Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-17
she EN-Dclcgatcs.
NAQgAIl.
Growth ana Prospects os the Metro
polls.

Our readers will remember that, among
other appropriations under Tie obnoxious
River and llalbJr Bill, was one providing
for a brcakwater at Il place called Maquam,
on Lake Champlair. Inquiry revealed the
fact that Maquam was locality, on one of
the northern bays of the lake, distinguished
from The surrounding wilderness by two or
three small houses, Summer hotel and
coal shed. Ii was upon this coal she'd that
the budding hopes of the young metropolis
were fixed, aud for its sake request was made
for an appropriation to cover the expense of
building brcaliwatcr. And why such I'M
portancc atlath hing to Il coal shed ! Because
under the auspices Of the St. Johnsbury and
Lake Champaign railroad company this shed
was TO be The great depot for the distribution
OF coal throughout the northern and eastern
part OF Tie State, and the laden bargcs must
be protected from the waves while unloading
at the docks. The scheme was to be one of
mammoth prOpoltlons-nOlhing less than
an attempt to divert the bulk OF the coal
trade in Northern Vermont from the Queen
City to the inclpent metropolis of the Fair
bankscs and Jcwetts. The support of the
great manufacturing interests under the con-
troll OF the iailrold company was at once as
sured to the new settlement, and efforts were
made to build up enough of a place so that
tourists and campers would not mistake the
breakwacr for a fishing station. But for
some reason, the colonization OF Maquam has
not been rapid. Perhaps its natural advGn-
tages are against 1t but, although 1t certain
ly does not present the appearance OF II land
scape park, II Is not much worse than the
desert OF Sahara or the pine plains of Chit
tenden county and animal life has been sus-
tanned in sucb places. Maquam, at the pres
cnt time, consists principally OF the hotel and
coal shed which were to have been It's nu-
clous. The coal shed is a mammoth affair,
and the hotel IS Il good looking and well
managed Summer resort, But this is the
most that eau be said of the place, external
ly. The hreal.waler is in process of con-
struction, and at the present time makes
quite arespcctabic dot near the wide curving
head Of the bay. If ii could only dodge
around in Il storm, IN might head OILY con-
siderable number of waves. AS TO the sue
cess Of Maqu I'm as a coal depot for the Sec
tion opened mp by the st. Johnsbury and
Lake Champlan road, We have no more
definite information than mny be procured
by hearsly and personal observation but
there are two or three facts Of VIII ich we are
reasonably certain. The first is that Ma
YUAN WIN H'''Nl h'fsih w lANdl III
the amount of coal handled. Burlington has
facilities for unloading one hundred
boat loads of coal Il day. II
that number can be unlOadcd at
Maquam in week, we should be surprised.
And yet the st. JOhnsbIry aud the Fair
bankses' interest get all the coal they want
from Maquam, as 1t is The demand could
not be doubled, if there were no opposition
at all In the second place, Maluam labors
under great disadvantage and expense, in
asmuch as every boat unloading there is sub
ject to demurrage. In third place, the field
opened up by lhe st. Johnsbuy and Lake
Champain road alone is too limited for th(
coal scheme which it is expected to sup
port. 1t Is case OF the big rag
baby again. We do not know what diff
ference the proposed railroad extension woult
make, though we do no, think it would adj
very much available capital, As things ar,
now Maquam il simply the storehOuse fO
the coal required by the Fairbankses' manu-
featuring interests at ST. Johnsbury. w
do not object to this-we only object to tn
preenliOus oi tie place its brcakwater, 70
instance, and its ''chcck" in attempting l.
rival Burlington rs a coal market. Maquan
may be well enough as Summer resort 10
those who like fishing, aud as Il storing plac
for great manufacturing company's fuel
but it is by no hOans city yet, or even
village, aud II will be longer still before II
ever great coal market.