Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-12-15
VERMONT RAILROADS,
Something abou, rhc,r Earl, Day

something About Their Early DAYS.
\ short time since we copied remini:-
oence of early telegraphing in this State from
the Pouliney Jo"rhM. The historian Of that
paper has now written an equally interest
ing article on the railroads of the State which
we give below In the early DAYS Of railroads
, II was supposed they must run in straight
! lines. Thus the first road built from Albany
20 Schenectady was Il straight line out ct
Albany; mp the hill II Ncut, at the top Ut
which was stationary engine to draw the
cars up Experiments demonstrated that the
engine would draw the cars AROUND II curve.
The present line was established, the old S a.
liDnary was dispensed with. Vermont had
always reached Boston hy hons. power
the roads were billy. Western Vermont
must Climb the Green Mountains, the
Surrey Mountains and the many inter.
vcning high mountains. The r1ads wur.
building or completed from Boston TO
Concord and Fitchburg. Some enter
piising spirits in Vermont conceived The idea
of constructing n railr9ai from the western
portion of Ncrmont to interscct those roads
that lead to the sea board in Boston. Bur
lngton was conceded to be the stating point.
The Green Mountains have ever been III
vldins line in the State, of course there was
contention and strife should the road 90
south from Burlington through the Valley ut
Ot'cr Creek, cross the mountains through the
NJ unit Holly gorge to Bellows Fall, to con
meet with contemplated road from Fitch
burg 10 Bellows Falls, or should it 60 from
burlington to Montpelier, cross the noun.
lalnS, proceed southeast to the Connecticut.
TO connect with projected road f,um Con-
cord. y. ii. The friends If each route wrr,.
slnGulne that their route was the most fl.i
bic. There were some active. earnest mn
engaged on both routes. Charters were v rs
liberal. The route via Rutland WI.
chartered as the Lake Chnmpniu
and Connecticut river railroad. Tnu'hy
FolIett, John Bradley OF Burlington; Tn
Str NJ, Nergennes John a. COnant of Bran.
don; G.. Hodges Of Rutland, may be cillrd
The prime factors in tins road, though in every
town through which the road was to pass
there were active men who lent To III. en-
terpiisc their best efforts. The route via
Montpelier was passed by the S'a,c lcgisli.
tue, giving charter that would forever cN-
empt the capital stock from taxation. Charles
PANE Of Mortified, and DIR. Peek al Bur
llngton were tn" master spirits in tins road
1t was resolved to build 10th roads Tie
chlitcrs were at various times amended. The
Lake Champaign and Connecticut river
road was changed TO the Rutland and
Burlington; both after trials were fin.
Smith Of st. Adams and Mr.. White
more OF Milton conceived the idea OF IL
road iiom Essen junction 10 aud through
st. Adams TO the lake. Campbell, known "a,
old Whitley, surveyed the route. Myron Il
Clark OF Manchester wishc IA road from Rut-
land 10 Troy win Manchester. Some enter
prisn- MUS had conceived the idta OF the
great llposick bore. The Troy ~ Boston
Railroad was in an embryo state Then llor-
ace aud Merritt Clark and others conceived
the idea o! Il road from Rutland via Castle
| ton aud Poulncy, 10 Fort Ann \. W
Hyde. Joseph Adams, W. { Kitrdgc and
olh'r., wished for road from Rutland t.
| Whitehall. \ charter was obtained for -
| road from RIllarl, either via Poul,ncy or
| Fai,htvcu,
lIugl Henry aud others were tic orisiua-
tors %. Tie Vermont Valley rJad The sui
Ivan from Windsor to Bellows FAILS runs
mos ~ in New Hampshire.