Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-18
Mr.. DavcnporTs Attack On the New
Railroad.

The animus of Mr. Charles n Davenport
attack on the Brattleboro q Whitehall rail
road and its friends and promoters, in the
last number of the Windham County Reform
er is so entirely patent to every intelligent
person as to completely disarm it Of the ef-
feet which il was intended to produce. In
fact, so accustomed have this community be
come TO that gentlemen's persistent, though
always futile attempts, to make himself u sort
of supreme dictator in every public matter Of
local interest, and to ruin that which he can
not rule, that it would be next to impossible
that large majority of people should not
look with distrust upon and refuse to believe
in any cause, attack or hobby, in the Rdvoca-
cy of which he might choose to shake the
''bull-rag," or pirate with unctious words
about honesty" and reform"
So far any reply is necessary to Mr..
Davenports false and entirely unwarranted
manner of construction of the new railroad,
that reply has been made in statements pub
lished in our columns to-day, both from the
directors and the contractors, which cover
every possible point at issue, and the Ian
guage Of which is unequivocal and permits Of
no double Interpretation. We desire how
ever, to add few words of our own upon
some of these points on which we can speak
from our own personal knowledge.
Mr.. Davenport's assertion that ''the vote of
Brattleboro, by which she bonded herself for
$4,000, was procured by false representa-
tons and bare-faced lying and with the
distinct assurance and understanding that the
route by way Of Esteyville and Centreville
should be adopted, and his further assertion
that the new road has been made dependent
on the Vermont Valley railroad forever, are
both so entirely destitute of truth and art so
completely answered by both the contractors
and the directors in their statements, as to
require no notice from us, and the same is
true of the statement which finds place in
the editorial columns of the Reformer that
by changes several times made in the route.
for the purpose of putting extra profits in the
pockets of the contractors, the land damages
have been enhanced by Sl2, 600 or Sl5, 1000
a statement which is seen TO be utterly alb
surd and ridiculous when the fact is known
that the whole land damage on the line,
through to South Londonderry, will hardly
exceed the smaller of the sums thus reckless
ly named.
1t is, therefore, chiefly in regard TO the
manner in which the work of construction on
the road is being performed that We wish to
speak, and few words on this subject will
suffice. One of the chief objects of Mr.
Davenport's would-be thrusts is the masonry
of the road. On point like this the evil
dence of ones own eyes is most convincing
We suppose, and are sure, that there are COM
pRrRtively few of the men of Brattleboro 10
say nothing of the women, who have not at
least once in the last three months visited the
mouth of the West river and inspected the
bridge abutments in process of construction
there and they have been able 10 Judge
whether those abutments have been made as
strong and substantial as heavy granite blocks,
bedded in cement, on a solid foundation,
could make them. We know this, at least,
that it has been a common remark relative TO
this masonry, that more solid work could not
have been done were these abutments intend
ed for any Of the great through lines or for
any traffic however heavy or continuous.
Such as this masonry is, we desire 10 assure
our readers, from our own knowledge and in
spection, is all the masonry on the line in
Guiding the piers at West Dummerston, and
the piers and abutments at both the Branch
and Salmon Hole bridges these being die i'm
portant bridges Oh the line. The eulverts
so CONTEMPORARY referred to, are ample il
number, and il every instance are Of wide
dimensions and built Of heavy stones. The
ties, against which it is attempted to make
telling thrust, are such as the contract call
for, such as can be obtained along the line O.
the road, and such as the company can afforI
TO buy and pay for. All the ties are subjec
TO inspection and acceptance by the chief en-
gineer, or the officers of the road, and NJ
spruce ties have been or viii be accepted
A good many Brattleboro people havt
walked over the first two miles of the new
road bed beyond the West river bridge in
Guiding the fill through the Bradley meadow
the heavy rock work on the side of the noun
tain opposite the Estey farm and the fill an
rprRp beyond, and are undoubtedly Statistic
a. 10 whether this is honest work As we sal
of the masonry, so we say of the earth an
] rOek work. speaking from our own ObserFl