Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-08-20

h09s g%ANNNN ~ We 1aa aNANAmtaNA ~
finish tAis road in 1873, and had con.
trscted for the iron at the time when we
must have done so ts insure its delivery
in season, that it would have cost US quite
$50 per ton more than We shall have to
pay for il now. That would have amount
ed to 500. .000.-half enough TO flush all
the grading remaining to be done upon
this road. OF almost equal importance to
us is the change in the money market since
the 6rst Of the year, also the high estima-
tiOn in which the road is daily growing to
be held in the country both on account Of
its economical construction asd its i'm.
portance as through road when built.
All these may surely be counted progress
by tide, but upon them l cannot dwell.
will not leave the subject, however,
without adding that even Franklin county,
if she has not the Lamoille Valley road,
has railroad which would not have been
built but for therery work upon this road,
for which they have so generously paid
and so kindly waited. This report will
be closed With some figures of my own,
differing somewhat frem those of another
man which have already been given to
you, but perhaps quite as reliable. You
are invited to compare them.
In June 1870, upon the completion Of
the location of the last Division Of the
Il V. Road an estimate was presented to
the Executive Committee Of the joint
roads. exhibiting the cost of grading the
whole line in Vermont as follows:
Cost of grading, masory,
bridg trestle work and
engineering, $l,356,7l317
" per mile 1886 90
Cost of above for the l.. V.
r. r., 997,SSl 63
i" " I" per mile I2,473 so
| Inc lenhln Vi INC HRoIe
line is in round numbers, III miles
4" l.. V. Road, SO Z"
1t will thus be seen that while in length
the l.. V. K. R. about 6S 4.lO per cent
of the whole line, in estimated cost Of
grading it was 734 per cent. of the whole.
In former report it was explained that
this, at first sight, unexpected difference
in cest arose from tho much larger pro.
portional number ofbridges upon this road
which. masonry and superstructure togeth-
er, constituted more than one quarter Of
its estimated cost; and also that in cross.
ing the intervales high emb bnnkmsnts were
required TO keep above the high water
mark of October '69.
Sometime subsequent to this, when q
contract for building all the fence had
been closed. and al lso considerable progress
made in ascertaining the land damage,
another estimate was asked for, giving the
cost ofsuperstructurc and buildings. This
included iron, straps, bolts. and spikes
cross-tics, track-laying and ballasting
fences and land damages; depots, wood
sheds, water tanks, etc.
For the whole line in Vermont thi,
amounted to $3.50, $500, or at the
rate of $40, 0,947.65 per mile Of road.
Of these estimates it was remarke ed in
another report, that the item for engineer
ing was too low in the first, inasmuoh as il
was expected to finish the road in two
years; and that for iron. based upon its
then market price, too low in the last
But in the sequel it will be seen that VIC
can afford this underestimate and We lct
it pass.
Putting both these estimates together
VIC have as the cost of the whole line il
Vermont (ll7 miles long.) ready for ope
ration. so, ,637, ,605.l7 as against the esti
mate which | have read of $4,400, 900
for lilo miles Of road. This gives for the
cost of the l.. V. II. r. proper, $l,S73,
693 363 or $23, ,42l.l7 per mile.
So much in general. now for particu
lars. For the convenience of contractor,
the L. V. r. r. was divided into divis
ions and SO let. that is, separate con
tract was made for each division, and Sc
soon as the work upon any contract wal
done, final estimate was made and the
work all paid for, and closed out.
i Div. l extends from Swanton to Shell
don l3a miles in length Div. 2 extend.
from Sheldon to Cambridge 81 miles il
length Div. 8 extends from Cambridge
TO East Hardwick 81 miles in length
Div. 4 extends from East Hardwick tc
Walden summit 8 miles in length; Div
extends from Walden summit to W
Danville Al miles in length. Division |,
except bridge at Swanton, is nearly com
pleted. Div. 2 is in coed state Of for
, wardness. About % miles or sections Of
Div. 3 are finished Divisions 4 5 are
, Of course done.
. If now the work upon these completed
, Divisions, and upon so much of the 9TH
ers as are already done, does not exceed