Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-06-22

looked upon as slight to such eminent
LAWYERS as Heath and ourself, sce are not
inclined to complain. When we think of
the many instances where we are compell-
ed, in the transactions OF our national at
fairs. to trust our treasures, our ALL
to the good faith of men, without legal
guarantees, we are amused at this appear
ance OF awe, shown at proposition invol-
wing, if any, a most trifiing risk.
In this matter each town has what is
more than equivalent to legal guarantee
in the fidelity and watchfulness of her
chosen guardians of their bonds. They
will not issue them-will not be called
upon to do so--until every reasonable
judgement is satisfied that the enterprise
is already success.
Again Mr.. Heath says if he remembers
correctly, Mr.. Linysley's printed report
estimates the cost of our road at S29000.
Well, he does not remember correctly, as
the following extract from that report,
printed in the Newsdealer of January Is,
1868, will show :-"Mr. Bailey" says he,
estimates the cost of the road at $27 7O5
per mile, but at the same time expressing
the belief that a careful location will de-
veop material reductions in the estimates. "
"Of this" continues Mr.. Lindsey, III
have no doubt, and 1t is entirely safe, in
my judgment, tie estimate the entire cost
of the road, exclusive of land damages,
at S25 600 per mle' This estimate re-
fcrs, of course to the SO $1,000 miles
surveyed by Mr.. Bailey from West Dam
vile to Georgia. Now in the face of the
estimate of this accomplished engineer,
who says it is "entirely safe" to estimate
the total cost of construction at S25 900
per mile, exclusive OF land damages,
which at the widest estimate, cannot ex-
coed an average of another thousand,
Heath berates the directors because they
do not close with the standing offer to
build the road for S3l 600 per mile
Heath asks us to place more confidence in
his wild estimates, supported by the re-
ported cost of roads we'll known to have
been jobbed out at ruinous rates, and with
out any effort at economy. He might as
consistently quote the cost of building the
tower of Babel, the pyramids of Egypt or
the great wall of Chi-hong-ti. Labor
and material are higher than when Gov.
Paine built the Central, to be sure. But
he forgets the all important fact, that
such has been the wonderful advance
made in the science Of railroad building
in the last 20 years, nay in the last five
years, that Notwithstanding the greatly in
creased cost of both material ard labor,
railroads are now being constructed for
less than one-third Of their average cost
% years ago. Does he not remember
that vast fortunes were speedily amassed
by railroad contractors, while the stock
holders were made bankrupt? Thanks
to the advancement and wider diffusion of
engineering skill among our people, this
old system of speculation and building up
Of railroad kings at the expense of the
people is fast being done away. Here is
for instance, competent engineer who
has just completed road for $26 900 per /
mile, and acho SAYS he could build the same
road a. Jain for less money, representing
that ours is still cheaper road to build
than that one, and Heath is anxious to
have us substitute his judgment for the en-
gineer's judgment, and contract the road
for $3l COO! His proposition is for us
siraig h,way to give the speculators-and
their attornies--the pretty little sum of
about SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS be-
tween the Connecticut river and Swanton,
rather than to take the smallest possible
risk in relation to the $4S 900 subscribed |
by Johnson.-Verily, with such manage
nent as he suggests, we should despair of
The road. We are happy to believe that
wiser councils will prevail.
As to the legal doubts which Heath's
'rtcle raises, it seems very strange to us
hat, if he hal any faith in them HIM
'elf, he did not. in quiet way, resort to
he courts and avoid all this useless muss.
It the courts wont allow the thing to be
lone, why docs our brother need to spill
his precious blood to arrest an evil which
he courts are sure to remedy?
There arc several passages in our cor
which impute dishonesty
md fraudulent intent upon the managers
IT the road. These come in strange lux
OPPOSITION TO his complaints of having
wrong motives imputed to himself. He
Gems to have lost all confidence in his
nee friends in the cause is it wonderful
hat they should in turn distrust him p