Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-01-15
u'IsR.NO.V'T-HER PROSPBRITI'

Vermont should have, and should COM
plete at the earliest day possible, well
planned and judicous system of railroads.
Upon this the development of her material
resources, her increase in wealth and popu-
lation, greatly depends. The great railroad
desderatum of New England to-day is to
find the shortest and most feasible routes to
connect her Atlantic cities with the great
and growing cities of the West, Chicago,
st. Louis, Milwaukee, etc. Or in other
words to find the best routes from Boston
and Portland to Ogdensburg and Platts-
burg in New York, as these are the nearest
points of water communication with the
Western states, whence come for our use
the products of their fertile land and with
or are transported the manufactures of our
mills, factories and workshops. These
routes of course must traverse Vermont.
And there. are three now in view, each
claiming attention, and each urged and adj
vocated by its friends. The northern,
through st. Johnsbury and the Lamoile
Valley to Lake Champlain at st. Adams or
some point in its neighborhood ; the mid
die from the mouth of Wells river to Mont
pelier, and 40 reaching the Lake at Burling-
ton the southern from White River juno
ton through Woodstock TO Rutland and
thence to the Lake. The northern or mid
die route, we suppose will best accommo-
date Portland, the southern, Boston. All
three routes are feasible, and the time is not
distant when all will be needed to accom-
modate the public and to develop the re-
sources of the State. Should Lake Cham
plain be connected with the st. Lawrence
| by ship canal, which can and should be
done, then the water transportation to the
farthcst of the Great Lakes, and perhaps
| to the Mississippi, would be extended from
our very doors. Burlington and Milwauk-
ee, Chicago, st. Louis and New Orleans
would he connected by an unbroken water
| communication. And even Rutland, whose
entcrprising citizens talk of building ca
nal to the Lake, would in the event of its
| construction have the advantages of such a
communication with the great West. In
addition to these roads there arc at least
two others needed to complete the rail
road system OF The State. one is the West
river railroad from this place to- Jamaica,
| thence to connect with the Rutland and
| Burlington road somewhere in Waling-
ford the other is the railroad commencing
| at the southern boundary of the State, pass
ing through the towns in the western part
Of the county of Windham, and connect
ing with the road from Rutland 10 Ben
nington at Manchester or its vicinity. No
labored argument is necessary to convince
the citizens of this county Of the great adj
vantages of these two roads to the southern
section of the state, and we hope that the
energy and enterprise enlisted in urging
them forward will be crowned with success.
We have thus briefly and imperfectly in
dicated the various lines Of railroad which
the interests of the public generally as well
as the special interests of Vermont seem 10
demand. We do not expect that all we
have suggested will be Immediately accom-
complished, but the day il not far off when
we trust good share of it will be effected