Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-03-17
Hardwlck T. Marshfleld Railroad.


hr. Editor In these days OF booms" in
nearly everything Improvements in means and
facilities for commercial intercourse should not be
among the least. In fact, the lifeblood OF COM
merce, and nations as WELL flows through these
channels, and, ms they are multiplied to meet the
public demand, to supply the needs of widely
developing commerce like our own, they natu-
rally give our people and country many and great
advantages. The construction OF new lines of
railway to develop or improve business is already
receiving considerable attention in all sections Of
the country. The Importance and magnitude our
exporting commerce has attained, especially in
agricultural productions, drawn mainly from the
great west, should naturally draw the attention
Of capital and commercial interests to the extern
sion and improvement Of our facilities for COM
mercial intercourse with that section The great
improvements now in progress for enlarging the
capacity of the Canadian canals, when fully COM
pleted as they will be, cannot fail to greatly
increase traffic through the great lakes and St
Lawrence, with our New England seaboard cities
now engaged in foreign trade Anticipating an
important increase OF business on that account
Osdensburg, Montreal, Boston aud Portland are
already moving and making preparations to grasp
control, and accommodate all possible of this pros.
pective increase OF trade Capitalists and rail-
road interests are actively forming combinations
everywhere To increase or strengthen their con-
troll of future business. Boston, from its intln-
ence and position as the commercial center and
market OF New England, must naturally in the
future as in the past control large share of this
western trade. The facilities for business afforded
by the water transportation through the lakes and
st. Lawrence, and the railway system connecting
Boston Herewith, must have much to do in deter
mining the magnitude and extent of that citys
export trade, and its future growth commercially
Montreal and Ogdensburg, from their natural po-
sition must more and more become the entire
pots or centers of Il vast commerce between our
eastern or seaboard cities and the great west
The present railway system seems unable to fully
accommodate the present volume of business
and with its prospective increase upon the com
pletion OF the Canadian canals improvement
which we feel confident will be realized, their in
deqnacy must certainly be more sensibly felt
The laws governing supply and demand must
have practical application here, to the creation of
new facilities for the transaction of business t.
meet the requirements of an immense and con-
SANITY increasing trade 1t is very evident the
vast commercial interests involved will come for
ward to supply this demand in the extension OF
the present railway capacity, or the establishment
OF new lines where practicable
In this connection would call the attention
of capitalists, aud of railroad and commercial in.
terests also, to the desrability and eminent feast
bility OF a new railway line connecting the grea,
lake and river navigation with Boston, which can
ba made easily and phaanlv itah Ia 20
public need present or prospective, both for local
and through business. To make the new pro
posed line complete requires the construction OF
only fifteen miles of new road connecting the St
Johnsbury & Champlan road at Hardwick with
the Montpelier Wells River at Marshfeld. This
new section OF road was chartered as the Hard
wick & Marshfeld railroad" and surveyed in tn,
spring OF 1873, The surveys determined the dis
lance and practically proved the eminent feast.
bity Of the route. The local interests could no
be expected to contribute much financial aid
its construction, owing to burdens of debt alread
incurred to aid existing railway lines. The tinau
cial panic of 1873 chilled the enterprise at thai
time, and, no doubt, alone prevented it's early con
structon upon the completion of the SURVEYS
This delay can In no way detract from the merl
of the route, or Affect the evident advantages re-
sulting from the construction OF the road loo Ally
considered, or its great Importance as an indi--
pensable link In grand thoroughiare for througl
business. The present roads connecting Swan.
ton, Vermont, with Montreal and Ogdeusbnrg
together with the St Johnsbury & thamplain
west Of this point (liardwieS) the Hardwick 4
Marshfield, Montpelier & Wells River and Bos
ton, Concord 4 Montreal roads, comprise the new
proposed line. Being shorter than any existing
line between the same points, and comparing
fayorably with them In all the essentials of a
good road, II could not fail In competing success
fully, or 10 attract and control permanently
large business, directly upon its establishment
Hnston husnpss intprests and the al
way interests comprising the new line, should
fully comprehend it, importance and hasten II
completion, rs they alone would share its chic
benefits.
comparison OF distances, by the different
routes, between Montreal and Boston, derived
from the most reliable data at hand, shows the
following result: Montreal to Boston via New
port White River junction and Concord 1856
miles; via Newport, Wells River, and Boston
Concord Montreal railroad, 3il miles; via
Montpelier, White River junction and Concord
'sA miles via Montpelier, Wells River, and Bos
ton, Concord Montreal railroad 333 miles via
Burlington, Bellows Falls and fitchburg 331
miles; via Swanton, ST. Johnsbury, Wells River
and Boston, Concord & Montreal railroad, 3i6
miles; via Swanton, Hardwck, Marshheld, Wells
River and Boston, Concord Montreal railroad
32T miles.
In this comparison we have given the shortest
routes those doing the bulk OF the through bust.
ness Aside from It's value and importance AS n
thoronghfare, many local advantages
for travel and business. By II this valley would
be brought into direct communication with Mont
peer, the state capitol, with but thirty miles
from this paint only exceeding by about -four
miles the shortest possible rail route Under
present conditions Boston has sharp competi ton
with more favored points in the supply trade of the
Lamoille valley and territory tributary thereto |
and AS result has lost much OF It's former SUI |
The establishment Of the proposed rail- |
way line would do much 10 restore the contro Of the
trade 10 that city, being the shortest possible line
by which this valley can be reached, and many |
miles less than by any other route Boston must |
continue To be the great commercial center and |
market place for this section rs well as for most |
OF New England, and every man having anything |
10 buy or sell must always feel an active interest |
in securing the best advantages OF the best mar
ket, and should have faith and confidence TO en- |
courage an enterprise calculated to achieve such |
a result Local interests being powerless from |
force OF circumstances 10 make the Hardwick |
Marshfed railroad living reality, It remains for |
the great commercial interests involved, those |
most benefited by It's construction, to do the work
and add another great commercial highway |
between the east and west for which this route is
so admirably adapted. When will this road be |
built? Is question often asked. We can only |
answer, when public attention is fully arou ed tn |
its necessity and Importance, and that time will !
come when the matter Is investigated by those |
who mean business, and are able to put their |