Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-08

sumers have IL at this lessened cost, or
must they continue for all time to pay
tribute 10 Vermont's monopoly Forests
do not grow so fast as they are consumed,
and by reason of our being obliged each
year to go farther and farther for it, is the
cost of IL increased.
Whatever gain may come 10 any town or
section of country from a railroad OF the
common gauge will come from the narrow
gauge, come too with an expenditure for
construction per mile for the latter of less
than half-so ne say one-third-the cost Of
the former, and the work will be done up
on 1t for the people at one-thrd less cost.
The day is not far distant when the narrow
gauge railroad will Cross our sister State of
New York, starting perhaps from White
hall, and stretching on through other States
reach the shores of the Pacific. This Is not
guess ; it has to- day serious considera-
| ton at the Northwest from the most emf
nent and pra ctical railroad men there. The
| State Midland Railway-narrow gauge
with its short spurs to adjoining towns, Is
| n scheme in the interest and for the bene-
fit of the people. Our State needs business
can build ourselves and build at once; the
| common gauge we cannot. We have not
the capital for the latter; II is difficult to
| obtain it elsewhere. One can be operated
for local business alone at profit upon the
investments; the other is doubtful even with
through business.
The narrow gauge is in its infancy. 1t is
destined to work greater change In the
development of the resources of the coun-
try, and will add more to its growth and
wealth than the G0,000 miles of common
and broader gauge has already done. and II
will do this at cost of construction and
equipment barely exceeding one-third the
average cost of railroads in our country.
Nay, more the common gauge roads will
yet be forced to lay by the side of their
roads this narrow gauge TO enable them to
| compete in the transportation of freight
| with narrow gauge roads. The London and
Northwestern Railway, one of the giant
railway corporations of England, is doing
| this now. Is this without meaning? II
| England with all its wealth ard I'd and Sd
| class fares demands this, what must be the
need Of our sparser populated country and
uluCn leSS per tupltd VI Ncailu' IVAN
1 roads, one who has had twenty years
| experience in their management, and who
| gave this period oftime with all its thought
| and labor to the perfectng of the greatest
| line of road at the Northwest-"are in their
| infancy. Wc1re carrying great amount
| of dead weight at an extrava9ant cost, and
\ all for nothing. Our roads cost to con-
struct ard equip far more than they should.
We must change or the sceptre will pass
rroin US TO those roads more cheaply built
and economically worked. We cannot
compete with the narrow gauge" These
words were not lightly uttered, or without
sufficient reason.
II The cities of New York and Philadel-
pha with their millions of people demand
a narrow gauge road that freight and pas
senger traffic may be cheapened-and the
charter for one is being vigorously prose-
| cutcd-if the manager of much the great
est number of miles of railroad in this
country favors and desires the narrow
| gauge for road TO the Pacific; if other
roads contemplate the addition of a narrow
gauge to their line of road, If not az entire
change OF gauge, then it is hut reasonable
to say the narrow gauge railroad is what
| Vermont needs.