The Portland daily press., 1870-01-08
Ogdensburg vs.. Rutland, Once More
To the Editor of the Press.

To the Editor Of the Fress:
An article in the Press of Dec 9th, signed
"P. which by Interpretation means 'Poor,
in reply to my article upon the Portland and
OgdensburS and the Portland and Rutland
railroads. has remained unanswered until this
time because my time has been so fully occu-
pied; and even now would not occupy space
in your paper to reply, were it not for the base
Misrepresentation it contains, which are cal
cu'ated to mislead people who are not ac-
qnainted with the facts in the case. He says,
"Of the character of the limo and probable
cost from Fryeburg to Swanton the public are
kept in profound ignorance" and that "au ell
ovation of 1900 feet must be overcome in PASS
ing the White Mountain Notch" aud also
from the Connecticut River over Moose Noun
tain to ST.. )ohnsbury" with an expensive
line between the head waters of the LImoille
and the Vermont Central railroad at Swan
ton" Now the White Mountain Notch is
some 20 miles from Portland, and the llue is
on an up grade all the way. This would give
US 4 grade of less than 30 feet to the mile, SO
here is no barrier; and what your correspond
ent "P." could have coDiured up into The
shape of ''Moose Mountain" / can't conceive,
unless it may be the patry heap Of gold be
may expect to receive from Boston and Mon
treal, provided he shall succeed to "head off
the Portland and OgdensDurg railroad, Tor
there is no such mountain known to the peo-
pie of Vermont, at any rate on the line OF the
Portland and Ogden. burg railroad.
The line of the road from the head waters of
the Lamoile to Swanton has nearly all of it
been located and the larger portion of it is un-
der contract.
The Lamoille Newsdealer says of this con-
tract: I'm view OF what has been said OF the
expensive line the figures at which the con-
tract is taken by responsible parties are truly
laughable.' Any one at all acquainted with
the route knows that through Vermont the
line is OF a very easy grade, going East not ex
ceeding 65 feet, aud only eight miles whore
the grade exceeds go, much OF it not over So
to 40 feet
Mr.. Poor says that 'the line passes through
the most desolate portions of New Eogland
where there can never be any way business"
If this is so, why this opposition 10 the Port
laud 81 Ogdensburg road from the PassumpSic,
Vermont Central, and Rutland and Burlington
roads. 1t there is nothing here for them to
lose, why should they be in such "hubbub?'
Why has the Vermont Central reduced the
freight tariff from 50 to 81 a ton from Bos-
ton since the Portland q Ogde nsburg road
has been in agitation? AT the first, Montpe-
ler and the Vermont Central folks didn't be-
lieve it would 90, even when it was proposed
to go through Montpelier, and form junction
with the Vermont Cent? al there, and her cap
italists after mature deberation, refused to aid
twas bound to go through the Lamoille Val
ley instead of Montpelier, they found they had
been caught mapping. and they sent com-
mttee OF their substantial men TO st. Johns
berry to demand the reopenIng of the stock
books that they might subscribe stock and
build the road 10 Montpelier as was first con-
templated, but they were told that the books
had stood open for two full years and that they
had utterly refused to aid the road, and now
it was too late, and now they are driving with
all their might to get road from Montpelier
to Wells river, Vermont.
Then the Rutland iolks have their project
from White River Junction, via Wood,tock
and Rutland to Oswego, and st. AlbaDs have
theiis thence via Mississquoi Valley, Newport
and Island Pond, and still another project, of
a road from Island Pond to Montreal, and all
started since the Portland & Ogdensburg ioad
was projected. Now if There ls to be no
through way business for Boston to lose
(for the backbone OF this opposition is in Bos-
ton) why all this writhing OF the wounded
game? "P.' says that the Portland and
Ogdensburg road was got up in opposition to
and striking at other roads, as though the peo-
| pie of Northern Vermont had No right to look
after their own interest but must submit to
| the extortions of the Vermont Central and
| effort for their own protection.
One word about the Woodstock and Rut.
| land road and will weary you no more. Ii
| your issue OF Dec. 81 the compositor made me
say there was no possible route from Wood
| stock across the Green Mountains to Rutland
| In the manuscript used the word feasible. y
| 'P' complains because 1 said that Rutland
| had refused to aid the Woodstock and Rut
| land road by large majority. 1t he will turn
| to the enabling act he will see that to aid in
| the building OF the road by the Town they mus
| first get a vote i'll open town meeting called
| for the purpose, to aid, and elect commission
ers and fix the amount and they shall prepar
| books in which Taxpayers may enter tbei
names with the amount of their grand list ant
| a majority of the Taxpayers in number an'
| amount of the grand list shall TINS sign betor
| the same shall be binding upon the town, pro
| vided The majority shall be obtained within s
| months after the first signature is obtained "P
| virtually admits this has not been done.
Now we have no objection to their buildin
| the Portland and Rutland road but we do oil
ject to their falsiiyng the facts in regard |
| our route, and we do insist that it is our delit
| crate opinion that the Portland and Rutlan
| road would never have been projected had
| not been for the Portland and Ogdensbur
| road. l hope that some one acquainted wit
the facts in regard to the Ogdensburg
| Champlain road will give us some light o
matters that "P" writes about it, We th uk hi
| statements are basely false.
The ground has been broken on our road a
st. JOhnsbury and Swanton, and the heav.
work Is progressing, and gang of men will
be put upon the liDe in Hardwick in few
days, as well as at other points on the route
The locating survey from Haidwick 10 Cam
bridge is progressing. Engineer Sigourney
slipped from a log with his transit in his hand
the other day and seriously injured the intru
ment and the surveying party have been de
layed until it could be repaired. b.