Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-01-20

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Rensselaer, and Saratoga and its stock
holders received their annual rental Ihel
people could now see for themselves the
effect and value of the proposition made
TO them. The question then to be consid-
cred was what can the town Of Shoreham
afford to do2 We look to her for the
largest contribution, for she is most in in
terest. There was not farm in the
township that would not increase in valne
sufficient to pay thousand dollars. You
have water power to be improved, mine
raj deposits, such as hydraulic cement,
quarries of black marble which were sue
cessfully operated twenty years ago, and
transported to Middlebury by oxen. This
species of marble is sought and is valued
highly for tiling. All these hidden re-
sources would be developed and make
business for the community and the rail-
road. The building of this road will in
crease the sale of all kinds of products
which are now of comparatively little
value compared with what they would be
near railroad. Hay now sells here at
So per ton, while on the line of railroad,
ten miles away, it is sold at $19 per ton.
The effect of railways upon communities
was illustrated by the increase of the pro-
duct on potatoes along the line of the Rut-
land and Washington Railroad at Hebron,
Salem, Granville and Pawlet, which has
within few years made the farmers of
that section rich. Two hundred and fifty
car loads have been carried over the Rut-
land and Washington and Rutland Rail-
roads the past fall. The development of
the slate interest at Fair Haven, Poult-
ney, Castleton and Granville were sketehed
as illustrative of this point. The open
ing of home markets was special point
that should be considered by the inhabit-
ants of agricultural communities. Such
markets would be available at Port Henry
and Rutland, besides the early transit of
product to the city markets. A COMPARE
son was made of the grand list of the
towns in Vermont without railroad facili-
ties and those on the line. Shoreham
has fallen behind in population and made
hardly peroeptible increase in grand
list. In 1916 its list was 5000; in 1868
it was S6,974-a small increase for so rich
an agricultural town. Pittsfo0i, purely
agricultural town, on the Rutland rail-
road, very similar in its soil and produc-
tons and surroundings to this, in 1915,
had grand list of $4,000 and in 1868,
SIC, 1855, showing an increase of over three
hundred thousand dollars, which is at
tributabl entirely to its faoilitiea of trans
portatiop. Shoreham has az good farms
as any town in Vermont, but farmers wish
ing to purchase do not want to buy farms
off the line of railroads Invariably
towns situated away from railroads, have
decreased in population and business,
while those on lines have universally in
creased. This is sufficiently illustrated
by a few leading examples. The grand
list of the town of Addison in 1845 was
$5544; in 1868, $5758. Goshen and
Panton have lost While Orwell in 1915
had list of $4,000, in 1868 it had bat
$1,000, having lost 100000 of it's assessed
valuation. The towns away from the
railroad in Windham county have held
either just their own or lost, like Mar
boro. Halifax, Wilmington and Newfane.
TIE town of Ferrisburgh has increased
from $4,000, to $1,000; Manchester from
$4,000 to $7400; Colchester from $4100 to
$1,000; Concord has more than doubled
its valuation; Lyndon fromo $4,000 to
$1,000; Newbury from $1,000 to $4,000 :;
Brandon from $1,000 in 1916 to $4,000
in 1869; Castleton from $1,000 to $4,000.
Active and wealthy business men have re-
moved from eho2ehaur TO towns on the
lines Of railroad, with their property, for
convenience and investment. This does
not take place in towns Accommodated by
railway facilities. The influences were
more apparent in some of the larger towns
of the State, like st. Johnsbury, which in
1916 had grand list OF $4,000 and has
increased to $4,000. Rutland in 1916
had grand list of $11,e00 and in 1869
has $40, 409 almost a three-fold increase.
The plan of bonding under the law
was explained. Tt was in realty, il this
cage, onS naming the credit of the town
on a guaranty. While the towns of
Shoreham and Bridport are considering
what they will do, Brandon is moving to
go further south by way of Orwell. Mid
dlebury is also moving to have the termi-
nation further north, one Of its citizens
pledging to seoure.$75, 900 if that should
he made the terminal point. The town
of Shoreham could bond under the law
fer about 100000 dollars, and individual
subscriptions shoEl9 maize the amount up
to 100000. This was the plain and
candid presentation of the case, and the
citizens should take action at once for
such an opportunity. In conclusion, Mr..
Page urged the people to united and vigi-
liant action, to secure the benefits of this
great through line. He spoke for over an
hous in clear and comprehensive man
ner, engaging the fixed attention Of his
large audience. Our report does but
meager justice to the calm, solid and for
chile staement of facts and arguments
advanced by the speaker, and it would be
impossible in our limited space, of giving
it entire, or we would gladly present it
ver5atin, before our readers. 1t was one
of the most comprehensive arguments,
sustained by facts and statistics, it has
ever been our fortune to listen to.
Col. George A. Merrill was next called
out to address the meeting. He re-
marked that Governor Page had given
full and intelligent survey of the whole
subject, leaving but little for those who
followed him to say. The question was
sifted down to one of transportation.
What will it cost to get our products to
market and realize the most available
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