Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-09
RUTLAND, VT, March A

From Special CORRESPONDENT
RUTLAND, VT, March A.
Although the recent consolidation has
robhsd Rutland of something's Of its i'm
portaucs as n ,ilroad oenter,it is still one
of the h 81 places at which to begin an ex-
animation OF the schemes and combination
that sff-ot the north western route from
Boston. IT, continues the headquarters of
the r,-vernl roads recently leased by the
Rutland k4ilroad, aud which together
cnmpore what ia now distinguished as the
Rutl4nd diVi-ion of the Vermont Central
line. 1t IL the junction of three import
aut lines, vig the Rutland. the Rennssel-
ser and Saratoga, and the III ,rlem Exten-
siUu. II il the point from which radiate
several new proj-ots of more or less sig
uifo, moo. And it is*he centre of rich
and productive f4rmipg district. which
contributes largely to the neighborIng
cities. These several topics will all de
mand consideration, but first let me say q
few words about the state of affairs here
under the new rule,
Colonel George A. Merrill, late general
gu eriutendent Of the Rutland Company.
rem ins I'm charge of the same line, but, OF
Q ur+e, II eubordinatiou to the general
flee If the Vermont Central at St.Albans
He will have associated with him and I'M
der hun no more men than are necessary
for this ordinary management of trains
and Of the business of the station. All the
general odioee, freight, tickets, etc, will
Do tytnet.rred TO st. Aibane, and consoli-
dated with the departments there. Some
Of these changes have already been made,
others will follow az speedily as is practic-
able. Mr.. Samuel Williams, former
citizsn of tbs village, but for several
years treasurer of the Vermont Central at
St. Aibana. returns to assume charge oil
the ananoial a, irs of the latter at this
point Ex-Governor Page, president OF
the Rutland Company, will keep an Office
here, and il is to be presumed that the
lessees, in the administration of their
large interests, will frequently avail
themselves of his experience and sagacity.
No essential change has been made in the
arrangement of trains, and none will be
made till the spring freshets are over.
The managers of the combined lines are
hard at work perfecting the summer ar
engagements, but if any details have been
agreed on they have not yet transpired.
The effect which the consolidation will
have on the connecting roads at this poirt
il a subject of active speculation, but as
yet of speculation only. The data from
which one must proceed can be made
clear in few words. The Harlem Ex-
tension and the Rensselaer, and Saratoga
railroads are rival lines, and are both,
though TO Less extent, rivals of the Rut-
land, with which they connect at this
point. The former runs from Rutland to
Chatham Four Corners, n. Y, There con-
Meeting with the Boston and Albany and
Harlem proper, forming with the latter a
through New York line. 1t has lately
been operated under lease to Commodore
Vanderbilt, but has proved a great fail
ure, and it Ia alleged that the gross earn
ing- OF the line have not been sufficient to
pay the interest on it's bonds. The Rens-
aelaer and Saratoga, on the other hand, is
a strong and prosperous company. 1t con.
trols two lines to Troy, diverging at Cas-
Teton, one going by way of Eagle Bridge
and the other by the way of Whitehall
and Saratoga. Branches from the latter
line run to Albany and to Schenectady.
This company is also understood to have
largo interest in the Troy and Boston
Railroad, which runs from Troy to North
Adams and TO the western mouth of the
Hoosao Tunnel. Common report gives
Commodore Vanderbilt a large and even
controlling portion Of stock in the Rens-
selaer and Saratoga as we'll az in the Har-
lem Extension. have called these two
rival, and so they are. Yet in virtue Of
their common ownership and their COM
mon tendency, they may, for the purposes
IF the comparison here undertaken, be
treated 81 one line
We are now in a position to ses the
points Of the competition between this
interest and the Rutland interest, and the
sRnifioanoe of that competition for Bos-
ton. The strife was not so much between
two rival lines as between rival cities, OF
h-f&ten opposing tendencies OF freight
traffic. The Rutland Railroad il essenti
auy Boston hue. 1t sends d large through
business south, 10th from this point to
The v lev of the Hudson, and from Bel.
lows Falls down the valley of the Connec-
ncu'. But the great bulk OF its through
freight fiu6s u market at Boston. A large
portion ST its capital is owned in Boston,
aud Boston has strong representation in
its direction. On the other hand, the
roads which 1t meets at this point are
operated In the interest of Troy, ALBANY
aud New York. II is their object to di
vert BUSINESS from Boston to the cities on
the Hud-"n. Concerning the Saratoga
road II shon'd he Raid thai it forms part
Of IN important through liue from Boston
westward, connecting with the New York
Central ut Schenectady. But. so far ar
all freight, especially lumber, iron, grain
and produce coming from the north i. af.
fecttd, the interest of these southern roads
IL d, cidedly sdverse 10 Boston and the
Eis'. LIZ
Now when the Rutland Railroad
reached point ut which its transfer to
some other concern was nearly inevitable,
the struggle for the prize was between
the Vermont Central end the interest
which have been describing. What
sort of advances the latter actually made
nas never transl ired. Bur it is very well
understood that the Ru,land was not
pssstd over to the Vermont Central ss a
hard necessity, but as choice of deposito.
rice. This f7ct may soceunt for the liner.
al rent paid by the lessees,---a rent which
surptises and pleases none more than the
stockholders of the Rutland Tits stated
Il know not on whit authority.-that
q the Rensselaer, and Saratoga people stand
ready to take the lease off the hands Of
the Vermont Central at any time. The
preoeeoing observations must make IL
clear that snch an event would be mis-
fortune to Boston. The Vermont Central
Il, even more closely than the Rutland.
Identified with your city and her pros.
perity. A competent Judge said to me
that IL would be- better for Boston to paw
the rent of the Rutland than to suffer It
to pass into the hands of New York cor.
Poration. This is the expression Of an in.
dividuai estimate, however, and in a case
where all estimates must be of the most
general character, and where none admits
Of veriAoation. - - :
A new irsne which has recently been
sprung on railroad Parties in this vicintv
l. that over an attempt to repeal the char.
ter OF what ia known as the "Champlair
FerrY." a little hietnrr and s,oo.r...l-]