Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-05-23

diiiong which 70 could probably be persuaded
to do away with. Marlboro be counted upon
for $1,000 Thus the sum Of SlG0, 900
would be raised this done, bonds could be
negotiated for a like sum, and we would Rave
enough TO build the road The length Of the
road via Jacksonville would be 27l miles,
and the grade, according TO the careful sur
veyR made, would not exceed 100 feet 10 the
mile at the steepest point rarely rising above
l0O-a very moderate grade when compared
with that Of some narrow gauge lines at the
West The Brattleboro a Whitehall road
cost something over S11 200 10 the mile
the Wilmington road would cost less because
Of less rock cutting and bridge building. Re
sponsible parties stand ready 10 build it, with
steel rails, for $40 900 per mile, including
rolling stock and all necessary equipments,
but not including land damages As 10 the
amount Of business 10 be done by the road
Mr.. Butterield Of Wilmington reports that
the present amount Of freight transported
from that town is 800, 600 tons annually
Whitingham's freight is estimated at q, 900
tons. With railroad facilities these figures
would in all probability soon be doubled
Jacksonville's water power is one Of the finest
in the state. BrRttleboros proposed tax Of
two per cent in aid Of the road would scarce
ly be felt and If any poor widow in town
found her additional tax therefor a burden,
he stood ready to guarantee its payment for
her on application. The people of the back
towns ask for the road. and shall we refuse
them assistance In reply TO a question
Mr.. Crosby said that the Connecticut River
railroad company would not do anything in
aid Of the Wilmington road. The Central
Vermont managers had written confirming
what was said in their behalf ct the previous
meeting and stood ready to carry out their
agreement
Col j. j. Estey stated that he and Gen.
Lynde had been at st. Adams and had an
interview with Gov. Smith and Manager .Ho-
bart Of the Central Vermont Their attitude
is just this they stand ready to do all that
they can for Brattleboro and its interests con-
sistent with the interests OF their own road
and OF course We cannot expect them to do
more than that. The Centrals lease of the
New London Northern has only some FIVE
years more TO run, and what may be the sit
uaton then nobody knows. The New Lon
don Northern is most interested in the pro.
posed Wilmington line, and it was presumed
that company would accept the bonds Of the
new road. Being OF like gauge with the
Brattleboro d Whitehall road it could be best
run by the same management. The Central
managers were ready to confer with the bust
ness men Of Brattleboro on the matter Of
freights, and would meet their wishes If pos
sible. Col. Estey's account Of the interview
was corroborAted by Gen. Lynde
Mr.. {. +. Thompson, president Of the
Brattleboro Whitehall road, said he was
ready to stand by the new enterprise in all
ways. The road with which he was associat
ed had fully demonstrated all that be had ev-
er claimed for It, and more too. II had ar
rested the decay Of the towns along its line
and greatly benefited them. He had prophe-
sled that in five years from the time the road
was opened it would have paid for itself in
the increased value of property along its
line. Though it had been in operation only
some three years it had already done this
He instRnced the town of Jamaica as show
ing what benefit a railroad may be 10 a com
munity. Before the road was built Jamaica
was far gone in decay. The road was no
sooner begun than its good effects were felt
and already the towns grand list has increAs
ed 31l per cent, and there is not vacant
house IN the town, while new ones are going
up. Now is q more favorable time 10 build
Mr. Thompson said then when the B. a W.
road was built. While the iron rails Of that
road cost nearly $50 per ton, steel rails could
now be had for about $50. 1t Was folly
to expect that outside capitalists would build
the Wilmington line for us, or that Brattle-
boro's proportion could be raised by individ-
ual subscription. The utmost that we could
raise in this way would be S2j, 900 or $50
600. We must Jake hold g. a community
and help ourselves. Let us take hold and
pull together and nobody will be hurt by it,
I. W. Childs remarked that when he came
here, some - years ago, all OF Wilmington's
trade came this way whereas, now We don't
get half Of it, because of the opening Of 3
new and better route to North Adams. The
merchants Of that place Rre doing all in their
IN dravv tho trada pf Uflr,srr-tor, ,y,d
its neighboriug towns.
W. II. Alexander. being called on, express
ed the belief that a vote to bond the town
could not again be carried and saw no en-
couragement for the project whatever
kittredge Haskins who had come in late
and had not heard what had already been
said believed that the real purpose of those
who called the present meeting was political
that its object was TO bolster up the wan
ing fortunes Of Gov. Smith. Why talk OF
sending delegation of our business men to
confer with him in regard 10 a reduction in
freight rates Don't Gov. Smith already
know what we want : J. Estey y Co. have
already been to him and secured reduction
for themselves, but the rest OF us must con
tlnue 10 suffer
Mr. Crosby replied TO Col Haskins, warm.
y denying the charge that the meeting had
any purpose other than the furtherance OF
the Wilmington railroad.
Col. Haskins, thus corrected took up the
subject in hand, and inquired Who will en-
dorse the bonds Of the new road, and thus
give them IA market value The Central
Vermont won't do ii. They are already pay.
ing interest on s., 900, 900, and have no mon
ey to spare. But in spite of what Mr.. Cros-
by had said, he still had hope that aid could
be had from the Conn. River road
Gen. W. W. Lynde expressed the belief
that the road would have been already built
if everybody concerned had acted as they
had talked What Is the use, be asked, of
going through with this whole business
again He believed that the Central Yer
mont had killed the project before and would
do it again. There were too many OF the
Central Nermonts attorneys having finger
in the pie. He said that the Brattleboro a
Whitehall road was a burden to the Central
Vermont, and the Wilmington road would be,
also, but that they would take it and run it
rather than let the Conn. River road get hold
of it.
Col. Estey rose to repeat some things he
had said before Col HAskins came in, but he
believed that were we in the hands Of the
Conn. River road we would be much worse
of than In those of the Central Vermont
As we are, the latter company does not have
an entire monopoly. Gov Smiths attitude
Is just what that Of any business man would
be in his place He must look out for his
own interests first Gen. Lynde corroborat-
ed these views.
Col HRskins reiterated his belief that the
Conn. River road had not given up the idea
of coming to BrRttleboro. Should it do SO
We would have two competing lines to the
south. Gov. Smiths talk in regard to aban-
doning the line between here and South Yer
non WAS mere threat. The roads will take
care Of themselves we must take care of
ourselves This question of freights ID one
of interest TO us all, for in the end they are
paid by the consumer.
Henry Smith emphasized Col. Haskins's re-
mark that every man had an interest in the
question Of cheap freights, and then launch
ed out into scsthing denuHciRtion of Gov.
Smith and his management, and remarked
that when we send men to the Legislature
who don't wear rings in their noses, we shall
have no trouble in obtaining what we want
G. F. Thompson said that he was not
aware that politics was the business of the
meeting. The trouble is, he said, that the
Brattleboro cherry was not big enough TO be
divided. When We make the business of
our town large enough, there will be no lack
Of competing lines of railroad.
Henry Smith, in continuation of his re-
marks, referred to the condition of Brattle-
bOrO before any railroada cama hare and IN