Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-01-20
49, coa..,. - q.
sros.nA,.. Jaa, rs. 1870.

of the citizens of ShoTehaJh. Ii was our
good fortune to accept, with two others OF
toe party, the courtesy Of MIR. German
Cutting, the well-known sheep dealer.
After ride OF sorse three miles we ar
riysd at bis finely located farmhouse,
midway between Whiting and Shore
ham, affording from its eligible site,
sesatilui and extensive view Of the sur
rounding coantry, taking il the noun
tsins on the east, and the lake and Adiron-
dack range on the west, with the rich IN
terysutua valleys lying between these
points, Ia summer this point of obser-
vation must be one Of the richest in
western Vermont.
On Thursday morning we proceededssn
the midst of driving storm, to attend
the railroad meeting at Shoreham village,
to which we had been invited by the peo-
pie of that town, who are eager to put
themselves in the line of railway COM
munication. On our arrival we found q
large gathering of the leading and sub.
Z stantial citizens, who had come out not
withsSnding the severity of the storm,
svincing deep interest in the project.
The meeting was organized by the ap.
pointment of Ira Bascom Chairman, and
Col. Charles Hunsden Secretary.
Gov. Page was the first speaker. The
following is meagre sketch of his ear.
nest aud practical speech He came tc
gpresent to the people of Shoreham a pro
jected line OF railway across Addison
county, connecting the Rutland Railroad
with the Pittsburgh and Montreal line
He desired to have the people look at the
subject iiaa candid manner, and in such a
spirit as would secure its construction
i No town upon the line was so much in.
terested as Shoreham. He was aware
that good deal of prejudice existed in
the public mind that a railroad could not
be built without a great loss to the origi-
Y nal stock and bSndholders. The history
\ of the Rutland and Burlington rad, with
which they were md4e or lesso familiar,
had, perhapp helped to strengthen this
prejudice but there were causes for ii
which were not Legitimate to it, if it had
always been managed in the interest OF
the stockholders; but it had not, and he
q wonR give brief sketch of its history
\ aud operations. That road was built in
1S47 and 1s4S, After its opening its
business was conaantly increasing to
1858, and from ls53oto 1854 its gross
earnings were from $25O,OOO to $450,0OO.
10 the great monetary pressure of 1854 it
became necessary for the road to make
an ASST snmsnt, and the road passed into
the hands of the. trustees of the second
mortgage bonds. 1.-TWO of these trustees
were the President end Superintendent OF
the Cheshire Railroad, wlo run the road
from 1854 to 1868. They looked al
naoat eolely to the interests of their
Y immediate corporation. the Cheshire road
and while other competing roads tribu-
tary to the Cheshire were allowed special
advantages, the Rutland was made sim
I ply local road. It's gross earnings I'M
der this 91ate of things was reduced again
to about $350,000 It's rolling stock was
allowed to deEoeciate, and no new stock
was put on the road to replace that which
+ was rendeSa worthless by the natural
4 course of the wear and tear of such prop
erty so that everything had been allowed
virtually to go to waste. In 1863 two of
the managers deceased and the courts
appointed trustees who have endeaVored
to9tnansge the road in the interests of the
tondhoIders and develop ivs natural
business, whah has b@n steadily increas!
Ny, until now its full rolling stock Ia en-
ployed. New operating materials have
been constantly added and at present it
compares favorably with any New Eng
land railway in all its appurtenances.
From 1853 it's earnings have been inereas.
ing from year to year, until last year they
reached $874,000 New rolling stock has
been added. 1t has all the business it can
do. 1t 10 now in position SO that it will
earn good interest upon its. cost. He
-4ada tniq ataEeraenl tnet taa people eight
zee under what embarrassments il had
4 labored in its earlier years, and the causes
which had led to some of its misfortunes,
as well as to show what the road was
and can do under management that
operates ii in its own interest and
looked after its increasing business The
road in seeking outlets and legitimate
channels that naturally belong to its line,
bad leased the Plattsburgh and Montreal
Railroad, making communication with
Gdgenspurg and Montreal, -also were
running the PlattsbErgh and Whitehall
road from Pittsburgh tSthe Point of
Rocks on the Ausable River. A steam
ferry was maintained between Burlington
and Plattsburgh, but was inadequate to
its rapidly increasing business, and hav-
ing these communications, it was desira-
BILE to have more feasible crossing of the
lake by bridge. This purpose could be
fully accomplished by the building of this
proposed link across the county of Addi-
son, which would not only afford the
people along it's line railroad facilities,
but would place them on aoeading trunk
line.
He then pointed out the several surveys
and routes upon the maps and profles
showing their general directions cost,
&C., substantially as reported in the pro-
ceedings of the meeting at Whiting, and
Is not necessary to be recapitulated at
n this point.
vi The State otsVermont, by the charter
ssof the Addison County Railroad, permits
fhs corporation to go to the west line of
addison county, which takes them to the
3 middle of the Jake channel, which, on ac-
lfRount of the shallow water, allows of
ooking out and the use Of draw bridge
such as has been ussd at Rouse's Point
\ Tor twenty years. New York has granted
to the Whitehall and Piattsburgh Rail.
r. Il