Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-01

HbStpn Mteohf A@''l'i AiuOiuldi DuliuuEHoy
Col. Ivers Phillips, Messrs. Sumner Pratt, Calvin
Foster, Scion Hastings, Geo Sumner, and 9TH
ers, were PRESENT. and unhesitatngly ex.
pressed their severe! opinions in favor
of the road, saying that without
doubt the city would willingly construct
that portion of the road between this city and
| Shrewsbury, in view of the fact that the road
will, if built, open up a large amount of bust
ness for this city from the three towns of MARI
| boro, Northboro, and Shrewsbury, business
which now comes this way as much as the lin
tied facilities will admit, and that in securing
this advantage to the city, the business of no
railroad running into the city is materially in-
| terered with. This assurance was, of course,
the very thing that the Marlboro gentlemen de-
| sired, and now they are ready to move in the
matter, which has awakened an interest so great
that there seems 10 be very little doubt that
such a railroad will be in operation in the course
| of few years.
The distance from this city to Marlboro is if
| teen miles; from this city to Sudbury, twenty
one milcs-the entire length of the proposed
| road. From Worcester to Boston by this new
| route the distance would be about the same as
| by the Boston and Albany road. 1t is four
miles less, reckoning as the stage road from
here TO Marlboro runs; but there are difficulties
| in engineering which would probably make it
| about the same. The difficulties are, however,
not of nature to stand in the way of the roads
| construction. The "butt end" or worst por-
ton of the grade, will be that between here and
| Shrewsbury, and this does not present serious
distractions according 10 the opinions of those
present, including that of Mr.. H. +. Keith, of
Grafton, an experienced engineer, well acquaint-
| ed with the lay of the land. 1t is proposed to
| either cross Lake Quinsigamond near the pres
ent carriage road, or causeway, or at point
further south, by Davis cottage, and to run
south of Shrewsbury hill, about half mile dis
tant from the centre of business.
The town of Marlboro contains about ten
thousand inhabitants with valuation of three
millions, and owes its remarkable growth in the
| past few years to the boot and shoe manulac-
| ture extensively carried on at the center and
| which demands railroad communication, both
toward Boston and to the west, which the town
does not now enjoy. The two towns between
| Marlboro and this city have something over
1900 inhabitants each, with nothing TO hinder
their rapid growth and development but a rail
road.
The dummy railroad project to connect
| Shrewsbury with this city, would of course be
swallowed up in this more feasible scheme. In
| fact, some OF the wealthest men in Shrewsbury,
who never lent their influence in favor of the
| dummy railroad scheme, are warmly in favor of
| this, and assert their readiness to take heavy
| private subscriptions to the stock. The project
| is now in its infancy having been taken up but
| about three weeks since. In that time, how
ever, two enthusiastic public meetings have been
| held in Marlboro, at the last one of which over
| twelve hundred people were present, and ex.
| pressed themselves unanimously in favor
| Judging from tho statements made last eve
ming, and knowledge of the district through
which the road would pass if built, there are
reasons for believing that such railroad would
materially add to to The wealth and prosperity
of Worcester. The subject is, to say the least,
worthy of careful Investigation.
| WORCESTER AND GARDNER RAILRoAD-The
| third annual report of the directors of the Bos-
ton, Barre and Gardne railroad corporation, to
the stockholders, has just been printed, exhibit
| ing the condition of the road and its financial
relations up 10 Jan. 1 1872 Ethree months Later
| than the time for making the reports required
| by the laws of the state. The construction ac-
| count has been going on all this time The as
sessments upon the stock have been promptly
| first of January having been paid since, and it
is probable that every share subscribed for will
be paid in full, with interest on all not paid
when due. The interest collected on loans, de-
| posts and assessments not promptly paid al
ready amounts to more than $4,000 over and
above all interest paid by the corporation.
| Every demand against the corporation has been
promptly met when due.
The contractors did not finish the road from
BARRIERS crossing to Gardner within the time
| specified by their contract. They continued to
work until the second week in November, when,
| it having become apparent that they could not
finish before being stopped by the frost, an ami
cable arrangement was made with them, the
company taking possession of the road and con-
| tinuiug the work OF construction till the ground
was frozen. The remainder of the work can
probably be done in the sprlug without Interrupt
| ton to the running of trains. Between BARRIERS
crossing and Garden Istreet, the company have
| purchased land on which to build their road,
graded portion OF it, laid a mile of track, and
have material on hand to finish that portion of
| the road.
| The corporation began running one train dali
| ", each way over the road, the fourth of
| September and continued TO luu some trains
| for local accommodation, and for the purpose
| Of Transporting men and material for the con-
structon of the road, dcpots, water stations, etc.
| until the 9th day of November, when the road
|
daily each way, which have run regularly up to
| the present time. From BARRIERS crossing into
| Worcester the company use the tracks and de-
| pots OF the Worcester and Nashua railroad, UNI
der contract which extends to January 1st
| 1878. AS a rule, new roads do NOT, at FIRST, pay
! running expenses. This road is an exception
| So far, it has more than paid expenses, nOtwith-
| standing the unfavorabe circumS stances under
| which it was started. Its present earnings and
| future prospects are such as to give reasonable
assurance that il will be n dividend paying
| property within reasonable time. 1t forms
| part of a trunk line from the city of Worcester
| 70 the north and west which must command
| large business. Its present connection with the
| Vermont and Massachusetts, railroad secures a
| good connection for the west when the HoOsac
tunnel is completed: it gives us a line TO the
| north and west by the way of CIRCUITS corner
| Brattleboro', Bellows Falls, White river juno
| ton and Saratoga, as short rs any other, and
| which will be materially shortened when il is
extended to Winchendon, where it shall also
connect with the Monadnock railroad and line
soon TO be completed to Concord, N. H Plans
arc already being matured 10 give it a connec-
| ton with the Ware river railroad, with Barre
and the towns beyond; and the Massachusetts
| Central road, the construction of which has be-
| gun, will give it direct communication with
| Northampton and intervening towns.
Everything pertaining 10 the buildings, water
stations machinery and fixtures of the corpora
| ton, so far as finished, is of such q character
as to reflect credit upon those having charge of
the construction. They are now building tene-
meut houses for the station agents at Hubbard
ston and Princeton. The depots at Holden,
Princeton and Hubbardston, were erected by
Messrs. Falls & Goodspeed Of Ilubbardston, un-
der the supervision of Mr. II. N. Tower, one of
the directors. Each OF the passenger depots is
htted up with the "modern improvements" and
supplied with water by an aqueduct A portion
OF the buildings mt Gardner have been construct
ca oy thc same parties. The freight depot at
GARDNER, ai OF their buildings in Worcester
and inc smaller buildings along the line, have
been put up by Mr.. +. II. Fairbanks. their mas
ter carpenter. The roofs of all their nermonent
buildings have been covered with slate nv Cant
John Barnard & Son of Worcester. Az oS ,hc
plumbing, aqueduct and water station y. ,o ,i0