Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-04-02
For the Freeman.
Railroad Meeting.


Railroad Meeting.
The friends of the MONTPELIER, Hardwick
and Black River Railroad had their second
mass meeting at the Court House in Iras-
burgh on the 25th ult. Every town on the
route was represented land also the Eagle
Ledge route), from Montpelier to North
Troy, in such numbers that the large hall
was not sufficient to accommodate all that
sought admittance.
The Convention was callel to order by
Hon. E. P. Cotton, OF lrashrgh, and the
organization completed by ne election of
E. P. Cotton. Chairman, and J. F. Paine, of
Jay, Secretary. On assuming the chair,
Mr.. Cotton gave an interesting account of
this railroad enterprise, and dso those that
are to be built in connection With it. Gen.
eral Thomas and Mr.. Sabin, If Montpelier,
and z E. Jameson, of frasbugb, spoke at
considerable length in favor Of adopting a
three-foot in preference to a Standard gauge
for this road, claiming for tie narrow one
that it would do as much Business as any
road needed and that it coulo be built for
trlfle more than half the ex,ense, thereby
making the stock worth as mich more per
share as its original cost is les than that of
the standard gauge roads. Nessrs Buck
and Kennedy, of Troy, spoke of the i'm
mense resources that are undeveoped in this
town, also in Jay and Westfeld, and espe-
cIa'ly of the rich mine of iron ore in Troy,
which was once worked but MT prOftably,
on account OF the cost of transportation.
Messrs. Walworth and Wheelocx, of Coven-
try, and Cotton, of lrasburgh, spoke of the
inability of the roads already built to do the
business that the wants of the people de-
mand. They claimed that tie people of
the northern part of the State would be I'M
able to receive the benefits ther are entitled
to from the ndevelOped resources they pos
sess, unless they can have an outlet by this
road, which they are willing ard able to pay
literally for. 1t was shown ty gentlemen
present, that there is paid annually for
freighting lumber from the towns of Troy,
Vests ED and Jay, to the railroad at New
port, $4,000, which business must be in
creased teDlold, if they could ship lumber
from home
Messrs. Dow, Chaffey, Tenney and Row
ell. tof Albany, made many good points in
favor of a standard gauge road, and also in
favor of adopting the route for their outlet
that nature had designated, in preference
to locating and building owe, grounds and
through valleys nature never designed for
anything but highway
Messrs. Hastings, Of Crattshry, Judevine,
Carter and Eaton, of Hardwick, advocated
the vast Importance OF the enterprise, and
| the benefit to be derived therefrom by the
people, and their willingness to pay liber-
ally for its construction; also Of the vast
difference in the feasibility of the Hardwick
route over that of the Wolcott, ard that
their experience had taught them that it is
best always to initiate nature as nearly as
| possible, if they would succeed. They claim
ed further, that the true outlet for Black
River Valley is by Hardwick, and argued in
favor of standard gauge road. Thereupon
Mr.. Dow, of Albany, offered the following
resolution:
ResOlced, That when this contemplated
railroad shall be built, it shall be no other
than standard gauge road, l. e., north OF
the Portland and Ogdensburg railroad.
The resolution was discussed by General
Thomas, of Montpelier, ParkerEand Berja-
min, Of Wolcott. and others IN opposition,
but it was finally adopted. Several resolu-
tons were offered by different gentlemen,
but were subsequently tabled or withdrawn
After a stormy discussion relative to the
advantage of the two routes south Of the
Lamoille river, the friends of the Eagle Led
route asked for, but failed to secure, an ad-
journment. The principal object of the
convention being stated to be to give the
masses of Orleans county an opportunity to
express their preference in the two routes,
it was accomplished By adopting the follow
ing resolution, offered by Hon. A. f. jude
vine
Resolved, That mass meeting be called
by the commissioners residing In Orleans
county, at an early day, for the purpose OF
expressing preference for the route they
would adopt.
This resolution was opposed by Messrs.
Thompson, Benjamin, Parker, Slayton and
Templeton, as being an attempt to put the
decision as to the route to be adopted, on the
people of Orleans county.
Whereupon, Messrs. Judevine, Dow.
Wells, Dwinell, Drenan, Judge Tenney and
Eaton, favored the passage of the resolution,
on the ground, that it was the duty of the
people of Orleans county to make the decis-
ion in order to enable the towns south of
Lamoille river to act understandingly, and
pledged the support of every town on the
lIardwick route TO act promptly, so soon as
they fully understood what the people ,ol
Black River Valley wanted.
COMMISSIONERS MEETING
Hon. e. ?. Cotton called the Commission
ers together, to take such action as might be
thought best, in regard to calling a mass
meeting of the people of Black River Valley
and at that meeting it was decided to call
social meeting on Tuesday, April LIST.
Postmaster BURT of Boston is having a
lively fight to get the streets about the new
Post Office widened to his mind The Bos
ton Post is waging war upon him and some
of the Bostonians are wroth that Congress
his scheme. Burt built big building anc
wants room to 60 about it and admire it,
beautiful architecture.