
and III some places foot in two and seven
fenths. The track is laid ON a trestlework
1f heavy timber, braccd and bolted in the
lrmlSt manner which rests upon and is
'onllned to the solid ledge of the mountain
lde. This trestlc-work generally rests
lpon the surface, but in some places is
rom ten to twenty feet above the rocky
according as the surface Of
he mountaln-sidc varies. Upon this
'es'le-work heavy timbcrs are firmly
astencd, upon which the iron rails are
olted' being placed about as far apart AS
hose of common railroads. Between t
lese rails there is a very heavy rail .shap- Il
much like very narrow ladder. with t
$ rounds" some four inches apart.
The way in which motion is given to :
lc tram Is as follows Under the engine b
MT between the two forward wheels is a :
lth wheel, II heavy driving with coes so
ranged as to fit into the grounds" Of the
Haf nor ihc Ts' cdr 2s0%s g0%sll l4Ai6
he motion thus given is steady and con- II
nuous, though slow-not quite so fast {
man ordinarily walks. Ii takes about -,
n hour and quarter to accomplished y
ne trip up, including three stops to take
1 wood and water
Upon the point Of safety, there seems l
} be no room for doubt The track is
trong and firm as wood and iron can well
iake it; the wheels are literally fastened
pom the track by iron clamps; and the {
ngne and car are furnished with five or
tx Independent brakes, either Of which is i
eemed amply sufficient The seats in
he ear are hung as to adjust themselves
o the grade and the passenger ride-
backward, so that he can have full view
# the magnificent scenery which is spread
nut before him aS he rises in his heaven /
ward journey. And Judging from our
ceilings and observation, we should say.
hat the traveller is and feels as safe on
his road ms upon and ordin airy railroad.
Over fifty passengers went up with us,
md IL merricr crowcd VIC have seldom
1ccn in. Mr.. Marsh says it has been
csted thoroughly and nothing but care
essness can cause an accident. Over
1000 feet of timber and 234 tons Of
ron used in building the road, were car
ried over it with small cheap engine
built for the experiment, and not single
accident or any occurrence to cause
fright occurred and during its building
of persons rode on the freight
car, with the feeling OF entire safety.
The whole cost of this railroad, includ-
ing engine, ears, buildings &C., is about
SIPS 900. The fare up and back is So 7
Whether it is likely to prove a paying
stock, we have no means Of Judging; hu'
visitors to the mountains have reason t. +
bless its projectors for affording them 81
comfortable and pleasing method Of
reaching the summit. And large numbers
appear to be availing themselves of it
for we learn that the day after our "trip,
more arrived than could be carried up at
once, and the day following seyenty-tivc
went up.
We understand that this whole thing
track, engine and cars is the invention of
Mr.. Marsh, for which he has three separat
patents. Mr.. Marsh personally superin-
tended the building Of the first mile of th'
track in 1867, but since then Mr., j. j.
Sanborn, of Lake Village, has had the
charge of the work, and now runs the
trains. He is u competent and careful
man, and no one need fear an accident
from his fault NIi,sHd" d ~ P"tTof
BIRDS AND FRuIT-l see by your
journal and others that the birds get more
than their share ofthe cherries, Perhaps
the little songsters believe the old adagc,
fair exchange is no robbery" music be-
ing subject to the laws of traffic. But if
the hig III price of fruit in the market is
chargeable to the voracity of the birds, |
would like to have horticulturists try the
following experiment for holding them in
check, and divide their savings with con-
sumors who have to pay for their cherries
in hard-earned scrip.
Issue proposals to the boys to procure
the skins of all the stray eats that make
night hideous with their music (O, and
"a -