Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-02-08
Total gross receipts per day

Which multiplied by 800 days. gives S44.l75
As the gross yearly income From this de-
duct 50, 800, the revised estimate of cost Of
operating and maintaining the road, and there
is left SIS G7i As the ne. annual earnings, or
more than g per cent. on the estimated cost Of
the road
In almost every instance my correspond
dents in the different town. state that the
freghting business of their respective local.
ties would unquestionably be- crea-ed from
- to 100 per cent. by the facilities IA railroad
would furnish. Thi, is especially true of the
towns north OF jamaica along the head VIA
tiers Of the West river whose business is main
~ in coarse lumber. bark. chair stock. and
other wooden manufacture, all Of which need
cheaper transportation to be properly deyel-
Cpd and would find their natural market
South and East
And yet, in tho face Of fact, like thcsc.
youched for 10y the best men in the county.
who, being themselves engaged in the bust
ness, kH0ir whereof they affirm prominent
merchants and business men Of Battleboro
persist in procleiming that there is no bust
ness in the West River valley worth seeking
for, and that the people Of that section, now
struggling ii We're for self-preservation. do
not need, and ought not TO have, "A railroad
What did 10 oost 10 do the freighting and
staging business of the vest River valley last
year: A few stubborn facts, gathered also
from the same reliable sources may serve TO
open the eyes Of those who are not wlfullv
blind. To do the rcgUidr freighting and stag
ing business no account being made of the
occasional hauling of freight by farmers and
others-of the towns bordering on the West
river between Bratteboro and Jamaica during
the last year, there were constantly employed
10 horses and 81 men. and of the towns north
| Of Jamaica, not including Weston 90 horses
and 30 -aggregating for the whole valley
which would b. tributary TO this road POO
horses and 10 men. Adding the business Of
Weston TO that of the towns north of Jamaica.
that section furnishes more tons of freight.
and employs more men and horses than the
! territory south Of Jamaica But leaving Yves
ton out, aud estimating the cost of keeping
shoeiug, the uso and risk Of each horse. to-
! gether with the wear and tear of harness and
| wagon and other necessary equipment. at -
| cents per Gay ana lnt co0l or each man and
his expenses on the road at Sl5O per day. We
have this result
200 horses at 7ic per ay...................Sl5O
! 20 men at Sl.JU " ........................lO 100
Total cost of horses and men per day, $3.50
A sum exceeding the total estimated gross
earnings of the railroad between Brattleboro
and South Londonderry by SlO7.7j per day .
And this is only the nctua cost of maintain
ing this force of men and horses with no al
lowance for profits. II thus appears that the
staging and freighting business must have
cost the people of the West River valley. last
year in money actually paid ont 10 those con-
stantly employed in the business at least
$40, 600 more than would suffice 10 enable
this proposed road to pay six per cent. on its
entire capital It is also apparent, from the
large force employed in moving it, that the
preceding estimate of the amount of freight
furnished 10y the whole valley is very much
under the actual amount moved It should be
borne in mind, too, that the above figures are
based upon the business Of last year. with no
allowance for additions which a revival of
business will bring, nor for the large increase