Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-04-16
Railroad Meeting at Worcester.
rar rrnsr SERBIAN or rnr rsoIsn

tied no little interest, and drew outa very gon-
eral attendance.
Martin G. Brown, ESD was chosen mod.
orator
Before proceeding to action on the part oil
the town. there being goodly number present
from other localities, interested in the enter
prise, various gentlemen were called upon for
remarks upon the general subject.
Mr. Poland, Of Montpelier, alluded to the
vast benefits Of railroads as attcsted by the
rapid increase Of taxable property upon our
several lines Of railway as compared with local.
tiles not thus iavored--and demonstrated by a
comparison Of grand lists that those sections
which taxed themselves to procure these in.
dspensablo aids to business success, reaped a
rich reward. He also endeavored to impress
upon the minds Of the people resident in the
valley Of the Worcester Branch, that nou was
their golden opportunity in this behalf, which,
If unimproved, might be lost forever.
Cyrus Brown, Esq, in few well-choseu
words, impressively set forth the value Of a
railroad to the land owners of the town, as well
as to laboriug men Of small means. His re-
marks produced a decided impression-he not
having before committed himself upon the
question Of bonding the town.
p. 5. Benjamin, Of wolcoit, spoke emphati.
cally Of the benefits Of railroad facilities as
illustrated by the experience Of bis own town.
lie was satisfied that in the single article Of
hemock bark alone, its increased value in the
town Of Worcester would amount to more than
the sum in which she was asked to bond
Edison j. Slayton, of Calais, said he had
formerly enjoyed railroad facilities, and sadly
missed them on removing to lamoile county
When the question Of bonding came up, he
favored it and though the Lamoille Valley
road had cost him $500, he bad already realiz.
ed more than 40 per cent. Of the amount in
benefits directly received In coming down to-
day he had passed localities where he estimated
that million feet Of lumber Of the various
kinds had been put upon the market, that
would not have been moved but for the rail.
road and the saving to the farmers in procur.
ing their supplies was great After the rail.
road was completed to Wolcott, he bought sail
and like articles cheaper than he could nj
Montpelier. 1t cut of one set Of mddlemen
So important was this enterprise, that he
thought Wolcott might even bond the seconC
time
DR. Fairman, of Wolcott, said that though
the people Of his town had aided in building
the Lamoille road to the extend Of twent.
times their grand list-the interest On which
was more than 81 ,600-stil be thought tn,
town had saved enough in respect to the singl,
article Of corn to pay the interest on its bonds
Abdiel Kent, Of Calais, admitted that th'
section Of the town in which he lived would b,
better accommodated by this route than tn,
Calais route, 50 called Probably his town
could not be bonded for any route, situated a
they were, but he thought this an inportan
crisis for Worcester, and trusted they woul,
act promptly and decidedly.
Charles I. SAbin, Of Montpelier, spoke 0
the narrow as compared with the STANDARD
gauge. lie said the difference in cost, on
route like this, would probably be one-half-
certainly 10 per cent. lie was sure he spok
/ truly when he said that narrow gauge roa
] y
business better than one Of the standard gauge
with the same grades and curves
Col Boutwell,, Of Montpelier, alluded to hi
experience in railroads and like enterprises
Montpelier paid $40 900 to secure the Vernon
Conference Seminary, but was getting her re
ward every day in the year. And so Of God
dard Seminary at Barre. No locality that had
at any cost, secured railroad, would consen
to be deprived Of it upon any conditions. An
the benefits fell quite as much upon the labor
ing man as upon the land owner All share
in the advantages, and all should join hands t
secure them.
j. W Wheelock, of Montpeier-after
complimentary allusion to Mr.. Bliss good din
ner, which sadly interfered with free speech
and which seemed to affect all the speaker
general benefits of railroads, and forcibl
illustrated his arguments by lessons draw
from his own experience with and withou
these advantages.
i f. NJ Clifford, of Wolcott, said he lormerl
lived on the line Of the Central road, and coul
testify to all that had been said Of its effects i
increasing the value Of taxable property in tn
towns through which it passed. The gran
lists of several towns, 20 his personal knowledg,
had been doubled thereby. Knowing som'
thing Of the value of railroads. he earnestl
favored the bonding Of his town. His ia
amounted to $500, and he subscribed 5000
addition, making 5000 as his contribution ,
the road but he had already realized 5000 i
the sale Of parcel Of land, the value Of whic
had been enhanced to that amount by the bulC
value of railroad to the farmers, and e.
pecially to the lumber interest Though tn
road had cost the people of Wolcott SAL ,o0t
he felt sure they had got it all back in the il
creased value Of their commodities. Potatoes
that used to sell for 25 to 30 cents, now readil
brought 60 to 20.
H. A. Hancock was opposed to the bondin
Of the town, for various reasons firstly upo
principle; and to confirm this he appealed I
Mr. Wheelock, with whom he was associate
in the legislature, and who agreed with him i
this principle, "Yes," replies Mr.. Wheelocl
"but we both roisd for nr This Mr.. Har
cock could not deny, but justified himself 0
the ground that the good people of the Ia
I noble valley had no road, and he thought the
) ought to have one. 1t seemed singular
lockers on that Mr.. ii. should be more liber
to strangers than to his own towns-people.l Il
urged various considerations against the mea
' ure of bonding, and hoped it would be vote
? down, there and then.
l S. g. Copp also opposed the measure vii
4 great yehemence lie said he was no publ
0 speaker; he had the matter in him, but
couldn't get it out, We thought he succeed
pretty we'll, however. But if he came lit
= short in the line of speaking, he certainly G
hbited remarkable qualifications for an acto
0 lie claimed that none of the residents OF h
= town had timber to sell this was all held
e non residents, who were there pressing &
i town to bond for their benefit. The teams
the farmers were now probably employed
winter in drawing lreights TO Montpelie
a With a railroad. they would stand idle Wi
e what Mr. c. said, and evidently desired to sa
e we think he made the strongest argumen
e against the measure that could be produced
William Bruce, Jr,, favored bonding. ]
had lumber to sell, but thought the interest
Ell was alike, in favor Of the road. He f
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