Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-08-05
PORTLAND AND OGDESSBURG RAIL.
ROAD COMPANY.

The Committee on RAILROADS re-
ported the bill ia amendment of an
act entitled an act to grant a right of
way through this State to the Port
land & Ogdensburg Railfoad Com
pany, and recommended that the till
hc postponed to the next session of
the legislature
Mr.. Stevens of Nashua said he was
glad that the committee had made a re-
port on this bill, although he should OPP
pose it. He asked the clerk to read the
bill, which was done.
Mr.. Stevens then took the floor in OPP
position to the report OF the committee
and in favor of the bill. The road was
chartered by the State of Maine, and had
been built at an expense of two millions
of dollars, from Portland as far as the
Fabyan House. They now ask the priv
ilege of building it seventeen miles more,
through Carroll and Whitefield, to Dalton,
at SCOTS mills, to connect with the Yer
mont line from st. Johnsbury, and thus
give a continuous line from Ogdensburg,
N. Y, to Portland, Maine. The opposi-
ton to this bill came from the great line
of Railroads which extends from the Con-
necticut river and the Northern line of
New Hampshire to the city of Boston,
'Lyons Railroad" as it is called, which
seeks to control the legislation Of this
State. Where is the general Railroad
law that my brother Cross introduced
here this session? Where are the charters
thai have been asked for for the various
railroads in the State? They slumber in
the peaceful and quiet room of the Com
mittee on Railroads. He intimated that
some of the officers Of the House were
under the control or employ of the Mon
treal Railroad. Why are the Hobbies of
the House filled with the emissaries of
this Boston, Concord & Montreal Rail-
road, with even the King of the lobby in
it's employ? He urged that the House
should pass the bill asked for as matter
of right and justice.
Mr. Sinclair of Bethlehem opposed the
bill and spoke in favor of the report of
the committee. He desired that this Port
land & Ogdensburg Railroad be COMPEL
ed to build their road through Bethlehem
and Littleton, according to their original
charter and agreement.
How much longer can Mr.. Sinclair
say he "carries Coos County in his
pocket?
Mr.. Moore Of Nashua said that he had
no interest in the proposed road, as man
or stakeholder, and he only locked at the
question from the view of citizen and
legislator. Here was one railroad, the
Boston, Concord & Montreal, that was
entirely within the State, and which was
directly and intimately connected with
the State. The other road was connect
ed by sympathy, and through its bust
ness in other States, and was running il
| 4NCN IlulllDSHlIC NlGllJuU tCdl IOulCN
! ton with Us. 1t was the duty of thu
State to look out for its own interests
and unless there was some very good anC
proper reason why the railroad SHOULD
have this connection, it should not bt
passed by if it was to work any iniur.
to the Montreal road. AS the case stool
at present the Portland & Ogdensburs
road used some 10 or 90 miles of tn
Montreal road, and there was no com
plant but what the terms on which it wa
used were satisfactory, and if they wer
not satisfactory the supreme court c0ul,
appoint Il referee who could establish tn
terms. The arrangement had been in eX
istence for few months, and let it b.
tried for time, and then it could be Seel
if it could be apicably carried out or not
The construction of this new part of tn
road would cost some 100000, whic
the road could not afford, being in a bank
rupt state, and not able to pay its obliga
tions. The railroad fever the last fey
years, in this State, had led to some dis
astrous conclusions, and consequent
three new lines should not be built
they could be avoided, and especially whe
they become competing roads. Tha
policy seemed just for the present, q
: least. At any rate it would be no iniur
to the new road If it should use the MOI
treal road which was a road entirely will
in the State.
No doubt the arrangement is salts
factory to the B. G. & M. Road, bu
how is it with the people? The tariff
from Lancaster to the Fabyan Hous
f is so high that freight cannot be ship
ped on that road.-Si,Oooganock.