Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-03-20
West Falrlee railroad.
rnE Town OF ORANGE TO AID II


'ther town on the line has already done, will
secure the construction Of the road.
The town meeting to decide on the question Of
giving the aid Of Orange TO the West Fairlee road
was called at 10 A. NJ on Saturday last The
preceding day had been stormy, almost beyond
precedent in this stormy winter, and nearly all
the roads were blocked with snow drifts. which
we're not cut out till noon Of Saturday. Hence
the meeting could not proceed to business until
the afternoon Then the town hall was filled,
mainly with citizens of the town, but among them
were several gentlemen from other towns, inter
ested IN the success of the project.
Gen. Thomas Of West Fairlcc now Of Mont
pelier, was first called to the stand In behalf
OF the corporation he stated the scheme and asked
the aid Of the town, and then spoke generally
and eloquently Of the railroad and telegraph as
the great ciyilizers and peacemakers Of the age
making the producers and the consumers, the
sellers and the buyers Of every product, near
ncighbors, and binding them together, and ma
ton to nation, by the bond Of mutual interest
lie then adyerted to several points in which the
people Of the town would be specially benefited,
and concluded by saying that those having the
work in charge would not begin it until they
"ere assured Of the means to complete in
Mr.. Walton Of Montpelier was next called out,
and said he had accepted the invitation to attend
from native and long resident Of Orange, who
is still the largest landowner lie thought it
well to accept, and so bind that gentleman to give
his assent to the proposed vote Of the town, and
also to use the opportunity to advise the citi-
zens Of Orange to vote this burden upon the gem
tlemans land, rs just punishment for running
away to Montpelier with all his personal prop,\ty.
Everybody in Orange would agree that this gem
tleman always knew which side his bread was
buttered and 50, when he is ready TO take thi,
burden upon his large real estate, the smaller
land holders will find ii safe to follow his exam
Pile. And Mr. W thought it would lie safe. as
past experience had proved that the money ex-
pended by residents of the towns through which
the Central road has been constructed, even
though lost if considered as an investment, had
been made much more than good by the effect Of
the road in increasing the value Of property As
another illustration of this point, be referred to
the Northern Pacific Railroad now in the process
of rapid construction through line Of thou
sand miles, on which there was not an acre of
land under cultivation, or q civilized inhabitant,
until the work had been commenced. This stu
pendous scheme, Of spanning the continent from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, through the wilds Of
the West, though but the outgrowth Of the Yer
mont Central road in fact, is entitled to rank for
its magnitude among the wonders OF the world ;
and yet, in a plain business way, il is one Of the
simplest things in the world, Congress granted
to this corporation every alternate section Of pub
lie land for twenty miles on each side Of the road
and the immense sum Of money required to con-
struct the road Is freely furnished by shrewj CAPT.
talists in Europe and America, because they believe
that the increased value Of half the land through
which the road is to run will make it a sale and
printable investment. That is the explanation :
and we in Vermont, where there is yet new land
to be subdued and products to be utilized to
large extent which are now Of no value because
they cannot be transported, may safely conclude
that the investment required will be wise. The
towns on the line of the West Fairee road, from
Thetford to Orange inclusive, nced it, and must
have it. Between 1860 and 1870 these towns lost
more than S per cent. Of their population while
between 1865 and 1871 they lost more than per
cent. of their grand list. If this decay goes on,
the time will come when the taxes of these
towns lcithOm the railroad will reach as high a
per cent. to maintain roads and bridges and pay
the expenses incident to town organizations, as
will he required, Nth the growth to be derived
by the road, to pay the aid proposed now to be
given in addition to ordinary town expenses be-
cause the expenses Of roads and bridges and
schools will not be reduced in proportion to the
population and grand list. The thing to be dune
then, and the true economy is, to increase the
population and the grand list and for that the
railroad is indispensable Finally, Mr. w said
he believed the road can be built by the people Of
the towns which are to be benefited hy it but
in his opinion it must be on three foot guape
which, it is estimated, can be built in locality
like this for about one half the cost Of the Cen
trail or broad guage, and operated at one third
less expense lie concluded with some statements
on this subject, as to the great facility Of over
coming high grades and short curves compared
with the broad gauge, as to tho capacity Of the
narrow gauge for business, and the probability
that the narrow gauge roads for cheapness Of con-
struction and working, will be pro liable roads
Col. Orange fiield of Montpelier next took
the stand and invited his former townsmen to
put this burden upon his land. lie was ready to
bear it now, as he had long been, and he believed
that the time had now come when railroad can
he secured through the town. lie had tried
more than once to get railroad there, and two
years ago the promise Of $780, 900 from Montpe-
Ter was great encouragement but that failed
because Montpelier aimed at Wells River, and it
was found impncticable to get a road from the
valley Of Waits river over into the valley of
Wells river. Now, however, 5000, 900 has been
raised at the other end of the line, by those who
are determined to push the road from the Con
nectcut river to Montpelier. lie hoped how.
ever, that Rarre, with the aid Of the Central
road, will build as far as Carness mill, as the
most convenient place for receiving the Barre
granite and he was decidedly in favor of strik-
ing Connecticut river at Thetlord, and then let
the people of Lyme, md that region in New
Hampshire carry on the road direct to the
Northern IN H. road in Canaan, on the route
originally proposed for the Passumpsic road, in.
stead Of constructing the West Fairlee road to
White River junction. This will so far reduce
the length Of line to be built by the West Fair
lee Railroad Company as to bring its construc-
ton within the means of the people on the line
There are three strong arguments for this plan
the first is, that while it will meet the mining
interests Of Corinth and West Fairlee, and the
large lumber interests of Orange, Topsham and
Washington, it will make n through line from
Montpelier to Boston 20 miles shorter than the
present line via White River Junction second,
by striking Connecticut river midway between
White River junction and Wells River it will
supply Western -four and grain direei to that re-
gon; and third the GRANTEES of Barre and
Orange will give return freight from the West
for cars used in carrying Western freight to the
East
Horace Ffeld of Barre, another native Of Or
ange, spoke briefly for the road and A. j Smith
Of Barre put in very opportune remark on the
effect of the road in giving high value to wood,
which is now wasted. Several citizens Of the
town snoka hrienv all hut nne in favor oc afdino