Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-06-19
How 10 get Votes.


The directors Of the Portland and Ogdens
burgh railroad, believing il to be their duty
to afford to the citizens Of Portland every
opportunity practicable for obtaining correct
information as to the location, construction
and possibilities for business on the line as
far as constructed, with such opportunity fol
examination of the feasibility Of the country
for further extension as can be gained by
personal inspection, have placed the road as
far as North Conway at the disposal Of tho
citizens for the seven days prior to June
%, when they will be asked to vote
" Yes or 3" No" to the proposition to loan
the credit Of the city for 81 100000 to the
Notch route Arrang omcnts have been made
to dine and wine aud free ride all the voting
population Of the city in order to secure a
majority of affirmative votes. As the prop
osition is an extraordinary one, viz to take
the money Of Portland to build a through
business line from that city to Ogdensburgh
over route whose summit is 1900 feet high
er than by any other route; whose distance is
froto twenty to thirty miles longer than by
the Ossipoe valley route; whose curves are so
numerous that on one section Of the road thir.
ty.eight miles are Travelled in order to make
distance Of twenty miles; whose grades
are so high that first class freight engine
$40. .,.l,- b.,i .t, i.ad.1 oora ovor ,hen, ne
the proposition is an extraordinary one, SO
the means taken to secure it ought also to be
extraordinary. \ good engineer corps could
determine the matter quite as well as mas
of voters, but the engineer corps cennot vote
| the money! so the voters are to be taken to
the end Of the track at North Conway and
permitted to look as far as they can at the
Notch route through the bottom Of Their
glasses. There can be no doubt as to the
conclusion that all the guests Of the Portland
! Il Ogdensburgh road must reach. OF course
the difficulties in the way will disappear
the summit will sink to the level Of Portland
harbor; the curves will all be Strengthened
out; immense trains, loaded with the mer
chandise of Northern Vermont, will be dis
covered going through the mountain passo
on the way to Hugh Allan's steamers, an'
the citizens will 60 home to vote a couple o
! million of dollars, more or less, to the Wis
ionary enterprise.
. NJ - ia 10 Y,
! railroad Governor Paine once tried tn
r same thing, aud he emptied the pockets of tn
stockholders in the Central at the same tim
a that he filled their glasses aud deadheade
D them over the line. But he got their vot,
e and they lost their money. The road h'
n fallen down through the hands Of the bono
4 holders into the hands of a corporation whc
. the Central leased. So Portland will avail
j.. sober and pay her money-for those VII
J.. dance must pay the fidler-aud keep G
) looking for the long trains and the WesteI
Is freight and the Northern Vermont busine
n with a hope evermore deferred.
C Possibly, however, this trick to catch gul
! will not succeed The Mechanics Associ
t tons, and Board Of Trade, and aged Brothe
h hood, and City Government, and Irish Reli
e Associations, and Grand Army of the Repu
l. ic, and citizens generally, may take the rid
J. the lunch, the champagne, the long, lingeriI
l. look out toward the summit from the term
i nus at North Conway and then 60 home al
e ask themselves whether they are willing to pr
y about Fifty dollars per head to all the citize
of Portland for such joli6cation Free rid
&c and free lunches cost somebody somethin
N But it will pay the Portland & Ogdensbur
!. Directors to give such seven days excursi
IL as that, if only the citizens Of Portland "
Il tax themselves a million or two dollars to pi
,. for it. We shall look to the result Of t
.. vote with quite as much curiosity as feelin
=. and if Portland votes Yes we shall CO
70 tainiy think that the Portland & Ogdensbur
,r Directors should take out patent for il
r. provements on the old method Of getti
ar votes.