The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-07-26
The Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad.

Under the head IAN Important Railroad -
the New York Evening Post, in an editorial
article, says:
1t is gratifying to know that another railroad
from the seaboard to the western States is rap
idly approaching completion, chiefly upon its
own merits. From the first the stockholders of
the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad have had
SO much confidence in their plan that they have
pushed the work forward regardless of the nu-
merous failures of like enterprises and the
competition they must expect to encounter.
The work is SO far advanced now that it is
almost safe to say Portland will have direct
communication with Lake Champlaiu early in
the year 1874. Thence the road may connect
with road already running to OgdeHsbu1g and
draw a large trade from the West by the Lakes
or the Canadian railways. ..t-..
The line from Portland to Swanton the most
northwesterly town in Vermont, is about two
hundred and twenty-five miles long. The
eastern part, from Portland to within twenty
miles of the White Mountain Notch, sixty-tiye
miles, is already in working order. From
thence to the Vermont line the work is advanc-
ing rapidly. Between West Concord and Hyde
Park, in Vermont, sixty miles of the road, is
finished and doing business. 1t is expected
that the bridge across the Connecticut river at
Lunenburg, and about twenty-five miles more
of the road will be completed this fall, and the
greater part of the work on the remainder will
have been done before winter sets in.
OF the usefulness of this line as q western
OuUieU Oh COURSE 10 preulcC0n can be made.
Portland and the projectors of the road have
made great boasts of its prospects, and the vol
untary assistance which it has received seems
to justify this confidence. The road from Port
land to Svanton passes through a section of
country hardly touched by railroads before, and
its local business will undoubtedly be good.
The enterprise commends itself to the public
chiefly because il is not beggar and has
grown upon its own merits.
The Rutland Herald while de1lorinp the
"short-sighted policy which delays the build
ing of grand thoroughfare from Portland to
Chicago through Rutland and Oswego," re-
ioices at the success of the Vermont division of
the Portland and Ogdensburg: 1t says:
This Portland and Ogdensburg road extends
entirely across the State in its widest place,
having one hundred and seventeen miles of its
two hundred and thirty upon Vermont SOIL
The three important places on the line Port
land, ST Johnsbury and Swanton, all begin to
feel the impulse given their material prosperi-
ty by the measure, though no two of them are
connected by rail. 1t is however. Intended
that by next summer the iron horse will 90
screaming thorough the rich valley of the 70,
noble, and ST. Johnsbury and Swanton will %o
brought within few hours of each other tn,
road shows one curious future in railroad bn;IJ1
ing. The engineers estimates for BUILDING
grading and ironing, it averages $4,000 per
mile. The actual average cost so far as finish
ed IS WI, 800 per mile, and the part built is the
most expensive portion.
In the course of a leader on problems of
Transportation" the New York Commercial
Advertiser says:
Another new railroad element is now intro-
duced, and that is a line from Portland TO 90
densburg, OF which 230 miles are between
Portland and Lake Champlain. About half Of