Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-09-29
The Railroad Meetings.

The series Of meetings OF citizens OF Montpel-
/ Ter, on the railroad question, resulted in the
adoption, on Wednesday evening last, Of paper
Of subscription by the town OF Montpelier, in the
sum Of two hundred thousand dollars, to the
Montpelier st. Johnsbury Railroad Company,
and the selection of Dennison Taft, John A. Page
and George C. Shepard as commissioners. A
condition Of the subscription is that all money
paid on il is 10 be expended on the portion OF the
road running out of Montpelier, and still another
condition is that the road shall be constructed on
what is known as the Molly's brook line, being
the line originally adopted. This subscription
paper is now to be submitted 10 the taxpayers Of
Montpelier, and IL majority in number of names
and amount assessed on the grand list shall
assent thereto, the commissioners will have power
to make a subscription that will be legally bind
ing upon the town
The true significance Of this vote by our citi-
zens will not be understood by those who are not
familiar with the debate that led to it, and we
will therefore attempt briefly to state the leading
views At the first meeting, three routes were
advocated first, the Montpelier q St. Johnsbury
line, running to both st. Johnsbury and Wells
hlN'f' u9 ,l7 quarter P'o''ueS' sV''"'' ''.' '''
pclicr & Wells River, which covers precisely the
same ground as the first named. except that it
does not extend from Marshfcld through West
pan'ie TO ~ 'onnsou'y anu ''',,'' 'c 'oo''
from Montpelier via Barre, Orange, Washington,
West ropsham and South Ryerte 20 Wells Ry-
er Thus the friends Of each agreed that Wells
NiVeI 'lliago is ''ic u's' 'o'U'"'
g. tt,t,,o.t. r. M.rtu.1tev we'll uf the
Tor The interests oil Mohlpeler' "S we" "' W '''
railroad ON e'''er Hhe' ''l 'ue '''''''
Vs''nefe r'l''o'o connection W." W. ''''' "''"
"a" "iiro'"S l1 t1e ".'.N W ''' '''
nor" a'u 9'u'n' anu WV" .'7'''" ''''
10 ooth b'7'oh "nu ior''"u'
Inc se'ohu meeting was give" wy '''''''' 'N'''-
ci'ey to the friends oil the Barre route VINO were
present IN strong lorce nom most ol Tue 'o"' ou
that me ana they presented 'ne pouge survey o'
the line from Montpelier % tue summit III orange
ana statement as To tne rest ul lne route VIA
lopsham ana hyesate ny MT McDuiUe' canning
that road may oe constructor WIN moAllnuul
grade not much exceeding seventy leel lo 'ue
mile, ana distance oil from lorty-tWo 10 l'riy-
five miles from Montpelier TO wells hiVcr' AlIer
these statements >. A. wing gave the maximum
grade OF the Mar'hfeld route by the survey as
being only iity feet to the mile and the distance
from Montpelier via Marshhed TO wells River at
thiry-eight miles and fraction. The friends OF
the Barre route then claimed decided advantage
for that route In population, grand list, and pres
ent and prospective business, and confidently al
brned that with their means and the united and
enthusiastic hNor oil their people ior TINS line
and the corporation oil Montpelier, thus line can
be constructed and will be paying road. Al
: this meeting also proposition, privately made
] to two citizens of Montpelier by the President oil
, the Boston Concord and Montreal railroad was
| reported, to wit thatthe road from Montpelier e
Wells River (yin Marshheld) will cost about hi-
teen hundred thousand dollars that Vermont
should raise one-thrd OF that amount and ~
; that case the Il. Z. NJ. X. k.Co. will guaranty
% the remaining million provided that the Pussump
sic H. H. Co. will share the burden with them.
The third meeting opened with a strong speech
by Judge Richardson for subscribing under the
Montpelier x Wells River charter first, oecaus'
+ the line is shorter and the grades less than on tin
, Barre route second, because Wells River is su
perlor as an objective point 70 st. JOhnsbury
third because even If a road to Wells River cal
be secured under the Montpelier * IT. j. charter
it will be only a branch to line controlled b.
81. Johnsbury, and Will not serve the Interests
either OF Montpelier or OF the connecting roadi
eastward OF Wells River TO Boston and Portland
and fourth, in answer to the objection that the
enabling act does not permit Montpelier to sub
scribe as much under the Wells River as the St
j. charter, he suggested that the Legislature at
the present session will remove the objection.
! Mr. ferrin followed IN an obleargument, showing
the great Importance to Montpelier OF a direct
railroad connection with Northern Vermont lined
On its eastern and western sections as it now is
by railroads and crossed as it soon will be with
tgo roads lntersectng the existing Connecticut
hNer ana Lake roads. For TINS purpose alone,
9 the st. Johnsbury line deserves the favor of
Montpelier but in fact the st. Johnsbury line
Will also accomplish all that * claimed for the
e "ells RIVER route because by IT'S charter 1t has
the night to connect, and 1t will connect with the
iasSumpslc and New Hampshire roads at Wells
Il.