Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-12-20

The historian of the Poultney journal has
written an interesting article on the rail-
roads of the state, which we give below
ain the early days of railroads it was sup
posed they must run in straight lines. Thus
the first road built from Albany to Schenec-
tady was a straight line out of Albany; up
the hill it went, at the top of which was sta
tionary engine to draw the cars up. Expert
ments demonstrated that the engine would
draw the cars around curve The present
line was established, the old stationary was
dispensed with. Vermont had always reached
Boston by horse power; the roads were hilly.
Western Vermont must climb the Green
Mountains, the Surrey Mountains and the
many intervening high mountains. The
roads were building or completed from Boston
to Concord or Fitchburg. Some enterprising
spirits in Vermont conceived the idea of
constructing railroad from the western
portion of Vermont to intersect those roads
that lead to the sea board in Boston. Bur
lngton was conceded to be the starting
point. The Green Mountains have ever been
dividing line of the state; of course there
was contention and strife, should the road go
south from Burlington through the valley of
Otter creek, cross the mountains through
the Mount Holly gorge to Bellows Falls to
connect with contemplated road from
Fitchburg to Bellows Falls, or should it go
from Burlington to Montpelier, cross the
mountains, proceed southeast to the Con-
necticut, to connect with a projected road
from Concord, N. II. The friends of each
route were sanguine that their route was
the most feasible. There were some active,
earnest men engaged on both routes. Char
ters were very liberal. The route via Rut-
land was chartered as the Lake Champlain
and Connecticut river railroad. Timothy
Follett, John Bradley of Burlington, Tim
Strong of Vergennes, John A. Conant of
Brandon, G. Hodges of Rutland, may be
called the prime factors in this road, though
in every town through which the road was
to pass, there were active men who lent to
the enterprise their best efforts. The route
via Montpelier was passed by the state
legislature, giving a charter that would for
ever exempt the capital stock from taxation.
Charles Paine of Northfeld and DIR. Peck Of
Burlington were the master spirits in this
road. 1t was resolved to build both roads.
The charters were at various times amended
The Lake Champlain and Connecticut river
road was changed to the Rutland and Bur
lington; both after trials were finished.
Lawrence Brainerd and John Smith of st.
Albans and Mr.. Whittemore of Milton con-
ceiyed the idea of a road from Essex juno
ton to and through st. Albans to the lake.
Campbell, known as old Whitley, surveyed
the route. Myron IL. Clark of Manchester
wanted road from Rutland to Troy via
Manchester. Some enterprising genius had
conceived the idea of the great Hoosick
bore. The Troy and Boston railroad was in
an embryo state. Then Horace and Mer-
ritt Clark and others conceived the idea OF
a road from Rutland, via Castleton and
Poultney, TO Fort Ann. A. w. Hyde, Jo
seph Adams, W. c. Kittredge and Others
wished for road from Rutland to White
hall. A charter was obtained for road
from Rutland, either via Poultney or Fair
haven. Hugh Henry and others were the
originators of the Vermont Valley road
The Sullivan from Windsor to Bellows Falls
runs mostly in New Hampshire"