Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-07
tBatohman s. Journal.
Railroad TO Lnmoillc NnlIer.

them. But when she had met with two
refusas, aud at each one burned three Of
hor books, the Emperor was glad to pur-
chase the remaining three at The price FOR
which he might at first have secured The nine
1t is sometimes the case with other com.
munitics that it was with Rome Refusing
the first and second opportunity Of socur-
ing the elements Of theis prosperity, thoy
finally pay the full price for fragment Of the
orignal good or what ia the same thing,
they pay three times as much for it ia the
end as they would at the outset The old
Greek fable represented opportunity as per-
son with a lock Of hair in front but bald be-
hind She could bo taken as she approached,
but let her once pass by, and not Jupiter
himself could catch her The application is
obvious. Four years ago this town was offer
ed by the capitalists who wanted a railway
line from Portland through st. Johusbury to
the Lake the opportunity Of being the con.
Meeting point with that enterprise aud the
already established Vermont Central Line.
For one hundred and fifty thousand dollars
we might have secured the entire northern
and northeastern trade Of Vermont for an
indefinite period But the offer was refused,
and refused for reasons which have been con-.
pletcly refutcd by the progress Of events.
The result is that the State is traversei, cast
and west, on line twenty miles north Of US, by
railroad that necessarily diyerts from this
point all our northern business. So much
for refusing to buy the Sibyliuc leaves when
they were offered to us four years ago. We
have now got to pay a larger price Tor the
advantages We then refused
Nor is it impossible to retrieve entirely the
mistake that was then committed. In fact
we may now turn that very mistake into a
great advantage. But in order to do it, it
will be necessary to construct railroad due
north from this place to Woleolt or Norris
vile and extend it through the rich valley Of
the Black river We can strike the lamoile
Valley road at Wolcott By building twenty
miles. We have no question Of the ieasibil-
ity Of the Eagle ledge route, or the western
route through Emore. Connecting with the
Lamolle Valley at WoIcott, aud building up
through Crafsbury, Albany, Irasburgh and
Coventry, we should absolutely control all
the trade Of northern Vermont We should
give it also the most direct and feasible outlet
to Boston. There is every probability now
that the White River Valley road will be
built. In that case the distance from Wei
colt, the point Of intersection with the La
noble Valley road, TO White River june
ton, would be 70 miles. BY way Of St.
Johnsbury and the Passumpsic it is % miles.
For all points north aud west Of Wolcott it
would diminish the distance to Boston %
miles as compared with the Lamoille Valley
road. From South Hardwick it would d..
mnish the distance - miles. or course n
road from this place to Wolcott or Norris
vile would absolutely control the trade or
business Of all Central Northern Vermont
If the White River Valley road is not built,
there would still be large balance in favor
of this connection Such road running
through the best timbered land in Vermont,
and extending to and over one of the richest
vallies in the State with the largest parts Of
Orleans and Lamoille counties its natural aud
investment. 1t woulV be GaplJai FEEDER 81
the Vermont Central, md what is more to
our purpose, would fructily aud augment
the business Of Montpelier beyond any pres
ent computation. 1t would result in making
the Lamoille Valley road tributary to our in
teresis, and would give The shortest route to
Boston from all points along its entire luc
west of South Hardwick
Hitherto the Vermont Central has com.
manded all the traffic of central and northern
Vermont. Its local rates have sustained it.
The through western business has barely paid
the cost Of transportation. Its local business
has been immensely profitable, and realized
even the extravagant expectations Of the ex-
travagant men who built it with such prod.
gal waste Of money, Montpelier has given
to the Central one tenth of its gross earnings
aud more far more than one tenth Of its net
earnings And in this matter Of connecting
with the Lamoile Valley, the interests of the
Central and of Montpelier are identical The
Central has now come to the time when she
secs her local receipts decreasing, or not gain
ing in proportion to the increase Of business.
The farther east she can connect with the
lamoille Valley the better it is for her inter.
est. The better also for the interests Of
Montpelier.
Once more the Sibyl offers to US the OPP
portuuity of purchasing the means of our iu.
ture prosperity and power. The blindest
man can see where our welfare lies. 1t is
not in sitting still and waiting for develop.
ments. We may be willing enough to remain
passive and look for the arrangement of
things so as to secure our advantage. But
if we would retain and augment our growth
and prosperity, we have now got to tap the
Lamoille valley aud give 1t the best and
shortest route to Boston aud New York and
the West We have got to strike some
strong and hearty blows for ourselves, No.
body will build up Montpelier but its own
citizens, and they can do it. They can turn
their former mistakes into the greatest ad.
vansages, and make even the roads which
have been pushed in hostility to the interests
of this place, tributary to them.
Montpelier owes ii to the Fairbankses to
build a railroad to Wolcott 1t was debt
that she incurred when they shut the books
of the st. Johnsbury aud Montpelier road in
the faces Of her citizens She owes ii to her
old and long time friends north of us who
have done for twenty years their business in
this place She owes it to herself, and we
think she will not balk the obligations.