Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-04-18

THE CITIZENS MEETING WEDNESDAY.
\ meeting of the citizens of Burlington
who have an interest in the extension Of
the Northern Vermont and Lake Champlain
Railroad, from Essex Junction 70 this city,
and who would take such further steps for
an accurate survey of the projected route by
way of Potash Brook. as should be deemed
advisable, was called to order by Hon. Caro-
lus Noye,, chairman ofthe committee ON the
preliminary survey. On motion. Hon. p.
D. Ballou was chosen chairman Of themcot-
ing, and Charles f. Allen, Secretary.
The report Of VIM. Hale, Civil Engineer,
who was employed by the committee to
make the preliminary survey published in
our issue of the llth inst), was called for
and Fad by the Secretary.
Mr. Hale being present, was called upon
for any further information in respect to
the sub 'ect which he could give to the
meeting. lie said that he had Travelled over
the propo ,ed route within the past week
and he had seen nothing to materially
change his views. as expressed in his report
to the committee. In reply to several in
quiries made of him by different persons pres
ent. he said that it would require at least a
week TO complete an accurate survey of
the route, costing in the vicinity of
$500. As compared with the present route
of the Central road 10 Essex junction he
thought the distance was n trille more, in
all probability about eight miles. The
amount Of bridging would be about COO feet
A. compared with 1900 feet of bridging on
the Central branch. There was about 900
yards of rock cutting to be made on the
north bank of the WinO0Ski river Mt Hub
bells Falls and about 500 yards more he
tween that point and the summit which
would be between Spear street at the farm
of Jas. A. Shedd and the Winooski Turn
pike. The maximum grade would be about
20 feet TO Che mile, and that would all be
between the lake shore and the summit
Three-fourths of that distance, however,
would not pr obably exceed from 80 to 90
feet to the mile. From the general appear
ance of the soil, he was Of the opinion that
from the Shelbu IN road TO WinOOski river
it consisted of sand and gravel. After
crossing the rive r at Hubbel's Falls. he
should propose to come up to the grade of
the Central road on a grade of about GO feet
to the mile, which would require the Wi
noOski river bridge to be built about so
feet above the water. The rock upon which
the end abutments could be placed, on
either side of the river, arose some 10 feet
above the level of the stream. Judging
from n careful survey which he had made of
the route between Essex and Cambridge,
including the bridging, &c, ne estima-
ted that the road could be graded ready
for the ties, for $4,000 per mile, which
estimate would include the expense of
bridges. Several miles of this could be
built for less than half that sum per mile.
The fencing would cost, say, Sl.5O per rod.
With reference to using the Central road
bed to the junction, he thought that Meth
er the tunn el nor the bridges would admit
Ola double track. 50 that trains could pass
each other, without their being entirely re-
built which would be very expensive work.
And while the rock cuttings at the Lime
Kiln and otller points on that route could
be more che; lply widened than to be cut
through anew, he tn ought that the amount
of rock cutting as COZ upared with the pro-
iected route would be much greater. He
considered the expense of rock cutting to be
at least ten times great, n than earth exca-
walton. He said that ha wing examined no
other route than the one suggested to him
he was unable to give his opinion as to the
feasibility of any other.
Mr.. Lawrence Barnes, hav ins' been called
upon. said that he was of the opinion that
that route should be selected which, under
all the circumstances, would afford the
gre atest railroad facilities at the least ex-
pen e. That while he could not state the
fact officially, he thought that not only
could arrangements be made with the Cen
trail i.oad, to accommodate the new road
from his city to Essex Junction, but that
thew 5ould be glad to make such arrange
ments. That he had never hea I'd a word
from seen any opposition manifested by
the &c ntral road against this new road, and
he did not think that any such ieeling. OF
hostility existed. He thought the public
require d the depots of the two rOa ds to be Il
commo one. and that although Inc had the
utmost confidence in the future prosperity
and inc. rease of this city, he consi Tered that
the sing lie trac k of the Central road from
here to Essex would be sufficient to transact
all the business of the two roads for the next
ten y, ears at least.
Hon. Levi Underwood suggested TO the
comm .ittee the possible feasibility of the
route from the Lake shore to Essex by the
way of the Sunderland Hollow, passing a
few rods south of the Shipman hill. and
eros sing North Avenue through the depres-
sion south of John a. Arthur's residence
Also, a route extending north to Mallett's