Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-01-06
From the Springfield Republican,
The Rutland Railroad.
IT'S DESIGNS FOR THE SUMMER CAM
PAIGN.

| The Rutland Railroad, hich for va
rious good reasons is the real fighting op-
ponent of Connecticut valley oonsolida-
ton, is run by ex-Gov. John B. Page,
faithfully seconded and supported by Su-
perintendent George A. Merrill. They
have tripled the business of the road since
taking control in 1868, and have improved
its condition and equipment, and paid
dividends on its preferred stock. They
now control and operate 211 miles of rail
and steamboat lines, as follows: From
Brattleboro to Plattsburg, n. Y, 1877
miles, crossing Lake Champlain on the
steamer Cakes Ames, and from the An
Sable river, 90 miles south of Pittsburgh,
to the Canada line, Al miles. When the
contract with the Vermont Central, re-
specting the division of New York and
Boston business was abrogated, the Rut-
| land road at once entered into sharp COM
petition for the east and west traffic, and
has maintained it ever since. Last fall
they took $4,000 barrels of apples to Bos-
| ton, great proportion of which came
from beyond Ogdensburg, and all of
which would have gone over the Central
had the contract been in force.
The profit and success which have been
| developed from this contest have stimu-
| lated the rivalry, and its strength is now
the greatest obstacle to consolidation in
the valley. The Rutland road proposes,
however, to force the fighting, next sea-
son, into still closer quarters; and, not
content with an independent land and
water route to Montreal, around the Gem
trail, is now actively prosecuting the con-
situation of an all-rail line for the whole
! Instance. "A OiIC L. ~ fhruslc lhG
Connecticut river under the ribs by
| threatening d new route to New York,
which shall completely circumvent it and
compel it TO cry quits on the Western
New Hampshire game. Altogether the
scene of the valley next summer is likely to
be a very lively one, and If half the
railroads are built that are talked of,
Mr.. Koopmanschaup will be sure of a
driving business. First, the Rut-
land road will complete an all-rail line
from Boston to Montreal, by building
from Whiting w.t. twelve miles to Lake
Champlaiu, crossing the lake OH a bridge
| 800 feet long, to Crown Point, or per-
haps higher up, to Ticonderoga, and there
! building up the west side of the lake II
miles to meet the Pittsburgh and White
hall road, now running 20 miles south of
Pittsburgh, and operated by the Rutland
company. Thence northward in an indie
pendent line by way of Mooers' Junction
to Montreal, commanding also all the
| OgdeDsburg and Lake Ontario freights.
| The distance from Montreal to Boston by
the projected new all-rail route is % miles
less than the Vermont Central line by
way of Bellows Falls, and has decided
advantages III the matter of grades for
| freight TRANSFORMATIONS There is but lit
tie doubt that the road will be built !;
surveyors are already completing their
work, and the funds are provided for.
Then to punish the Connecticut River
for infringing out of its Legitimate field,
the Rutland road is giving moral support
and the promise of something better to
the proposed Amherst Branch railroad
from Northampton to Amherst. By the
construction of this seven miles of road
the Rutland would send its cars to North
ampton by way of the New London
Northern from Brattleboro; the distance
being only one mile greater; and thence
to New Y ork the Canal road offers direct
and willing connection. The mutual re-
gard which the officers of the Connecticut
River and Canal roads have long cherished
for each other would not be likely to pre-
vent the latter from extending all possible
advantages to the Rutland road, and re-
ceiving as much business as it brought to
this line. The Canal would have the
transportation of the Rutland freight and
passengers for New York over it's entire
distance, and the temptation is too strong
to be disregarded for nero friendships
sake toward the Connecticut River copo-
ration.