Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-11-17
For the Freeman.
Vermont i'm the Future.

that requires the least expense, and there
fore it is only question of time when
ships of twenty four hundred tons will :.
come from the Caughnawaga canal into
Lake Champlain. From thence large ,
portion will be taken to eastern cities by
rail. Thus ours will become in II certain
sense seaboard state, accumuating great ,
wealth by her commerce, and large cities
will grow up along her shores. Agricul- -,
lure and manufacturing would of course
receive II powerful impulse.
While men are "busy here and there,
and varions subjects engage the public
mind, large tracts of new land in the great
north west are yearly taken up. aud are
adding millions of bushels of grain, i'm
mense herds of cattle, droves of horses, as
well as vast numbers of sheep and hogs,
to the grand total of our surplus products,
and giving Il large annual increase to the
stream of commerce that flows out from
our country into the markets of the world,
to bring the gold back to us
At no distant day this will have become
one of the largest streams of traffic in the
world The trade of ancient Venice, and
even of Rome in her palmiest days, VIII
not compare with it. And therefore it is,
that far seeing men-aware that great |
thoroughfares are 10 be builded that cities |
will grow up along the route that can
secure the bulk of this trade-enter into IL
strife that often amounts to a deadly war
! fare. Yet it. is evident that the laws of
gravitotion must evensually he the princi-
l pal causes that will determine which of
the great through routes will obtain the
lions share. That is, it will fall to the
one that can carry for the least expense.
+ The natural outlet for the west is by
: way of the great lakes and the st. Law
i renee. The early Observation-Disclosures,
toilette, LaSalle and others-following
the chain of lakes were trading with the
# natives and planting settlements on the
It Mississippi before Elliott preached to the
a Indians near Boston. They followed the
u easiest, the most natural route. and that
. is where the line of transportation will
d finally settle down. That continuous
y mountain chain, like wall along the
), coast, extending from Alabama to New
Il Brunswick, will always remain Il powerful
d element in determining the most feasible
W route. True, railroads can be built over
u mountains, but the laws of gravitation
v cannot be done away. Every foot of up
IN grade requires an increase of power, and
3. an increase of power requires an increase
'' of cost. Also every degree of curve in
le, the rail requires like Increase of power
and expense. So that, by the sure laws ol
C friction and gravitation the road tnat is
4. freest from up grades and short curves car
Of carry for the least expense, and therefore
to has constant advantage among the rail
S; roads.
II But transportation by water is cheaper
OF than any railroad. A bushel of wheat tina
Is costs eight cents by rail from Chicago tC
" Ogdenshurgh, can be carried by water fol
on two cents-just one quarter the cost b,
IT, railroad. 1t is just this one fact that i
ill making Montreal a rival of New York il
ey her exports of western produce. But the
IA: Ia, rapids of the st. Lawrence present imped
tid iments to navigation that make the build
,nt ing of the Caughnawaga canal necessar.
are to make a complete water route for vessel
ice of twenty -four hundred tons-the presen
Of capacity of the Welland canal. And thi
is II work so desirable that it does nc
~, w. seem probable that it will he long delayed
ner When this is done, II glance at the ma
ay, will show that Lake Champlain will be tn
,ed natural terminus of tine route of sue
ys ;yan vessels They could not 90 through t
ese New York, and if the Champlain can;
ION was so enlarged that they could, thei
ery cargoes would have to be transferred I
=" New York, before bong exported. Beside
this would be more than three hundre
ng- miles farther in going to an Europea
of of market than it would to unload on LAX
nat nat Champlain and convey the same to Bosto
ue by cars. Then again, New York has poo
to accommodations for docks and elevator
lie, ier besides the difficulties through He'll Cat
des Gs and over the bar at Sandy Hook.
Sc. 1t is said that Vanderbilt has bought tt
bill land to build up great city on the easter
ner ,er end of Long Island in order to escal
IN these difficulties of navigation.
rely Produce could be stored in elevators c
yor Lake Champlain, or transported to Bosto
me me where there is plenty of storage and
nty difficulties in harbor navigation. N
ery only by far is the most direct route fro
,sed Lake Champlain to Europe through Be
the the ton, but the grandest opening through Il
snd, mountain WALL before referred to, is Il
tire Winooski river, on the line of the Cent?
., Vermont railroad. Geologists tell us tn
bill. this cut through the backbone of the Gre
SAID Mountains cannot be accoun ed for exec
rider 49,, L1 &c ca - tb, o.r
oy va ages, for the future use of man. And til
: 10 has always been the most easy natul
for route, even for the natives before the 81
on tlement of the country by the white ma
'ierI GE True, the Hoosac Tunnel is Dor
through this same chain; still the curv
. OF and grades over the Berkshire hills ma
,,ica it an expensive route for hauling freigt
., so that we shall find that Vermont &C
ions
we're tains the easiest natural passage throu
the the mountains, which is along the W
wac ooski river.
rum Thus we find that this route, connect
of a
ming as it now is from Chicago TO Boston,
ad many advantages superior to all othe
First because it is line that folio
along the chain of lakes where the gra
is easy-nearly level all the way to
mountains, and then can pass throu
these with less cost than any other rs
.,lf road.
YOU 1t will be apparent that notwthstand
love the vast quantities of freight to be carr
be by water, there must still be a h