The Portland daily press., 1871-09-01
Northern Vermont.
swANToN AND ITS INDUSTRIES.

twlxt these terminal points are going dow
| the rails of the Portland and Ogdensburg Rail
road. From Swanton, due west, runs tht
old" Ogdensburg, the official Ogdensbure
and Lake Champlain Railroad" which com
pletes the circuit from Lake Ontario to the
Atlantic
The village of Swauton is broadly spread
out upon the level tract of rather sandy land
which up and down borders upon Lake Cham.
plain. 1t has agreeably shaded streets, quite a
number of fine residences, a public park, an
academy of good reputation, a soldiers monu.
ment of handsome appearance, executed by an
artist of Swanton birth, aud costing 81, 500.
The soil of the land inclines to sandy, is pro-
llfic in grain and is not unfavorable to dairy.
ing. The population is about 5000, and the
valuation $4,000. The "Union National
Bank" here established has a capital of $4,000.
Taere are twenty-one individuals and firms
engaged in trade, which do business of $3.50,
600 per annum; twenty six manufactures turn
out $25O,0O0 worth of leather, lime, carriage,
marble, wooden, lumber, agricultural imple-
ment, and furniture products per year. Stock
to the amount of $84, 1000 has been taken in the
Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, the town
being distant from Portland by this road 22S
miles. 1t is distant from Boston 274 miles by
the shortest route. W j t4..-E
The village is planted upon the Swanton
Falls of the Missisco river. being one mile,
across lots. to the lake, or ssx miles by the
course of the river. The river below the falls
is navigable. The head commanded at the
falls varies from twelve to fifteen feet, the wafer
being 5000 The power is employed in various
uses, as above specified, but chiefly in saving
out and polishing tiles for floors. The marble
for this use is brought from Isle La Motto in
Lake Champlan, in rugged canal boats"
The boats come to the foot of the falls, and ar
there discharged by water-power. The entire
handling of the large blocks of stone is accom-
plished blythe same motor. The tiles are pre-.
pared by machinery invented by Mr. George
Barney, whose sales amount to $31 900 per
year. His Out,oard freight is about 800 tons a
year, equal to 100000 tiles The tiles 90 all
over the country. Today, as write, an order
has come in for 1000 from Baltimore They
are found on the floors OF nearly all the more
important custom houses in the country, and
of the Departments at Washing ton, as we'll as
in the vestibules of the chief hotels, the " Fall
mouth" included Mr.. Barney cuts up about
so tons Of the varieagated red and white Swan
ton marble, very beautiful stone, used extern
sively for mantels, table-tops, and other orna-
mental purposes. Some of it may be seen in
the Falmouth" The quarry of the red-and-
white stone extends for nine miles in the town
and vicinity. The S'wanton lime is of extra
quality, very white. is used largely for bleach
ing purposes and for nice finishing. Sky
thousand casks are burned yearly, to the value
OF $50 900, at the kiln. The supply of the stone
is inexhaustible. Three tanneries turn out
$4,000 worth of goods yearly, and scythe
factory $4,000. Nearly all the manufactures
here are conducted by the use of the water
power, which is an excellent one, the dam
ponding the water for seven miles, forming a
large reservoir. NA d.. ...
AS A RAILROAD CENTRE.
glance at the map will show that Swanton
possesses remarkable advantages of position
Lake Champlain, which divides the country
for 100 miles to the southw ward, can here be
crossed by rail, and accordingly railroads CEN
tire at this point from every quarter of the COM
pass. Two lines lead to Montreal, one to Og-
densburg, one to Boston, and now the Portland
and Ogdensburg is opening upon the east.
That. the town has not grown to far greater
proportions Is doubtless due in part to the neg
lect of their opportunities by the business men
IN past years. 1t is due also, as is claimed by
the citizens, to the unfriendly policy of some of
the railroads, which have been SO managed as
to build up rival communities at their cost. 1t
was the of hot
induceo SO hDeral subscriptions to the p & o.
ROAD, 10 the town. 1t was believed, and Justly
50, that though relatively to the distance from
Boston, Swanton is more remote from Portland
than is any other point OF the P. & o. road,
yet she could do business in Portland, and via
Portland, more advantagecusly than in Boston,
or through Boston, or by Boston-controlled
railroads. A merchant doing heavy business
thus states his case to me, as write in his
ccuntiDg-room: shall buy my goods chief
~ in Portland, because can buy what want
there as cheap as nyNhere, and freight will
be much less. But suppose should continue
to buy, as 1 now do, in New York. The goods
will come to Portland by boat. They will all
be classified on the route, way-bills made out
and as soon as the boat touches the wharf at
Portland, the merchandise will be clapped into
the cars and sent off. shall get my goods al
most as quick as now do via New Loudon,
Springfield, and White River Junction, and
the expense will be far less. So we all reason ,
and on this ground we put our hands in our
pockets to help the P. & o. Railroad. The
fact is, we can get goods from Boston, delv
cred, say, at the wharf there by four O. clock in
fha off uso 10
by all rail from Boston, the goods being deliv:
cred at the freight station at the same hour
Suppose there be two hours difference in favor
of all rail, what is that to having our freight
bill fifty per cent. less.'
AS LAKE PORT.
Swapton being so favorably situated as to
to railroads, is in a position to dispute with
business, CT at least to share largely ia that
business. Your correspondent, accordingly,
noting the Importance of this fact has taken
especial pains to ascertain its advantages as
lake port. As before stated, the village is a
mile distant from the shore. The land, be-
tween, lies even and level, with slope sufficient
to secure good drainage The territory ada
cent to the lake is formed perfectly for the lOca-
ton of a town. The soil is sandy and dry. The
water off-shore is of good depth. A dock and
wharf have been constructed in time past aud
their material is available for larger and better
works. The point has been landing for many
years. The railroad will in due time, probably
next season. extenc a branch to the lake and
complete the required accommodations for
navigation. Whether regarded as plot for a
town, as an accessible point for lake commerce,
or point of transfer to rail, the location is of
great promise. Upon completion of the
Caughnawaga Canal, from the St Lawrence to
Lake Champlaip, through which the great
lake country can pour Its harvests into this
basin by unimpeded water passage, there can
be no question that an immense business will
be established at Swanton. Burlington has
the start, but there will be business enough for
both. The prospect along the shore of the
lake is of memorable beauty. The waters, the
islands, the Adirondack in the distance form a
picture of rare lOveliness.
For the great change in its prospects, due to
the building of the P. & o. Railroad, Swanton
is most deeply in debt to Col. A. B. Jewett, an
influential citizen, a prosperous business mau
and member of the executive committee who
have in charge the building Of the road. I saw
" due to the P &. o. Railroad" for without
this railroad so shortening up the distance,
across the country, from fresh water to salt
not even the construction of the Caughawaga
ton, be productive of the highest results. For
it is only by and through the P. & O. Railroad
that the export of produce from the great lake
belt can find the shortest, quickest and cheap
est exit to the Atlantic, for distribution along
the shore and to Europe. Burlington seeing
that the opening of the canal, supple mented by
the opening of the P. & o. Railroad, viii
transfer the business of Lake Ontario to Lake
Champlain and make Swanton the Neau Ca
densburg. is working vigorously for branch
road from her docks to the P. & o. Road Al
Cambridge, VT, which will enable her to com
pete with Swanton for the impending torrent
OF trade. The business aspects and prospect:
thus opened up ale of the deepest interest tC
all New England. and to Portland most of all
But for Portland everything hinges on tn.
swift completion of her railway. This dore
then whether the canal is dug or not, whether
the trade is at Ogdensburg, she is still read,