Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-07-15
Burlington & LamOIlle r. X.

Burlington & LamOille r. r.
The citizens committee appointed b
the Mayor of Burlington, reference t
which has been heretofore made, has re
ported at length quoting the correspon
dence between it and Hon. Horace Fair
banks, recitiug the account of the excur
sion to and meetings at st. Johnsbury
the many advantages that would accrue
to Burlington if the road should be built
and strongly urging the Importance o.
doing this work at once. Delay in this
matter is fall Of peril to the principal in
forests of this city. There is no reason
whatever to suppose so favorable an Offer
as we now have from the Portland and
Ogdensburg Company will ever again be
made us. After that company has com.
plsted its road to Swanton and invested
largely in docks, Morehouses aud other
terminal facilities, it will not be likely to
give any encouragement to project like
ours, which could only tend to depreciate
those investments by divertiug traffic from
Swanton, where it could take it upon its
own terms to Burlington, where it could
only be obtained by sharp competition
with other hues."
The committee finally "reccommend to
the city to aid in the construction of the
road to an amount not exceeding one hun
dred and seventy-fve thousand dollars, by
subscribing to the capital stock, the sub.
soription to be paid by the issue of bonds
of the city, or by the proceeds thereof"
The letter written by Mr.. Fairbanks to
this committee is here given:--
DC. Linsley, Esq, Chairman of Rail-
road Committee.
4. DEAN SIR-Your favor of the 25th inst.
came duly to hand asking us to submit to
you plan for the construction and opera
ton of railroad connecting the Portland
and Ogdeosburg Railroad with the city Of
Burlington and our conclusions as to the
route, estimates Of the cost and the aid
which the Portland and Ogdensburg Rail.
road line is prepared TO render to the
proposed railroad connection.
will endeavor to answer your inquiries
as fully and plainly as possible. During
the past two or three years we have had
considerable correspondence and several
interviews with citizens of Burlington re-
specting the Importance of this connection.
We then represented Vermont interest
seeking an outlet at Lake Champlain, with
especial reference to the local trade of the
country through which our railroad runs.
An all rail connection with the lake at
Burlington then was our principal object,
and to secure this we entertained and dis.
cassed several routes by which that end
could be secured, and among them con
snectiop with the Vermont Central Rail.
road at Essex Junction.
Events Rbaeh have recently TRANSFERRED,
have In some respects changed the situa.
ton. The Vermont Division, by perma-
neut contract receady entered into, has
become . part of new important railroad
line, connecting TIE Western lakes Mon
treal and Lake Champlain at Swanton,
with the ocean, both at Portland and Bos-
ton. We regard these contracts as en-.
sa.lng the entire completion Of the through
line atan early day, and while connec.
top With the lake at Burlington is quite
as important to rs as it ever has been,
the necessity 09haying that connection in.
depept OF other companies has become i'm.
perative.
We cannot, therefore. interest ourselves
10 building a railroad to Essex Junction.
A connection at Essex might accommodate
the local trade in Vermont reasonably
well, but single track from Essex to
would be wholly inadequate
for the present and prospective business
pr the two lines. A second track along
The present railroad, With its three expen.
sive bridges. it's tunnel and heavy rock
and earth work. would cost much more
han an independent limo on cheaper
route which can easily be laid. However
we'll disposed to this enterprise the man.
,gcrs Of the Vermont Central Railroad