The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-02-15

rises soon it may be, like star in the
West, shining clearer and brighter for the
transition to new and more favorable
sphere. Therefore If you have any well
educated and good young men, whose ser.
vices and influence the West may reason
ably claim, do not detain them, but "loose
them and let them CO."
Yours truly
j. Anderson.
Note, Ssnce wrote you last, Mr.. Fred
eric Coe, brother Of the former pastor at
Middlebury, has departed this life. The
old gentleman and one daughter are all,
l believe, that now survive.
Addison County Railroad.
''Who first did prompt me to inquire,
Did lend me counsel and lent him eyes"
Shakespeare.
Opportunity once lost may never re-
turn, but being improved as occasion de-
mands, it repeats itself. Sometimes cir
cumstances combine, without special
predetermination, to give prominence to
q particular location, and those concurrinp
circumstances invite business to that place.
Instance, Groton Junction, in Massachu-
sets, where several railroads happened to
meet. A business centre being thus form
ed, as if by accident, of necessity little
village has been created there. But it
has no natural advantages, and an extern
sive business can never be located there.
Had it so happened that all those ad.
vantages, such as they are, had been Civ
en- to some location where nature had
formed business centre, the concentra-
ted forces would be doubled. When such
forces already exist, and earnestly crave
the attention of community to give them
direction and location, it is certainly the
part of wisdom to blend all the interests
that can promote the common veal That
the Addison County Rail Road is to be
built, is presumed to be past debate, but
who is to give it direction, raise the
means, and reap the chief benefits, re-
mains to be seen. Surprising it to cross
the lake at any point between Port Hen
ry and Ticonderoga, and its eastern ter
minus to be fixed at Salisbury or Whit
ing, little more business will undoubted-
ly centre at the terminus. But neither OF
those locations can offer any special adj
vantage to the road when built, and the
advantage the road can give to either of
those towns or the towns through which
it will pass, will be next to nothing.
To secure the greatest concurring in
terests, it must terminate either at Mid
dlebury or Brandon. Brandon has a
good water power, and the trades and
manufactures are there already estab-
lished, all of which would be largely pro-
NOTED should that be the terminus of the
road. BY securing an open route for
travel and merchandise to all northern
New York, Canada, and the West, a bus
mess interest would be secured to Bran
don and the adjacent towns worth more
than half million of money. And of
course the interests of the State would
be correspondingly promoted. A market
would be established there whose recipro-
cal interest would be largely felt in all
the towns on the line of the road, as well
as in the adjacent towns.
But Middlebury has interests, both To-
cal and reciprocal, many times greater
than Brandon and all the other towns
united, where the road can terminate. Let
US examine them.
LIST. The advantages offered to bust
ness by the facilities of water power are,
without controversy, incomparatiyely SUI.
perior to those in Brandon This fact is
SO evident that | should be surprised to
know that any competent person had
judged it worthy to raise doubt thereon
End. Middlebury is the shire town of
the County, and all the County buildings
and Offices are there located, and there is
no town in the County where access to
the County Courts, offices. and public
buildings, by railroad or otherwise, is
equally feasible. In other counties in
the State, the lines of public travel have,
in the progress of events, become so
changed that the public interests have
clearly demanded that the public buildings
should be removed to other places. From
Danville, the public buildings have been
already removed to st. Johnsbury. In
Windham County, Orange County, and
Orleans County, the same necessity seems
to be felt, and sooner or later the changes
demanded may occur. But in Addison
County such change can never take
place. 1t is readily conceded that the
terminus of the contemplated Rail Road
being fixed at Middlebury, would greatly
facilitate public travel from all the towns
in the western part of the County.
3rd. The College interests demand
that the terminus of this road shall be
fixed here. How provoking it is for per-
sons at a distance, wishing to pass to and
from the college, to be obliged to 90 a
great distance round, or to be perplexed
with the change of cars and all the atten-
dant delays. The contemplated Rail
Road being brought to this place obviates
at once all this trouble.
In connection with this matter of the
college interest is another matter ofprime
importance to the state which ought not
to be forgotten, viz. to provide pleasant
homes for men of leisure. 1t is a calamity
to the state that so few men of this class
are disposed to reside among us. The
civil interests demand that men Of ability
and ripe scholarship, who are retired from
the learned professions or who wish to de-
vote themselves to the vocations of gem
eral literature, should be indnced to make
their abode with us.
Connected with the college there are
extensive and valuable libraries, to which
such persons naturally seek access At
all events, they will not remain where
there are no books. And there is no
other town, but Burlington, in the state,
where SO extensive libraries can be con-
suited. This is not the place to show the
great benefits ofsuch persons to the State,
could thew be induced to remain here