Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-04-03
New Railroad Project.


By a Portland correspondent Of the Bos.
ton Journal we learn that measures are pro.
posed for the Portland & Ogdensburg Rail.
road to give up its White Mountain route and
build from Cornish to the New Hampshire
line, about ten miles, and thence by the New
Hampshire Central Railroad to Plymouth,
forty.three miles, and connect with the Mont
pelicr and Wells River road and the Vermont
Central The route proposed is feasible and
easy, and the city of Portland would be called
upon for the amount Of 100000 aid,
instead Of s2,5O0,OOO, by the other line.
The advantages Of this connection are very
obvious This route is considerably shour'
than the one through the notch of the Waite
I Mountains. II bears further south and is not
exposed to the terrible storms aud dIifts
which will always more or lees impede travel
| by the northern road Even the Vermont
division Of the =. & o. road has been block
AIDED this winter for two weeks at a time, and
its exposure to such obstacles and its heavy
grades must always seriously initiate against
/ il as O road for through traffic. But the route
through the notch is far more exposed and
difficult than in this section, and the idea Of
building road through it has always seemed
d chimerica one to those who are familiar
with its winter storms and its many other
serious difficulties. The country too through
which it passes is poor and barren, and would
be unable to contribute anything to its con-
struction, and very little to its support For
six weeks it would have part of the summer
travel to the mountains, but this would be a
very meagre item in the receipts which would
be necessary to meet current expenses
1t is not strange after the experience OF
this winter that the Portland people should
turn their thoughts to some other method Of
reaching the West. Few cities have such an
overplus Of wealth that they can afford to
throw away millions, when hundreds of thous-
ands would better accomplish their purposes
On the supposition that Portland strikes the
Connecticut at Wells River, and the Central
at Montpelier, she then has direct and the
shortest line of communication with the great
lakes. Awaiting herself OF the lines already
built and equipped she can establish commu-
nication with the lakes by an easy aud prac.
ticable route, without exposure to the diff
cuties Of more northern course. Only
City miles remain to be built Only half
million more aid would be required 10 build
| it. 1t eau scarcely be o matter of doubt that
the people Of Portland will refuse to aid the
notch route, and will prefer the Plymouth
and Wells River line If they eau have au
intelligent and unbiased choice in the matter,
it would be very singular if they should
choose to pay two millions and a half for an
inferior road, when they could have the better
one for one.6lth Of that sum. In fact, the
effects Of the Oswego Starch Factory, which
was set up in Portland few years ago, and
which proved so alluring to so many railroad
gentlemen, are about over, and we may now
look for display of a little of the common
sense for which Portland used to be distin.
guished.
Should this course be taken by Portland
it is obvious that St. Johnsbury will seek a
junction with the Montpelier & Wells River
road at Marshfeld, and thus accomplish the
original design of st. Johnsbury, to which
we gave all the support in our power And
probably this will not be injurious to the
Lamoille Valley, but benefit, especially if
the Montpelier & Black River road shall also
be built, and thus open the way from the
Valley to the Central at Montpelier, and the
Wells River road at both Montpelier and
Marshfeld. 1t will thus be seen that the
now Portland project is highly important in
every view Of it.