Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-12-18
from the Springfield Republican,
a Railroad Project OF Much Local In
tpreat.

a Railroad Project OF N uch Local In
tereat.
One of the most important of the recent
railroad projects is the proposed narrow
gauge railroad from Shelburne Falls north
to Sherburue, VT, to form connecting
link in a through line to lower Canada.
John Spraguc, an influential citizen OF
Conway, is the prime mover in this new
enterprise, aud has caused thorough sur
Vcy to be made of the entire 10 miles con-
shutting the southern link of the proposed
line, the construction of which he feels
confident will be begun as soon asthe fiuan-
cial condition Of the country i somewhat
improved. The towns along the line OF
the proposed road, with few exceptions
enthusiastically favor the project, and have
already authorized Mr.. Sprague To organ
ize company and proceed with the rails
ing of the necessary funds. After leaving
the Troy and Greenfield railroad station at
Shelburne Falls, and following up the North
river, the line passes through the towns of
COleraine in Massachusetts, and Halifax
Nottingham and Wilmington in Vermont,
at an ascending grade of about 50 feet to
the mile TO the state line, and at grade Of
50 feet to tho summit in Wilmington; from
there the grade is descending Al the rate OF
about 80 feet to the mile for four miles to
the Deerlield river, and thence the line
runs up the east bank OF the river, first al
grade of 90 feet to the mile, which soon
decreases TO 30 feet, the latter sra 10 being
followed for about 20 miles through the
towDs Of SearsDurg and Somerset 10 STRAIT
ton, where il passes the summit and high
est elevation on the whole line, about POO
feet above tide-water. From the summit
begins descent OF about 10 feet to the mill
through the towns of Stratton and Jamai-
ca to the West river, which it follows at
descending grade of from 50 20 40 feet for
"A miles, passing within half mile OF ia
malca village thence ascending at an av-
erage grade of about 40 feet to the mile the
proposed road will run through the towns
of North and South Londonderry to the
south line of Weston, at which point an as
cendinH nEaln-aAf s-L l. 4. n lie is en-
countered for 10 miles. This brings il 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 Rut-
land railroad as surveyed about - years
ago, and at q 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 grade of 90 feet for 10 miles to the
Black river in Plymouth, aud proceeds
thence up Black river at a grade of % feet
to the mile TO the terminus of the road at
Sherburne, where 1t connects with the
charter has been granted by the Vermont
Legislature, company formed. books
opened for stock aud considerable por-
ton of the necessary amount for building
raised. From Montpelier to the north line
of the state at North Troy a charter has al
so been granted for a road a company
formed, and it is expected that work will
be begun on this section, next spring.
From Troy to Richmond, Canada, a dis
lance of GO miles, and the northern termi-
nus of these lines, the road is now being
built by a force of over 800 workmen.
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 90
miles from any parallel railroad, and
large portion of the way through heavy
spruce timbered wild lands, they must as
soon as constructed have large freighting
business. Most of the way, the land is re-
markably smooth for so mountainous re-
gion, and extremely favorable for the con-
struction of n narrow-gauge road, at small
average cost per mile compared with the
expense of building the common rail-
roads. charter for the Deertie!d riv-
err railroad (as the southern line is to he
called) in Vermont has been petitioned for
from the Vermont Legislature and will I'M
doubleday be granted, while the Massachu-
sets portion of the line can be constructed
at any time, no charter being required un-
der the new general railroad law. The
grade OF the road, II is claimed. will in no
place exceed that of the Boston and Alba
ny road.
The cost Of the road from Sheburne
Falls to Sherburne is estimated at els, 900
per mile, and ii is claimed that the land
damages would be almost wholly given to
the road. The people of Wilmington, VI,
will build the road within their own bound
aries, a distance of eight miles, while the
other towns on the line will bond them
selves for per cent on their valuation.
The width of the Deerlield River road will
be three feet, and 1t is claimed that the cost
of its construction Will be less than one
half thai of the broad gauge, as it will ad.
NIT Of sharper curvatures, thereby follow
ing around upon the face of side hills,
avoiding heavy cuts and much of the ex-
pensive work of building the common
roads. The track and the rolling stock al
so cost only about one-half as much as the
broad gauge TO do the same amount ofbusi-
ness. The passenger cars proposed for this
road are TO he 80 feet long, with half double
and the other hall single seats, and with ca
pacity for seating 80 passengers, while the
freight cars will carry from five to six
tons each. Arrangements will be made
with connecting roads for the transfer of
freight, so that tho cost of transfer will not
be more than 10 cents per ton. The speed
of freight trains on narrow gauge roads
mas III many cases Deen equal 10 ROADS OF
ordinary gauge, thus demonstrating, il is
claimed, the practicability of narrow
gauge roads to do any and all business that
may be required of them, and at a much
less cost than the roads of ordinary gauge.
There are at present completed in the Uni
ted States about 100 miles of narrow gauge
railroads, and in the Canadas 433 miles,
while in many portions of Europe narrow
gauge roads are in successful operation.
Some friends of the enterprise believe that
the increased valuation of the timbered
lands in the three towns of Searsburg,
Somerset and Stratton alone after the con-
struction Of the proposed road would lie
sufficient to pay for building the entire ITO
miles. Some of the supporters of the prof.
ect are sanguine enough TO believe that a
year from now will see the road well un-
der way, and that only few years will be
required for the completion OF the entire
line TO Canada.
In case the Deerlield River road is built,
the New Haven and Northampton railroad
have in contemplation the i'm
portant project of securing a northern out
let by extending their line to Shelburne
Falls, thence to connect with the Deerfied |
River road. 1t was discovered some time |
ago, that the extension of their line from |
Williamsburg to Shelburne Falls, as was |
intended, was impracticabe, |
owing to the heavy grade to be surmount- |
ed and the large amount of work required, |
as In some instances the grade would be |
over 80 feet to the mile and very heavy |
rock-work would be necessary. Within a |
year, however, new line has been sur