St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-05-24
A Chapter of Railroad History.
HYDE PARK, VT, May 10, 1872

published on the line of the Vermont
Central Railroad. discussing ut length
the question of railroad extension west
from Portland, has. at length. come to
IL close. In those articles, arguments.
solicitation. warning and threatening
have been employed to induce the PEG
pie of Portland to abandon their route
to the West, via the Notch, for Il line
south of the mountains They have
been drawn 10y the hand of master.
Iteration and rciteration; suggestion
and mnuendo, audaciOus pcrverSiOnS OF
fact and far show of temperate and
candid statement have been made to
play their respective parts with the
highest art. Admitting, us we do with
out difficulty, the point assumed 10y the
Portland paper that has republiShed
these articles, and commented tjlvorably
upon them, namely, that the Vermont
Central Railway speaks i'll them and
through them, we freely confess this
great corporation has displayed more
than usual sagacitN i'll the choice of its
advocate.
In particular. however. it is only fair
t" concedc the papers referred to have
wants of Portland. such AZ some of her
own citizens have failed to exhibit -
They. first and last. in all their asSump-
tionS. take it for granted that Portland :
great want is additional connection
with the West that without such CON
nection. her geographical position. her
noble harhor. and umcXampled facilities
for handling merchandise will prove of
no effect 81 far a. regards her dcvclop-
mrmt and growth. The point i well
taken. Portland does need additional
railroad facilities to and from the int
ri"r. and her natural advantages will
justify their construction. She can he
come, to quote the language of the AZ
ticlcS referred to. mot only the depot
of her own commerce. but also the en-
hcp0f and exchange for II liberal portion
of the merchandise which in Il few
Years will Toe removed from beyond the
Pacific across this continent 10 Europe.
But the assumption made at every
point IN these articles. that Port land
can Secure these and other great adVan-
ta"c> only 10y an abandonment of the
Notch route. and hl forming coalition
with B"st"n-c"nlrullcd railroads. i the
one total and fatal error that yitiatr>
them Throughout. and makes them false
and evil guides. |" induce Portland 4"
abandon her own independent line for
one subordinate and dependent. tN"
COURSES have been taken. First. the
vast power. Tc~uUTc,.>. and sphere OF
operation of the principal member of
prnp">cd coalition are dvclt upon. and
the ability at that corporation to do
great things i"r Portland l. presented
IN VIZ i'll c"iur~- Nay. it l. guarded and
cautiously minated in such Il WAY
~ /" commit u"hodl. ilI1 sous to sound
we'll and look plausible. that this great
"IganiIali"u will really make Portland
one of it, main Underwater stations. and
an cHt'p"t for trau>-comtiucntal traffic
How likely tins boston corporation will
h'' I" Il" all tins l. perhaps sufficiently
apparent 1T first sight but, if not. will
Toe at It Later stage OF this article. What
we nave now t" SAY j.. that the corp"r-
alton III question will not have il in it,
power I" exercise such paramount con
tr"l over the tr;Im>-c"mtincmtal business
~ Il current >uppo>ition takes for grant
ed. 1t i the t,'jcn,iS and allies of the
Portland and Ogdcn>hurgh Railroad.
from >Wantou to Montreal. and from
Montreal to the eastern terminus of the
Northern Pacific Railroad. nearly 4
Thousand miles ct unhrokcn line. II is
they Wh" hold the KEY L" the traffic
from ocean t" ocean 10y the far shortest
route, ana VIII" look I" the Portland
h'''il"td 1"l tht'l access t" the Atlantic
sol
| he second CoIT>, taken IL th, arti-
clt> referred To has been. hN ever, solt
Of representation. to cndcayor tn dis
credit and iniurr tn, Portland and or-
dcII>hurg Railroad. In how many diff
fcrcnt forms have the Portland public
been instructed as to the ..dcSn,r;,tc
and Wcll-nigh homeless strurrI. tn srr-
mount the mountain of grant, which
separates Conway from the. Cuuuo,ti,ut
river - How many times have they
been reminded of In. proJirinus
grade" that will forever stand in the
way of heavy business OF the sham
'curVc>" likcW i>c that will hc hardly
less detrimental than the grades What
''>mow instructions" likewise. uurx,m-
Piled in the history of railroads. arr, to
he encountered. even ten feet deep in
the Notch this WINTER, Tn, uup,,ol-
lcled elevations. likewise. to which th,.
road a>crnds will result in ice upou
the rails" that will nhStruct the move
mcmt of trains, slides from the noun
tain>' will bury up the whole Notch
section Of the road. The line. more
ever. "rnd- now here" At its western
extremity it i at the mercy of mighty
corporation. which holds control almost
from ocean t" ocean. whose hostility is
now provoked. and can hc appca>cd