St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-03-22
The Portland and ogdensburg Railroad
Line

The Resources, Population, Wealth, Bust
ness, Manufacturing capabilities and
Tourist attractions Of the Country t'ib-
utdIy thereto. 4 lsO its Relations to the
Territory and Commerce Of the Great
Lakes.
The above is the title of Il 70-page
pamphlet lately issued in Portland, said
to be the work of Walter Wells, Esq, IL
gentleman of marked ability as writer
and compiler of statistical facts. The
book referred to. is very complete and
exhaustive of the matter of which it
treats. Mr.. Wells spent last summer
along the line of this road, ascertaining
facts and gathering statistics which are
of great value as matters of information,
and rs reason for the inception and
completion of this great railroad enter
prise. they are unanswerable.
In chapter one, the writer gives the
resources and business relations of the
country through which the road runs,
Before this railroad project was started,
the case stood thus A tract of country
one hundred and seventy miles long by
fifty broad, had, except at the extreme
ends and at one point across the middle,
no railroads. This is an area larger
than the combined states of Connecticut.
phnIa Island I,1 NTI.,,
railroads there were gave outlet to but
a small portion of this territory, and
that at trade centre (BOston,) COM
paratively remote.
The writer then goes on to speak of
the Vermont Division of this rOad-the
fertility of the country through which
it passes, the great amount of timber
land, its important water powers-and
minerals, the large population, and the
tonnage of freight already moved from
and to this section, without the benefit
ofrailroads. These statistics were gath
cred very carefully from merchants.
manufacturers, assessors and school dis
trict clerks, all along the line, and can
lie relied on.
The next section shows that it is cx-
actly through this section that railroad
is wanted to give the shortest line to
tidewater-by this road Swanton is AZ
miles nearer Portland than Boston. st.
Johnsbury 40 miles, and Whitetield 81
miles giving an average distance in
favor of Portland of 80 miles, and IA con-
sequent advantage i'll the less price for
passage and freight, of from four to six
dollars for each person or ton of freight.
Added to this, all the towns between
Swanton and the White Mountains, ex-
cept the three named, are off ana line
of railroad, and all passengers and
freight have to he moved by common
road an average distance of sixteen
miles. This of course, greatly increases
the price oftreighting.
The remainder of chapter one is de-
voted to Portland, and its peculiar add
vantages and facilities for doing the
business and inviting the trade of north
ern New Hampshire and Vermont.
Chapter two reviews this new route
as an attraction for tourists -commenc-
ing at Casco Bay and following up to
Lake Sebago. the White Mountains, Mt.
Mansfield, Sheldon and Highgate Springs
and Lake Champlain. There is no sec
ton OF our country that offers superior
Inducements to pleasure seekers, and
tins kind of travel alone must be i'm
mense upon this road.
Part second of this book takes up the
great lake country of the west-its area
productions, means of transportation by