Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-04-23

everything lnat VIII SustHll ne, nut Tor
lumber in every conceivable form and
when the road is completed, will not tho
people Of this valley have received back
every dollar for which their several towns
were bonded? The inevitable answer is
yes. And here let me say to our honest
friend who does not sec where his share Of
the loaves and fishes is to come from, that
IL is thing impossible to live AN honora-
BILE life IN prosperous community and not
receive some of its benefits, whether you
will or no. TO the industrious farmers 1
have simply to say, If you don't get your
share it will be because you are not ~
sharp as your neighbor.
The next point that demands considera-
ton il cost of keeping our roads and bridg-
es in even passable condition under the
present heavy teaming system. The better
to illustrate this point let us take n look mt
Dummerston. They support road which
is the outlet for this entire valley; every
thing that we send oil or receive passes
over this road and in order that we might
get at an approximate idea of the amount
of freight passing up and down this valley
have taken pains to ascertain ~ nearly Ms
may be from several merchants and bust
ness men, the amount of their freight bills
as between Brattleboro and their several
places of business, / find that Newfane
alone pays for from ten to twelve hundred
tons per annum, at AN average cost of s.
per ton; and after carefully noting the
number of horses used In the business aud
trips made per week, / am satisfied that the
lowest reasonable conclusions that we can
arrive at are, that between five and six
thousand tons annually pass over this road,
to say nothing of the wood lumber and
bark trade carried on by private udividu-
ais. This, gentlemen, is what is the matter
with your road F.; and man has only to
pass over this road once by stage or private
conveyance to testify as to its condition,
and to cal, ON the sclcctmen for damages
done to man or beast by reason of its con-
ditiOn, to understand how the tax payers
grumble under their burthen. Now then,
this whole matter resolves itself into the
following points: list, the people of this
valley are paying from fifteen to twenty
five thousand dollars per annum for freight
ing to and from their present railroad ter
minus, Braltleboro, I'd, we are constant
ly taxing ourselves to keep the roads in
condition that will admit of the pas age Of
freight; 81, we are subjected to many ex-
pensive and vexatious lawsuits. for dam-
ages incurred by man or beast, for the rea-
son of insufficient securities upon the high
way. Men cannot afford to imperil their
lives, limbs and property upon our public
roads for nothing, in witness of which
will speak of Townshend, which l under
stand has lately been called upon to set its
music not to the tune of Old Hundred, but
two thousand. A railroad will not only
stop some Of these leaks, but it will gradu-
ally raise us to the same level Of pecuniarv
prosperity that it has all other agricultural
aud grazing sections of the State through
which it has passed.
The following railroad statistics will
show what railroads have done since 1915
for the several towns in Vermont through
which they have been built Take this in
connection with the facts we have hereto
fore shown you; throw the whole into the
balance against the bonding idea, and if it
does not outweigh it, then | must say that
your scales are not equal to the wants OF
the age.
ISL. NtIlllbnl NtUtTdl ana sullivan, pN
tending from Rouses Point, on the Canada
line, to Bellows Falls, and thence to Yer
non, ON south line of Vermont PA miles.
Average appraised price per acre Of all the
towns on this line, exclusive of Brattlcboro.
Rockingham, Woodstock, Montpelier and
Burlington, is SlS.l9. The average gain Of
the grand list since 1915 of all the towns ON
this road exclusive Of Rockingham and
Burlington, is 80 per cent, which is rs per
cent above Ncwiane; and to exclude Brat
tcboro, Woodstock and Montpelier, i, Il
per cent. Average gain above Newfune,
~ per cent
I'd. Vermont Valley and Connect ut
river road, lOj miles, from White River
Junction Ia Newport, on Canada line. Az
erage appraised price per acre, exclusive OF
Woodstock, sls.63. The average gain Of
the grand list since 1915 of all the towns on
this road, exclusive of Woodstock, is 81 Der
cent, and is 81 per cent. above Newfanc
Sd. Rutland and Burlington, 100 miles
long. Average appraised price per acre of
all the towns on this road, exclusive of
Rockingham, Rutland, Vergcnnes and Bur
lington, is S20.7S. The average gain of the
grand list since 1915 of all the towns on this
road, is 30 per cent, y per cent. above
Newiane; Rockingham and Burlington ex-
cludcd, "a per cent, 10 above New;ane.
18th. Western Vermont, - miles lOn..
Average appraised price per aero OF all the
towns ON this road, exclusive of BcnninC-
ton and Rutland, sl7.27 per acre. The av-
erage gain of the grand list since 1915 of all
the towns on this ruad exclusive of Rut-
land, is 33 per cent. average above New.
fame. is per cent.
Ih. Rutland and Washington, about 81
miles in Vermont. Average, exclusive or
Rutland, is S2O.77 per acre. The average
gain of the grand list since lSi5 uf all the
towns On this road is g. per cent, Is above
Ncw.anc.
The general average appraised valuation
per acre Of all the towns on these several
railways. exclusive of Brattleboro, Rock
inglan, Woodstock, Burlington, Montpe-
lier, Rutland, Nergennes and Bennington.
is Sl9.l3 average above Townshend. S6.2i
per acre. The general average gaia OF the
grand list since lsI5 of all the towns On.
these several railways is 80 per eeut.; aver
age above Newislne, IL par ssnt,
In this review l have Etkeu TowNShend
and Newiane because they are considered
fair average towl.s IN AN agricultural point
of view, and theis appraised grand list now
stands vt about $40 per acre; and these fig
arcs give us the correct pecuniary point
upon which we stand relative to other
towns. The above are the figures and faces
found by consulting the grand lists III s4so
several railroad towns of the States. Read
them carefully, then say il NoN will that ii
is not the towns that reap the heneTits.
A word in regard h shs Law itself, and
will close. Al opPonent to the idea says it
is making some men pay for what they
don't w,tnt> Can our friend show us II law
in the whole catalogue of human codes that
docs not have exactly the same effect upoa
some portions of communityg In a wosl.
can ho show us "A law upon the statute
books of amy government ON the face ii the