Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-09-19


S. @. Pike is visiting in Bridgeport. CT.
Annie Forrest has returned to Northamp-
ton to school,
The Congregational ladies met in their
veslry Wednesday afternoon.
Henry Fox is visiting in town.
some Facts About the Benefits Con-
ferred by the RrattIeDoro Il white
hall Railroad.
TowNsHEND, Aug. 6, 1884.
Ed'r1W Cr0s5H Esq. Dear Sir Your
favor of the 9th inst. making inquiries as to
the effects of our narrow-gauge railroad on
the town of Townshend reached me last night
| will say in reply that when the effort was
put forth 10y yourself and others to secure a
like road from your town to Wilmington,
Judging from the advantages which we have
received, it was an enterprise which l hoped
would meet with no serious opposition. II
seemed to me that no such opposition az you
have met could come from any one who was
anxious for the continued prosperity of Brat
teburo or any of the towns on the line of the
proposed road, and much less from those who
were in any way familiar with the advantages
secured to the towns on the line of the Brat
ueboro ~ Whitehall railroad by the building
and running of that road. think am not
CNtravagent in expressing the opinion that
bend, whether at first in favor of or opposed
to building our road, who would be willing to
give the road up and go back to former stage
and slow freight team times, even if entirely
relieved of the taxation occasioned by the
road, and so much of the deb as has already
been paid be paid back to the town. Even
more than that, l am fully persuaded that
there is not n man in town of much property
who has enjoyed the pleasure and advantages
pf xpit, nj
the outer world which our road has secured
TO us, that would now remain here, if posi-
BILE to get away, If again deprived of such
privileges.
Our bonds were placed at per cent. The
payment of the annual interest on them and
part of principal yearly makes a tax which is
not hard to be borne. Indeed it is so light
that we now hear no complaint from any
class of taxpayers. Whatever burden is thus
occasioned is lost sight of when we look at
the advantages derived from the road. find
from our auditors reports that for the year
ending Dec. 31,t, 1888, the outward freights
from the Townshend station amounted to 772
tons, the inward freights for the same time
being I 10 tons, aggregating 1887 tons. For
few years before the building of the road l
paid 50 ton for most of my freight from
Brattleboro, which presume was an average
price paid by others. The freight by rail
from Brattleboro to Townshend station l
think now averages about 50 per ton, or 81
less than formerly by team. Hence parties
who 90 to the depot for their freight save
about five cents per hundred or one dollar
per ton. 1t will readily be seen that the saw
ing on inward and outward freghts from this
station alone must amount to nearly as many
dollars as there are tons of freight received
and sent, or over $1,000 for the last year.
The sum received for tickets sold at the same
station for the year was $l303 10. The pas
senger rates by rail are 20 cents they were
10y stage 81 %, hence n saving of little
more than two-ffths. The same number of
outward passengers by stage would have cost
S2327Oj, showing a net saving, provided
that there had been the same amount of trav-
ell by stage Of Sl023 30, which, with the saw
ing of a corresponding sum on passengers
coming in, and on freight as above stated,
makes a total of about $2SOO, or almost $3.50
more than the annual interest at 8 per cent
on the s37 900 which the town paid to aid
tho road. The amount of business at the
West Townshend station for the same year
WAS little more than one-half as much as
that Of the East Townshend station, or rather
Townshend station. Callingit just half, and
the same ratio of saving, we find a net saving
ON freight and passengers of $1,000, or $2350
more than enough TO pay our railroad inter-
est provided none of the principal had been
paid. Let any financier say whether there is
profit in such transaction or not, even with
out further considerations
The benefits of this saving are felt by ev-
cry man who travels or has freight over the
road, or who buys barrel of -four, bag of
meal bushel of salt or a pound of sugar,
also by every one who has anything to sell
and be freighted over the road. Yet strange
to say, We have men who pay nothing but
poll tax, who have to buy all the meal they
ne in connection with other necessities, that
opposed bonding the town in aid of the road,
who now save enough on a few bags Of meal
alone TO pay their share of the yearly rail
road interest.
Before the road was built frequently had
freight from Boston remain in the depot at
Brattleboro four weeks before the teams
could get it all and give like attention to 9th
ELS who were having freight. Now through
the enterprisng management of Mr.. Brooks,
the accommodating and gentlemanly super
uttndent of the road, all my freight from
Boston reaches me the second morning after
leaving that city and in much better condi-
ton than formerly
might also mention the saving on express
packages from Boston and towns between
there and Brattleboro and from nearly all
New England towns. Very soon after the
road commenced doing business Mr.. George
lauhett, the efficient superintendent of what
was then the U. S. n Canada express, visited
tho towns on the line and established
through express, thus enabling all receiving
such packages to get them not only in better
condition, but much cheaper from points be-
yond Brattleboro than when brought by stage
or other like conveyance.
You inquire in relation to business and the
comparative value of real estate. can only
Say in answer that my business now is and
aud has been since the road started better
than for like lumber of years previous. So
far as the price of real estate is concerned
there has been marked advance in the price
of timhered land and no decline as | am
aware in the value of other real estate Our
town, like nearly all New England towns, has
suffered somewhat from the depreciation in
The value of such property since the war and
the consequent attractions of the South and
West were opened to our New England
youths. | am fully confident we would have
suffered much more in that direction had 1t
not been for our railroad, and really think
that the building of the road has checked the
decline No railroad can hinder the attrac-
tons presented by the broad aud fertile prai-
ries Of the West nor can it prevent our pas
lures from growing up to bushes and brakes
or prevent droughts and other like calamities,
but it can make what remains, as ours does,
more valuable aud attractive. Has not real
estate declined in value in Brattleboro and
even in larger New England towns and cities
within the past fifteen years, aud is that de-
cline in consequence of railroads2 Would
any Of your people who now oppose the en-
terprise in which you are engaged with com
meudnble spirit, be anxious to give mp your
railroad facilities in consequence OF little
decline in the value of your real estate l
trust, dear sir the time ia not far distant
when The people Of Braitleboro and the eti-
zens Of other towns on the line Ofthe pro-
posed road will weigh carefully the results
Of building or not building and wisely reverse
their action. Very truly yours,
S. ID. WNsLOw %.
We, tho md rsigutd, fully endorse tha
above sta, uruts and opinions of MIR. Wins,
low o s. Howard,
l. X BATcHELDFR
II. j. KNAPP,
p. III. RUTTER,
NELSON WNsLow,
HENRY SALISBURY,
Nv