St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-05-24
THE VERMONT CENTRAL AND THE
NOTCH RDIIE

The route chosen by Portland to the
West has, then. been subjected to per
sistent and violent attack from the re-
gion of the Vermont Central Railroad
1t is we'll. accordingly. to recur to the
real history of this route through the
Notch to see who is responsible Tor IT.
origination. who voIlched for it. lahored
for it. spent money for it, aud cham
pioned it. until the alarm Ola rival city
was excited, and order went forth
Stop that independent line from Port.
land to the West. This, we think. will
prove instructive to say the least.
In the year 1867. st. Johnsbury. with
the view of securing additional railroad
facilities, proposed. through some OF
her leading business men. the building
of line to Montpelier to connect with
the Vermont Central at that point, and
by it and its connections. to obtain an
other outlet to Underwater and the West
Montpelier hailed the proposition. and
promised to raise her proportion of the
money promptly. The Vermont Cen
trail. likewise. to facilitate the construc-
ton of so important Il branch, pledged
Il large contribution to the stock. Still
further. at IL subsequent date. the man
ager of the Vermont Central proposed.
that instead of making the Montpelier
road simply Il spur to the Central, 1t
should he pushed HrO"gh the white
NOHntdiH Notch 10 POrtidnd. His view
was. that Portland needed better tacili-
ties for getting West. and that she
would take hold with alacrity.
To convince the Portland public that
there was no trouble about getting
through the Notch. the ,,clicf engineer
of the Vermont Central was drputrd I"
make preliminary survey. This sur
vcy was made in the dead of winter.
/ His report WAS all that could hc desired.
There were no lions in the way. there
/ were no formidable difficulties To hc en-
c"untcred. In due time Il prominent
citizen of 81. Johm>huN appeared III
/ Portland. and laid the matter before
her people. Presently the master spirit
of the Vermont Central likewise made
his appearance at Portland. He went
Il second time. In Il public address he
drew Il most glowing picture of the adj
vantagc> of the whole scheme. 1t WAS
his Judgment. and his :>>rIamc,S. and
his demonstrations. that IN very laIgc
measure gave Portland the courage to
undertake. her part of the work. Ii Was
the Vermont Central Railroad that first
proposed this line through the Notch.
with view To securing the great lu>i-
ness East and West. then declared sure
To pass over ii. 1t WAS the same Yer
mont Central that spent money and
time and Labor to urge Portland. It.
,luhu~iUrN. and other communities up
To the building "t the Notch Railroad
.,''0 ,''''' ''i i'"i "i''r> 'u"I tN''''
i'>,'i ~ P'"''''' mum 'ii' W" hump
i'i', "Stc'.'|'' inc '''"' IT,. necessary
~, '''' ,,',, - '",'r az" II vas 'i''
~ l,''"''','' ''''' t''"'i'I'' tt, "''>'
., ''''' ',"' ar" 'o""i,''' ''"T P'9
so pr ''nr' ." '"' ,IS' "'r''?' mere
Va NV LAIN '',,''' ''Ii''i ''''"'' =" "'''i
men own survey h"" '"ch li'''i' 81
III H"'" Ilii.''' go
''''.H' zee o. inc rams hoods
'.Ti'' NV '.''"';''i'i ~ anu '"n''H'ii''
,"' ',i'''''','"> '''''' an Oh II
''''':'. INV m H'"ItP''' were ,"'li"
~ ,>'>' IN ne t.''i''ll' ''''i'I knew
. .I,'''' ~ ven a. 1t An'"> now 'ha'
~ ' ''i :" H'IE ~
''' WI '''i'ii ""l'" !" ''ti ms i"lI
,'''' =" i'N """ ace cum l" hailhl' an"
">' '"'' ''''IHS' 1t i"i h> own interest.
no SCI '""> "ili'"iIlc>' either PhN>ica
-! '''''l"i''I'"i' >'""i III me way. W hat
'''"'''>'LiI''> I'u /" lis extraordinary
'rI"E' III sem iillcil'' "i latucl change
VI ,,""'' VIII no" ne :, l"f'h-
h|"' p'ii'I' >'cii'% me interest taken
ny 'Hf ''h'ial' ny PORTLAND and II:
'"''l.."e" ne ROAD would
"", u, "'H way; an" Pfocla>'lhattd.
r W. w. ', ,I 'ti,IiIN "'r,il't' I" raise htr
,m,,,,.r. ,,'.,i ,I,,.I us ''''''ll''
t;,,,, 50 '' w NV "l some
,,r,,t.,,,,,.II, ',i,.,.il,i w. nv, ''"S
N,,,','ti,' '' at h'I non
''' P'"P'' III, seeing now
i,i,,, ''i'ir '''' WIN - johns
,I'i ~: ''''hS the me west
I''r'.. 1,i ,"' !" 'N"'''Hh ana
~ II: i''''i' anu ''lTi'iN shnrtch-
w., ,'n' ',''I >' wv 'll'i'H hllieH I"
i"';'l'hi "lli 'l'e west. montpelier.
nav .''S l'Pu"';''r" ,ti part OF tie con
Nv i '''' ~ m '"i'iiT'''H people Sald I"
,,,,,. n,;ia ,','ii ,''' ", h''>' 4i"'"W
P,;or ~ III. "" Ni',',i l,il" 'ilt ROAD
~, .I,,' 81. 'ii'.' ,"" WIS hau
vh;'.I i; , ,,' .i.I"' ili''I"S 'iilei''
Nhirh' u'>SiSte" WIN the uhhand>"mc
t",''"ti VI Nt"t't f'tiI'I' '"'l>Iii'r" July
~, :, InI ~ ,m,> t''''s' !" 'il' L'i''"iiI'
l.,.,.,i ~ i,,i,, III "'.''i N"'''>' re-,
nIJir,,i,,, ~ L''r'i ''''ii w, il'Plied
rnaT Th,. V.,i,,,' , =" 'iIv N"n' l",'''r
did mn, .mnnnI. 'I!' ,. tr.,"l u%I".l'>S
'''' '"iP''o' i-'hi'lilt 'bIIlu raise