Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-09-03
For the Waterman.
Montpelier Il White River Railroad.

was so prosperous. You and are both Of
the same mind in regard to the acquisition Of
the almighty dollar" 1t is the one thing
to be soughtafler at all times and in all places
and when acquired, kept, and made to earn its
interest. You know very well how dilatory |
am usually in answering friendly letter, and
quite likely should have paid no attention to
yours if you had not onquired about our rail-
road. On that subject profess to be well
posted | have had "peep behind the scenes, "
and fancy understand the whole matter, at
least from my point Of view.
Perhaps it will interest you to learn just how
the matter stands in relation to the Montpelier
Il White River railroad When the town OF
Barre was bonded in aid Of that road, con-
lcss felt rather Indifferent about it; in fact
failed to see just how we were coming out.
Since then, the more have thought about it,
the greater my aversion to the enterprise, be
cause am not alone in my detcsiation OF the
railroad project through on the Gulf route
There is Judge --, Capt. -, Col. --, and Esquire
-, and many other influential men in this town,
who feel exactly rs do, and We are perfectly
agreed and united in our opposition to the
railroad. We all, or nearly oil, well under
stand that a railroad to Barre, prolonged
through the Gulf to Royalton, would be Of in
estimable value to thistown, as well as To all the
other towns on tho route You ask, why then
not favor it.? | answer, because will not. The
road will never benefit me. but it will benefit
some men in this town that ! do not want
should be helped in this way, More than that,
am bound never topay anything to encouuge the
enterprise. lf \. b. and G. desire a railroad,
let them build it, and pay for it themselves,
and not call on me for assistance. Ny money
is my own, and you can put me into the insane
hospital just as soon ms you find me paying ont
money willingly TO help and OF any Of that
clique. what DO care for the material pros
pority Of Barre, or Wiliamstown, or Brook
field, or East Randolph, OF Bethel2 What do
care for schools or academies in Barre, OF the
granite lodges? We have no call 10 help --
sell his granite.
We know very well that the main reason why
the New York folks did no, take Barre granite
for theirncw State House, was thecost of trans
poratiou from the ledge to the cars. So they
90 all the way to llallowcll, in the State of
Maine for it. There are nowabout six hundred
men employed in that city, cutting stone for
them. Only think Of six hundred stone cut
tcrs in Barre Why, 10 would ruinus morally
unless they were picked men This fact has
no effect upon my mind, not the least. Father
and put $4,000 last spring where it will
earn US ten per cent, and we shall get that.
railroud or nonilroud We are all Of us fully
determined not to pay or help to pay the bonds
Of this town, if we can possibly avoid il. We
shall oppose the sue Of the bonds with all
our might.
Think Of it our tax would be several hun
bred dollars in our family. The town was
bonded legally, all admit and a year ago last
spring | thought the road would be built To-
spite of us But our friends come TO time no.
bly,, and instead of breaking ground and com
mencing work, as most people expected, not a
dollar could the directors raise out OF this
town. because the commissioners could no;
agree 20 sign the bonds. Delay was the order
of the day until the charter expired. Tint wa.
our % best hold" and admirably has it full
| filed its promises
The directors and company came very neal
losing their charter last fall but ut the last
moment they rallied and succeeded in renew
| ing it, but the enterprise seems dead enough
now, and, Of course we shall keep still as long
as they do. We have several rods in pickle lol
them when they do make their next move. In
point Of fact | think We have them safe and
sure. will tell yoa why think so. In III,
first place, the directors will not be likely t,
begin in earnest to build the road, unless they
have some encouragement from the Central Yer
mont that after the bonded money is expended
they will complete the work When we con
slider the fix the Central is now in, the proba-
bilities arc not favorable for constructing the
road in that way
Then let me tell you there is strong opposi
ton, not only in this town, but in Montpelier
incredible as it may appear. To bosurc. Mont
pelier folks do not say much, but majority
are with Us, and when it becomes necessary they
will fight in earnest The mere locating III,
road between the " Coffee House and Mont
pelier is chock fall Of difficulties, as you will
see Neither the directors nor the Central
would be expected to favor junction with the
Wells River road at the " Coffee House, and
if it is located On the right Of way of that road
they will be compelled TO pay roundly for tn,
privilege. There is then left the route on the
west side Of the river, to connect with the Cen
tral at the Langdon meadow, which would
breed a hurricane Of wrath in Montpelier If il
WAS attempted. Now what can they do.
Nothing will be done this year; then there will
remain less than four years for the charter t.
die a natural death. Delay is the watchword
that binds our friends together We are all
things to all men, and perceive that the talk
Of a railroad 10 the " Coffee House, " as a sort
Of compromise, finds many friends We favor
that place now, and shall continue to do so, un-
til we can kill the through route Then We
can easily dispose Of the spur because Just
as certain as We succeed in defeating tho
through route, just so certain we will defeat the
spur" The people Of Barre will never raise
money for constructing railroad to the Wells
River road while there remains the liability to
pay what they have already voted You see
the point. No spur can be built till after 1877.
We intend to fight every inch of the way,
and place every obstruction possible in the way
of the Gulf route, and for one, am deter
mined Barre shall never have a railroad.
II is obvious to the dullest mind that the friends
Of the through route will be mad enough to
vote down all aid to the spur. So that is set
tied Now, cousin Tin, have an idea to an
nounce, which for the present you must keep
Make no words about it to anybody. 1t
is this when the defeat of the railroad en-
terprise is made certain, want you to sell out
and join with me in opening a wholesale and
retail -four store near the Coffee House. 8"
We can keep iron, nails, salt, and other heavy
articles to accommodate the surrounding towns
The Wells River folks will put up cheap de-
pot for us, and we can undersell all large deal
ers in this county. Transfers and farmers
will not travel over the two miles of spring
and fall mud between there and Montpelier. if
we can load them at our store We could also
deal in standard cloths, if there was money in
the trade. Think of it, and inform me of the
result, From your loving cousin, JONI.
The Mississippi Republicans make
regular "protracted meeting of their state