Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-04-22
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, APRIL II, 1869.
Wood stock or KtllingtOn.

~ Rutland who takes widely different
view from our own in reference to the
Railroad Question as affecting the inter
ests of the town. Therefore it is deemed
proper that the communication should be
noticed in some of it's positions. The
article is specious one, but no doubt its
author entertains his opinion with the
same honesty and tenacity that we do our
own. 1t is plain and candid presenta-
ton, perhaps, of one side of the question
and vet it is adroit in its arrangement
and argument, as we believe calculated
to mislead the people from the true issue,
which is, do the people desire Rail
road from Woodstock which will have its
terminus in Rutland and thereby the
town have the fullest possible advantage
of new Railroad 2" On the other hand
the question rs presented, "Does Rutland
want railroad which will have another
final terminus 90 miles distant, from
which freight can be diverted either
around Rutland or through it, and in
such position that the managers of the
Lebanon Springs Road can build a road
from some point below Rutland connect
ing at Healdville, taking away the
benefits TO be derived to the town so far
as business is concerned " The question
is also presented, whether Rutland de-
sires the great Central Western route to
pass through or around it ?" These are
the simple propositions which are pre-
sented for the people of Rutland to con-
slider at the meeting tonight. Let us,
therefore, in view of this statement, ex-
anime the arguments of "Citizen."
Leaving the question Of the right of the
friends of the Woodstock Railroad to hold
meeting for the purpose of confering
together unnoticed, also, submitting
the suggestion that all our citizens are in
terested in whatever will promote the
growth and prosperity of the town, and
the question that divides US and
admitting that such differences arise
from the want Of thorough investiga-
tion of the subject The reply is simply
that neither party have given that
thorough investigation as yet, that the
people of Rutland should throw away the
main chance and take a cOLQterdl one, but
to settle the question whether Rutland
shall, have grem benefit or only portion
Of the benefit to be derived from the road
We advocate that it is the duty of Rut-
laud to take care of its own interests be-
fore it looks after the foreign interests of
another, The question that our citizens
are asked to consider is, (Which is the
most feasible and more likely to be built
This question is to be sure important, but
Rutland will be likely to decide in favor
of the route that will tend most to ad-
vance her material interests and build up
the town. The permanent survey of
neither route has been made, and there
fore it cannot now be decided, and from
the movements of the ostensible friends of
tse killington route for the past few
months. we venture the opinion that if
TO id to Woodstock is built at ALL it will
be built by way of Chittenden.
The question of distance we are not
or cost, and will admit that the cost of
the Killington route will possibly be less,
but think that is not the main question
at issue 1t is conceded that the Chitten-
den route is expensive, but cannot Rut-
land afford to build the more expensive
one, and have the benefit of the terminus
in town, rather than TO favor a route
that will have its ending virtually TWEEN
ty miles away The argument in favor
of easy grades is true, but how do the
people of Rutland know that there are not
as heavy grades in Plymouth to overcome,
as by the way of Chittenden The dis
lance of i've miles is matter of import
ance in building railroads. The shortest
possible distances are sought, and Will be
built in future The day of going
around is rapidly passing away. For
this reason, If the extension of the White
hall aud Pittsburgh Railroad is built on
the Vermont side, the Like Shore Rail-
road will be built, because it shortens the
distance from Montreal and Ogdensburgh
to New York. All railway managers add
NIT that he saving of even two or three
miles on nng connecting lines are sub
jects worthy of great consideration, even
if more expensive to build. But we are
not assured by fact or data as yet that the
Healdyille route is less expensive to Rut-
land than the Chittenden.
We are told if "a half million is sub
scribed to the Kllliugtun route, there Is
no doubt Of procuring from parties al
ready interested sufficient funds to put
the road in complete working condition,
and that it is doubtful if the money neces-
sary to bnild the other route can be real
I'D Ii Rutland and other towns raise
the money they are allowed TO raise by
law, the Chittenden route to Woodstock
is an assured fact, for it is the inter-
est of other partise to build that road,
AS it is that by way of Healdville. II
Rutland but does her duty in this matter
the Chittendeu route will be built If the
Chittenfen route cannot be built, why so
great efforts on the part of certain parties
to prevent the town completing its vote
to bond for three hundred thousand dol
lars2 1t is because they are alarmed lest
Rutland shall do it. 1t is not because
they are so much alarmed that Rutland
will be bankrupt. Cannot Rutland at
ford to pay three hundred thousand dol
lars to the Chittenden route, and have it
terminate in town, rather than it should
end twenty miles distant? Can Rut-
land afford, in any sense, as her business
now stands, to lose this important advan-
Issue, and not grades, cost, or the help Of
foreign corporations.