Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-02-05
B7grDas. Complications.

ID Railroad Complications.
Each If t',- 'wo valleys which run nearly pa
r,l'el TO each Other across the northern part OF
Vermont wants r,ilroad, and the two interests
arr not altogether harmonious. The charter
Of the Missisquo Valley road contemplates the
building Of a railroad from some point on the
line Of the Vermont and Canada railroad up the
Missisquoi Valley to Newport, there to connect
with the Passumpsc road. In order to avoid
the Jay mountains, the road must run INTO "a
NADIA, through the township of Potion r q, for
distance of eleven miles. The portion Of the
road On the western side of this gap, from some
point On the Vermont and Canada, to Richford,
Is about y miles long and the eastern end Of
the route from Newport to the Province line in
the town Of Troy, Is from seven to ten miles
long.
The prospect OF the construction of the cas-
tern end has not been very strong but for
the western end there appeared to be some
chance when it became understood, while since,
that the railroad men of St Adams were willing
to step in, and if St. Adams, Sheldon, Enosburg,
Berkshire, Montgomery and Richford, would
vote the amount allowed by the enabling act
500, 0OO-they would undertake to raise the
rest, and build the road to Richford. But Of
this there has seemed to be less prospect, since
Sheldon Joined Swanton and Highgate in voting
money in aid of the Lamoille road.
However, it was decided to organize the Com
pany. and the Commissioners named in the char
ter met at Richford the other day to open the
stockbooks for subscription. Gov. Smith, Hon.
Bradley Barlow and others from st. Adams,
were present, and 50 were the Orleans County
men; who, having majority of the Commits
siouers, took control of the meeting, elected Mr..
Bisbee, of Newport, as Secretary, and opened
the books with the understanding, the Rich
ford Sentinel states, that if the Franklin County
men took the most of the stock, they should give
the others perpetual lease of the eastern end
| if Orleans County took most Of the stock, they
should give perpetual lease of the western end.
Mr. Bisbee thereuron signed for 100000 Of
stock, and nobody matching this, the Commits
sioners voted that the books be closed, and ad-
Jjournel
Opinions differ as to what this operation exact
ly meant; but it seems to be generally under
TODD that bodies no good to the Mssisquoi Rold.
The Lamolle people So consider it, at any rate, |
and are iubilant thereat. Thus the Hyiepark |
.NsJrs dealer says
Iuasmuch a. it is understood that the move
ment on Bichford was movement designed 10 1
head of our Rail Road, We have 10 confess to no 4
little satisfaction at it. failure. The story Is 1
very mildly told, but the meaning of it is, as We
understand it, that the NlissisQuoi Valley R. r., /
is, for the present at least, suspended.
The Bichford Sentinel. representing the friends I
of the western endof the MssisQuo road, is not at
all suited with the result Of the meeting; asserts
that the subscription made was not a legal one,
and threatens application to the next Legislature
for redress. 1t says
Our general railroad law expressly states that
every person subscribing for stock in any rail-
road in this State, shall be required to pay the
Commissioners at the time of subscribing five
per centum ON the amount of stock for which he
shall subscribe his would require Mr. Bis
bee to pay $1,000 down. and, as our twenty
eastern friends were probably unable To find that
amount Of stamps about their clothes, they pro
cent. When this proposition was made before
the Commissioners, Mr.. L. W. Leach, one of the
Commissioners from Enosburgh. asked if the law
did not eguire the five per cent. TO be paid down
The Chairman, however, apparently did not
hear this, and proceeded to put the question 10
vote, and the basis for subscription was adopted
The Secretary, Mr.. Bisbee. is a lawyer. and NOT
being burdenel with 5000, he shoulI have
brought his General Statutes of Vermont
50 a. to have to posted himself and his friends
while in d" solemn conclaye,' So that they could
have proceeded in a legal manner.
The law also states that SO All subscriptions
for stock shall be payable absolutely, and no Sc
cret agreement, nor any understanding or con
diton not inserted in the terms OF the subscrip-
ton, shall affect the right OF the corporation 70
enforce ayneut thereof. Now if Mr.. Bisbee
i worth even one-teuth of the sum for which be
subscribed. he has heretofore been Sc hiding his
light under a bu-hel :; and if the law Is en-
forced and he required TO pay the 100000. be
viii probably be obliged to mortgage his law
books to raise the amount. We have not learned Z
whether the eastern men Ind revenue stamps ,
enough to afIz TO the - 900 note. If they had ,
not, being in a majority, they could have easily
voted them on, or voted that revenue stamps
were not necessary. t
The St Adams Messenger apparently takes D
the same view OF the cose 1t calls the result Z
If the meeting an suafortunate Sc one, and /
lids 60 t
II it be true, q, has been asserted and rs APP q
learauces certainly indicate, that the Orleans {
-0unty commissioners were encouraged 20 their
curse by some other road. this fact goes far 10
how that It Is considered by the management Of G
ther interests that the aid profered TO this road
vas sufficient TO secure its construction. And
indeed, on this question there Is no longer any
0ubt No one doubts now that if the Franklin
lounty men can control their own subscriptions.
he road thr- ugh the Missisquoi Valley viii be 1
ult. And We might also add, what Is equally O.,
rue, that they lriH have this control sooner OF
lter, and viii have the road.
On the other hand the Newport Express 10
eelares that there wa, perfect understanding ID
etween the Orleans Co. Commissioners and the q
It. Adams gentlemen. 1t says: Il
- Allow US to say, upon undisputed authority. "
hat there exists between the commissioners On u
his end Of the route and those parties in interest
{ the Vermont Central, perfect understanding =.
nd good feeling that there is not the slightest %
isp0sition or desire TO hinder in any way the
uilding Of the road from ST. Adams to Richford u
nat there Is the best Of reasons for believing that V
9th the eastern and western sections Of the road
III pe DUN, Auu luhl We Sltll secure the con- I 7,
ection Of the South Eastern junction Railroad u
it'll the Ct. and Pass Road at this point just 81
here the friends Of both roads want them built. n
ld where nature designed they should connect I.
h1ugh the result Of the meeting at Richfori o.
Jay have been somewhat unexpected, nothing p
Is done designed to hinder the building Of the p
BAD from Richford to s. Adams, and nothing u
i'll hereafter be done by people east of the >.
ountain to prevent its construction. ~
Where the truth lies between these conflicting al
Jews, we DO not undertake to say, but there til
i'll doubtless be more to be said, shortly on the c.
hole subject Of