Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-05-01
Romantic Railr0ading.


proposition Of the latter route made by Port.
land men and published in the Boston Journal.
Recognizing the bearing Of this proposition
upon our own town aud section Of the State,
we we're lead to examine its advantages to
Portland, as compared with the White Noun
tain route, bccg1e Of the obvious fact that
the aid Of Portland is Of the highest impo-.
lance to either line Our inquiries aud a,-
guments, therefore, have been directed mainly
to the interest Of Portland in this question
iciich Portland is 10 decide, aud not to the |
consequences which may follow her decision to
either Of the proposed routes. Ia other
words, we are not hostile to the Lamoille |
Valley part Of the first proposed route, nor
to the Notch part Of it, nor to any part Of it
but rather We say, let them be built, aud God
speed them tile more railroads there are, the
more people will be better served. In the
same spirit, the friends Of that route should
welcome thorough examination Of the other
/ line; and it they are confident their own line
is the best for Portland, they should them
selves insist upon searching scrutiny Of both
lines, severe enough to demonstrate the truth
as 70 each, aud satisfy Portland where its in
torcsts really lio Reasonable as this view
is we are sorry to see that it is not adopted
by the friends of the Mountain route but
rather has stirred up much opposition, which
has Of late been exhibited by the friends OF
that route in the Boston Journal, in several
Vermont papers on the Lamoille Valley line,
and last in the Burlington Free Press. In
this article We pay our respects to com
munication in the Boston Journal Of April
, 20, because it is semi-olIcial statement Of
the managers Of the Portland Ogdeusburg
road
! 1t seems that the Directors Of that road
have suggested and the Board Of Aldermen
Of Portland have ordered the appointment Of
commission to "obtain reliable inlorma-
tcn as to the feasibility and cost Of the road
its railroad connections and its general ad-
vantages for business; with authority to en-
: ploy competent engineer" &c The road
it will be observed. What road Oh, it is
the Portland & Ogdensburg and no other a.
gain; the Portland & Ogdensburg managers
are confident that results will prove the cor.
D., rectness Of their statements, and that the
+, road can be completed within the estimates
There is no doubt but what the road, once
built, will be Of incstimable value to this
, city Portland as a western and way line
but tho opposers Of this line claim it is al
=, expensive scheme, which the city should not
back up. The investigation and report, how
:. ever, will settle the whole question" W.
4, all know that the NOTCH route in New Ilamp
>, shire and the Walden summit in Vernon
>, are exceedingly romantic. A ride by rail
! way through the one and over the other viii
ia not only be the poetry Of rail-riding, bu
.. possibly the tragedy Of it. At the yer!
4, least, such rider will admire the grandeu
of nature and the bravery aud skilfulness o
man. But we invite admiration of the 70
nance of rai-roading evinced by this actor
=, Of the p. & o. Railway Directors. Then
road ID to be examined, but no other Then
statements are to be confirmed, but the peo
-, pie of Portland are not to be permitted t
q know whether, all the statements of thes
Directors being true, there is not anothe
cheaper, shorter, and better line far Port
land The upshot simply is, that the peopl
of Portland are invited to decide the cas-
% when the testimony Of one side only shall
, have been submitted to them. If the Port
- land & Ogdensburg Directors shall get 49,
- 100000 in this way, it will be quite roman
tic for them but if the money shall b
No spent and Portland shall fail to secure tn
81, best western route the romance Of the d
:. rectors will be tragedy to Portland.
i Another point in this scmi-oiicial state
g meut is that Swanton being over 100 mile
north and northwest of Rutland, White Rive
g Junction and Wells river, gives the Portlan
l. and Ogdensburgh certainly an upper line an
H. invaluable advantages" We are aware thi
- Portland has put great stress on an uppC
% line, and this statement appeals to publ
-. sentiment heretofore created. But frs
!, Portland already has an upper line in til
: Grand Trunk read, and that does not exclut
-, Boston second, this new upper line il
- tersects lower or Boston lines and thir
- the question whether Portland is to deri'
-. invaluable advantages will depend upC
A. the fact iohicA line will transport cheape
from the West to Portland the Portland
Ogdensburgh line, or the present Central lii
=; ria Boston, or the Montpelier, Wells Riv
y. and Ossipee line. That is the real questi,
e for Portland, and we simply call attention
= the fact that the Portland 4 Ogdensburi
81, Directors have lodged that point. 1t is on
another bit Of romance.
ure Finally, in reply to a suggestion or susp
ciop that the Portland 4 Ogdensburg ro
the cannot obtain equitable and requisite q
lly rangements for through business from I
the Vermont & Canads Vermont Central, al
The Ogdensburg lines chapter Of New Yo
er. Statutes is cited to prove the contrary. TT
no. may be satisfactory to casual readers, but ra
the road men will at once perceive that the statu
As does not meet the case at all. 1t gives t
,ds legal right to connections and mutual faci
70 ties aud we will give bonds to the amount
md all our property, that President Smith, Of t
,er Vermont Central, Canada aud Ogdensbu
es lines, and President Fairbanks, of the
ae. noble Valley, will do all this if this statu
ar. were to be repealed. They are both court
BY Gus gentlemen, and each will yield to t
out other every right to which he is entitled, a
md each will vie with the other in seeking m
md tual convenience ana the security oil lie
nrnnartv committed 10 their nhnrce T