Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-11-19

The railroad from Whitehall to Platts-
burgh, on the west side of the Lake, has
become fixed fact 1t has been costly
lob. The heavy blasts of nitro-glycerine,
which for over year fairly shook our city,
on the other side of Lake Cbamplain, ten or
fifteen miles away, told Of expensive WORK
Tunnels and deep rock cuts are not made
for a song. Whether the road would have
ever been built if its cost had been fully
whether it can ever pay fair
interest on the outlay-are questions of little
interest to the general public. The road Is
built. The last rail was laid some days ago,
aud the formal opening will be celebrated a
few days hence. 1t has been put through
BIZ a great, rich and powerful corporation,
able to stand the expense, whatever 1t
NAV have been, and able to run the
road whether it pays or not. 1t will
open to railroad facilities the great iron re-
gion on the west side Of Lake Champaign
and it will form 4 new through line from
New York to Montreal by the way of Al
bany, Troy. Whitehall and Plattsburgh.
How much it can draw from the through
travel which now forms an important item
of the business Of the Central Vermont, re-
mains to be seen. One thing, however, IS
very clear. The opening Of an important
competing line adis a new and powerful
reason to plenty OF previously existing ones
why the owners and managers of the Yer
mont AMI Canada. Central Vermont, and
Rutland roads, should cease the strife and
litigation which sap the life of their COM
panies. and bend their united energies to
the accomplishment Of the measure which
alone Offer fall and satisfactory solution
OF the railroad problem-the Caughnawaga
Canal
The ship canal from the St. Lawrence,
which will turn into Lake Champlain the
tremendous tide Of breadstuffs from the
great Northwest, viii give our railroads
all tina; they can DO, at prices which
will at once make them, what they
never have been, paying enterprises.
They will no longer have any reason to keep
upa proftless competition with other trunk
lines for through business from the West,
they Will 10 longer have any occasion for
rivalry and strife among themselves for
there will be business enough for all.
Moreover. in thus benefting themselves,
they will. by furnishing cheap breadstutfs
in boundless supply, benefit every manufae-
turing interest in New England give en-
ployment to the unused water powers ;
build up the towns along their lines, in
crease the population Of the regions through
which they run, and 50 still further swell
their incomes. The ship canal will cure
hard times for every railroad stretching from
Lake Champain oat into New England and
to the sea-board. \ project so full of prom
i,e as this ofthe ship canal cannot die. The
enlargement Of the Welland Canal; the in
creasing diversion Of business from New
York city the depression in the lumber
trade and in manufactures throughout New
England, are all fresh reasons why it should
be taken up without delay and pushed
through to early completion. The cost Of
Iast litigation and strife among our rail
roads wouli have built the canal, and made
their bonds aud stocks the best investments
in New England i it not about time for
them t, abinian the costly luxury Of
strife, and TO jim hands for their own and
the public benefit