St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-02-03

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with no expectation Of any return and
without the advantages of the road.
1t is expected by those who have had
the most experience in such matters, and
whose means Of judgment are most
abundant, that if this line can be COM
pIetcd so us to furnish communication
from the great grain region Of the West
to the coast, by direct line, like the one
projected, that the original stock cannot
fail TO be OF value. But if the road shall
stop at st. .Johnsbury and extend no
farther eastward, no one supposes that
the stock on the western end will be
worth groat. /. is idle TO suppose
that any corporation will step IN and
supply the deficiency by further subscrIp-
ton. The Scale Company have sub
scribcd literally for the construction OF
the eastern end Of the road. They can
not be expected 10 do more They have
the same general interest with the public
at lar"c in the completion of the entire
road Bat we must rcmcmb'r that Their
business interests are secured by the con-
struclion Of the road from this point
westward.
The question with the land hol!crs l.,
N Il. 20 It
accident Of owning land through which
the road is TO pass, you have il in your
power to delay and perhaps 10 defeat the
enterprise. Two interests appeal (" You
here: the public an,! private. Every
man owes something to the public wei
fare. Bat We need not discuss this point
for we know the men of this commit
niiy too well not to feel sure that they
will recognize llri;' obligation I" the pub
lie. How is it with reference Ia your
private interest Every one OF Won will
say, Il don't want 10 take advantA@" "i
circumstances to make anythiu" cut "t
the public" for we must remember the
road is the public. '-.All | ask is 10 he
made whole" Considering TIL matter,
simply in relation 10 your private inter
est, this is fair. In this view, what Is
the true basis for damages? l. it thu
difference between the valve OF your land
with the railroad constructed, but not
passing over your land, AMI th,ir value
with the i0ad constructed a. now Local
ted J. it not rather the difference lc-
tween the value of your land with the
road constructed rs now located AMI the
value Of your land without any road
Tie very moment it becomes evident
that ST Johnsbury will be Il terminus of
the road. the value II real estate Will be-
Gin TO diminish, and will continue To Iii
miniSh till it will reach 4 point below
our expectations. And this because II
will then be apparent that the increase OF
valuation along tie whole line already
realized. but which is based upon the eX-
pectation of a throu.h Inc, i purely
Fictitious. And with reference to the
real estate i'll ~. Johmsbury, that Is sub
ject to taxation to pay the interest on
the subscription of the town for stock ii
the road extending westward, there will
be much larger depreciation, ior it vii
ultimately be holden to pay lis pro rat,
; shalc,-i. (. pro RITZ with the persona
; property in the list-of the entire sub
scription.
by what course of action will YOU
: own private interests then. best be sub
r served The directors of the Essex CUun
ty Il. II. have, after due elaboration, de
cidcd that they cannot push the construc
: ton of this road unless some arrangement
| can be made with the land owners. Par
ties are ready and waiting to take III,
contract to construct the road ten mile
eastward from St ,IohnSbuIy, and th'
= directors are ready to award the conrac
to tlos, who will begin Immediately Il
build the bridge over the rassnmpsic riv
c. before the ice gJcs out, If they can 81
.hcir way clear TO arrange i'll some prac
otherwise the project viii he abandonc,
for the present, and perhaps forever.
) We say therefore, that with rcicrcnc,
TO the interests Of the Essex County K
r., the present is the critical moment
Portland Is; all alive in this matter. Tho
road is being push ii with yignr from that
point westward. Ii We are not ready i'
meet them, they will not delay but will
make connection with some other point
than St .Johnsbury. Now is the tim,
for action. We understand the directors
will 20 on with the work ii the land own
crs will take the amount Of damages claim,
ell or awarded in the stock of the road,
thus leaving them sufficient capital to in
sure tile construction Of the road when
once begun.
The statements we have made as TO
the purpose OF the directors have not been
made without positive knowledge and ac-
curate information. We should suggest
in this crisis that those claimants for
damages, who feel an interest in the con,
struction of the road shonld take mca-