The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-16
A RAILROAD PROJECT
OE MUCrs LOCAL INTEREST.

OF MgCus LOCAL INTEREST
a Ncs ssoad Proposed from ShcI-
burnc Fails into Northern Vermont
"A Northern Outlet for the New
fgaycn and Northampton Road.
Onc o, he most important of recent rail-
road pioi cts is tie prop ed narrow guage
railroad from ShelbuNe Falls north to
Sh'r' Hrnc. VI. to f. IA Il connecting link
N lrur Il line 'o iower Canada John
SpNguc. rs. lnhu, ial citizen of Conway,
is the prime mover in this new enterprise,
and has caused thorough survey to be
made of the entire ITO miles constituting
the southern link oil The proposed line, the
construction Of which he feels confident
will be begun Gs sCOn as the finahcial con-
diion Of the Country is somewhat improved.
The towns along the line of the proposed
road, with few exceptions, enthusiastically
favor the project, and have already author
lied Mr.. Sprague 10 organize a company
and proceed with the raising of the neces-
sary funds. After leaving the Troy and
Greenfield railroad station ut Shcburne
Falls, and following up the North river,
the lAc passes through the towns of Cole
rainc in Massachusetts,, and Halifax, Whit
tingham and Wilmington in Vermont, at
al ascending grade of about 50 feet to the
mile 20 the state line, and at grade of so
ii, To-
here the grade is descending at the rate of
about so feet to the mile for four miles to
the Dcerfield river, and thence the line
runs up the east bank of the river, first at
grade Of 60 feet to the mile, which soon de-
creases TO 30 feet, the latter grade being
followed Tor about 90 miles through the
towns of Scarsburg and Somerset to STRAIT
ton, where it passes the summit and high
est elevation on the whole line, about 9, 100
feet above the tde-water. From the sum-
nit begins descent of about rs feet to the
mile through the towns of Stratton and
Jamaica to the West river, which it follows
at descending grade of from 80 to 40 feet
for q miles, passing within half mile of
jamaica village thence ascending at an
average grade of about 40 feet to the mile,
the proposed road will run through the
town of North and South Londonderry to
the south line of Weston, at which point
an ascending grade of so feet to the mile is
encountered for 10 miles. This brings it
to another summit near the north line of
Weston, at an elevation of about 1000
feet. From this point the route proceeds
near the old line of the Brattleboro and
Rutland railroad as surveyed about % years
ago, and at descending grade of about 60
feet to the mile for something like nine
miles to the Rutland railroad, which it
crosses at Summit station in Mount Holly,
at an elevation of about 80 feet above the
tracks. The route descends from this sta
ton at a grade of 60 feet for 10 miles to
Black river in Plymouth, and proceeds
thence up Black river at a grade of 35 feet
to the mile to the terminus of the road al
Sherburne, where it connects with the
Montpelier and Rutland line, for which q
charter has been granted by the Vermont
legislature, company formed, books OPEN
ed for stock and considerable portion OF
the necessary amount for building raised.
From Montpelier to the north line of the
state at North Troy Il charter has also been
granted for road, company formed, and
it is expected that work will be begun or
this section next spring. From Troy tc
Richmond, Canada, distance of 60 miles
and the northern terminus of these lines
the road is now being built by force OF
over 800 workmep.
One OF the strongest claims for these new
lines Is that, passing along the eastern
slope of the Green mountains, nearly in
the center Of the state, averaging about q
miles from any parallel railroad, and
large portion of the way through heavy
spruce timbcred wild lands, they must a
soon as constructed have Il large freightin!
business. Most of the way the land is re
al l,-c on tot N pa
gion, and extremely favorable for the con
struction of narrow guage rold, at small
average cost per mile compared with tn
expense of building the common railroads
a charter for the Deeriield River railroa
Gas the northern line is to be called in Vci
mont, has been pettiOned for from tn
Vermont legislature, and will undoubtedl
ho granted, while the Massachusetts porto
Of the line can be constructed at any time
10 charter being required under the ne,
general railroad law. The grade of tn
road, il is claimed, will in no place cxcee
that of the Boston and Albany road.
The cost Of the road from Shclburn
Falls to Sherburn is estimated at Sl5, 90
per mile, and it is claimed that the Ian
damages would be almost wholly given t
the road. The people of Wilmington, VI
VIII build the road between their ow
boundaries, distance Of eight miles, Will
the other towns on the line will bond then
selves for $ per cent on their valuation
'lhe width of lie Deerfield river road wi
be three feet, and it is claimed that the CO.
of its construction will be less than on
half that of the broad guage, as it will az
mt OF sharper curvatures, thereby follow
ing round upon the face OF side-hlls, avoi(
ing heavy cuts and much of the eXpensi,
work OF building the common roads III
track and the rolling stock also cost onl
about one-half as much as the broad guag
to do the same amount of business. III
passenger cars proposed for this road are
be 30 feet long, with half double and III
other half single seats, and with a capacit
for seating 30 passengers, while the freigl
cars will carry from five to six tons eacl
Arrangements will be made with connec
ing roads for the transfer of freight. (
that the cost Of transfer will not be mo-
than 10 cents per ton. The speed of freigl
trains on narrow guagc roads has in man
cases been equal TO roads of ordinary guae
thus demonstrating, it is claimed, the pra
ticability OF narrow guage roads to do ar
and all business that may be required
them, and at much less cost than Il
roads of ordinary guaec There are
In, T.,t