Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-06-05
correspondence.
4 Chapter Of Railroad History
HrDr PANk. ". IN lO. -

have recently appeared in a newspaper
published on the line Of the VefimCui
Central Railroad, discussing at length
the question Of railroad extension wc.t
from Portland, has, at length come to
close. In those articles, arguments, so-
fcilaiiou, warning aud threatening have
been freely employed TO induce the pco.
pie of Portland to abandon their route to
the West, via the Notch for a line south
Of the mountains. They have been drawn
by the hand Of a master. Iteration aud
reiteratiou suggestion aud inuondo, aa-
daoious pcrvcrsion Of fact ard fair show
OF temperate and candid statement have
been made to play their respective parts
with the highest art. Admitting, as we
do without difficulty, the point assumed
by the Portland paper tina. has ropub-
lished these articles aud commented fa-
vorably upon them, uameI, that the VI
Central Railway speaks in them and
through them, we freely confess this great
corporation has displayed even more than
usual sagaciry in the choice of its advo,
cate
In particular, however, i, is only fair
to conccde that the papers referred to
have shown true appreciation Of the
real wants Of Portland, such as some OF
her own citizens have failed to exhibit.
They, first and last, and in all their as.
sumpiious, lake it for granted that Port.
auds great want is additional couuec-
ton with the West that without such
connection her geographical position, her
mobile harbor, and uuexampled facilities
for handling merchandise will prove OF
no effect so far as regards her develop.
mcnt aud growth. The point is well ia.
ken. Portland does need additional gail
road facilities to and from the Interior
aud her natural advantages will justify
$ their construction. She can become, tC
quote the language Of the article referred
; to, ''not only the depot OF her cAvn com
r morce, but also the eatrepot and exchange
for liberal portion Of the merchandise
which, 10 few years will be moved froa
boyond the Pacific across this contincn
to Europe"
But the assumption made at ever,
point in these articles that Portland car
secure these, and o'her great advantages
only by an abandonment Of the Motel
rou,e, aud by forming coalition with th
Boston-controlied roads is the one tota
; AMI fatalerror that yitiates them through
out and makes them false aud evil guide,
To Induce Portland to abandon her ow
=, independent Fno for one subordinate am
dependent. Two courses have been takcr
First, the voot power, resources an
sphere Of operations Of the principal mem
- Der ofthe proposed coalition arc dweI
upon, and the ability Of that corporatio
to do great things for Portland is preson
ted il vivid colors. Nay, it is guarded
y and cautiously intimatcd, in such
way as to commit nobody, but so as t
sound well ond look plausible, that th
great organization will really make Port
land one Of its main tide-waier stHlion
and an entrepot for traDs-contlnental ira
lc. How likely this Boston corporatio
viii be 70 do this, is perhaps sufficient
apparent at first sight but if not will /
at later Stage of this article What v
have now to say is, that the corporatio
IN question will not have the power
exercise such paramount control over th
trans-coutnenta business as a currer
superstition takes for granted 1t is til
trieads and allieS of the Portland an
Ogdensburgh Railroad, who hold til
charters ofthe new lines from Swanton
Montreal, ald from Montreal to the cas-
ern terminus Of the Northern Pacific raj
road, nearly thousand miles of unbrob
en- line. 1t Is they who hold the key t
the traffic from ocean to ocean by far Nh
shortest route, and who look to the Port
land Railroad for access to the Atlantic.
The second course taken in the article
referred to has been, by every sort {
representation, to endeayor to discred
and injuro the Portland and Ogdeusburg
Railroad In how many different form
have the Portland public been instructe
as to the desperate and we'll nigh hope
less struggle to surmount the mountai
Of granite which separates Conway fror
the Connecticut river2p How man
times have they been reminded Of th
prodiglous grades that will forever stan
in the way of fheayy business !? or tn
sharp curves likewise that will be hard
ly less detrimental than the grades?
What snow distractions Likewise, un
exampled in the history ofrailroads, ar