The Portland daily press., 1871-10-09
DAILY PRESS.
ND.
MONDAY. OCTOBER 8, 1871.


| - - AA<A1ND.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1871.
| Portland and No. thera Vermont
To the Editor of the Press.
Your correspondent has furnished in his
series OF letters the results of two months
exploration OF the tributary country of the
vermont section OF the P. & o. R. r. he has
visited nearly all the towns mentioned, and
mas obtained the cooperation OF their most Ie-
spohslble citizens, town officers and others, in
the task OF securing reliable and full informa-
tlon. The facts arrived at 60 to show that
a railroad into northern Vermont will secure
to Portland large trade in merchandise aud
an important business in handling agriculur-
al and manufacturing products. This, be it
observed, is in addition to the through busi-
ness from the 100000 square miles OF wheat,
corn, pork, beef, lard and produce country
bordering tie Great Lakes, the measure Cf
~hich, In any contingency, must be very
large. This Vermont business, be it further
observed, will be realized Immediately upon
the completion of the railroad. 1t will be
permanent. 1t will be free from fluctuatior
from yea" to year. 1t will be a safe business.
1t is not the fashion of the Vermont trader to
''burst up" and settle at twenty. five cents on
the dollar. 1t issuch businesses Portland can
command from no other region under heaven.
So far as regards new trade for Portland at
all proportioned 10 this in bulk aud value, the
election is not betwixt this and something
else, but betwixt this and nothing.
| POPULATION.
In the towns mentioned in my former let
tiers as certain to contribute wholly or in large
part to the business of Portland, we find an
aggregate population of 104,012, including
that on the Passumpsic r. R., above st.
Johnsbury, or $4,000 without it. 1t Portland
| merchants and forwarders fail to secure the
lions share of the business of this population
| 1t will be their o0n fault. Almost the entire
| body OF property along the line is bonded TO
| larger or smaller amount for the read. Every
| consideration OF interest will direct the main
current OF business over the road. These
people are good livers. They dwell in we'll
furnished houses. They dress well. On Sun
day the whole population turn out for church
in broadcloth and silk, or their equivalents.
As small but significant indication, MOTTO
ep large stocks of rich fancy goods at numer-
GUS points, and $5. per yard dress goods in
the country stores. These articles are not
kept where they are not sold.
WEALTH.
In the same area of country the realized
wealth estimated on the basis of the taxable
valuation. cannot be placed below 500, 100000.
Estimated as the property actually sells, tie
aggregate would be nearer $75OOO,OOO. I'm
der the operation of dairy farming the lands
are constantly growing richer. The great
| droves OF cows consuming the produce OF the
| and, and the armies of swine raised upon
buttermik. add daily to their strength and
money value. Of course the whole bulk OF
property increases in proportion, land being
| the main staple The number of new build
ings, new and large barns with the latest im-
ptovements, all through the country is sur
prising. The year the road is opened the
value of property will increase largely. 1t
has already increased from ten to fifty per
cent, according to locality, along the line. l
have in mind an opponent of the road, i.e.,
an opponent of bonding the town for it, who
has sold his farm tor fifty per cent. advance
| upon his ante railroad price.
| FREIGHT.
| In the year 1870, the towns situated upon
the main line, not including the Burlington
branch, and including those whose business
will beyond peradventme come upon the
Portland road, received and shipped of mer
chandise as follows Lumber 5000 tons, but
ter 1850 tons, pork 392 tons, cheese 269 tons,
wool and hops 131 tons. There were also
sold OF cattle 1O,500, sheep 14,OOO, live hogs
| 4,27O, horses 1,225, and of potatoes, tor food
or starch, 245,OO0 bushels. There were also
OF outward freight, not included in the above,
32,3O5 tons, and oil inward freight 81 ,695 tons.
The year specified was nowise exceptional
The whole tonnage, accordingly, of this Sc
glon, though without railroad facilities except
at two points, rises to the surprising sum to-
tai OF 122OOO tons per year. These figures,
based upon actual and thorough inquiry in
nearly every school district along the line, and
upon the testimony and accounts of mer-
chants, manufacturers, producers. produce
forwarders and assessors, cannot, it is beev-
ed, be palalleied in any other part of New
England, from any equal area, equally untur-
nished with railroads. A large proportion of
this freight, with suitable enterprise on the
part OF Portland traders and dealers can be
1 RI
rection, or passed through Portland hands in
the other, and in either case over the whole
length OF the Portland division of the trunk
line. If so much as one. third of it we're pass
ed over the Portland division. it would Yield
a gross revenue OF $4,000. The gross
freight earnings of the Name Central railroad
for the nine years ending Dec. 81, 1866, were
but S139OOO per year; of the Kennebec &
Portland railroad for the five years ending the
same date, $165,0O0 per year.
LOCAL INDUSTRIES.
The material and the required natural IA
cilities for these in large variety to large
amount exist along the line. OF water pow
er the supply is very large. AT Dalton on the
Connecticut, at Concord and st. Johnsbury
in the 700 feet of fall on the Lamoille, closely
adjacent to the road, embracing the excellent
privileges at Hardwick, Wolcott, Moristuwn,
Waterville and johnson; in the 225 feet Of
tall on the Misssco parallel to the road, em.
braclng the unsurpassed sites at Sheldon,
Highgate and Swanton-there is an immense
amount of unused manufacturing force. Oh
minerals, likewise, the country has bounte-
GUS supply. The copper ores of Dalton, Con
rord, Wolcott and Hyde Park, part of which
are beyond question of equal richness to the
row highly renumerative deposits of Yer
shire; the slate quarries of Waterford and
Concord the GRANTEES Of Danville, Kirby
Hardwick, etc; the superior limestone of
Swanton, the soapstone of Watervie and
johnson, the hone quarry of Wolcott, the
ocbre beds of Hyde Park and Cambridge, the
vast marble deposits of Swantoa, its flooring
tile works, where naerly all the flooring tiles
used in the United States are manufactured
these all will fol. the first time have opportu
nifty for full development when the railroad
| shall have lifted off tha chief hurdan ~ trans