The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-12-11

Written For the SITTER.
RAILROADS-PAST AND PRESENT.
No. s.

I
The great "Canadian Pacific Rail
way" nearly 5000 miles in length, i
the longest single track railroad in tn
world. Surveys for this road began il
1870, but were not completed unit
1878, the sum of $1O,000,000 havin.
been expended in the meantime. Fort,
thousand men were employed in its con
struction, and the road, when built
cost $3.50, 100000. The completion o
the road was announced November 6
1885. The first through train ovel
the Canadian Pacific left Montreal
for Vancouver, the terminus of the line
on the evening of June %, 1886
The train consisted of one powerful 10.
comotive and II passenger coaches and
the trip was made in eight days, or only
one day more than the time formerly
required to make the journey by stage
from Boston to New York, a distance
of 236 miles!
And yet the "Boston Courier" in
1927, said the project of a railroad from
Boston to Albany was ''impracticable. "
Daniel Webster, as early as 1926, ex-
pressed his opinion that, at is certain
ly subject for grave consideration
whether railroads for general travel
may not be made as proposed" "
Daniels doubts, however, were fully
dispelled long before he ceased to exist
in 1852.
The "New York Central Railroad"
with its four tracks, and a possibility of
a fifth, and even sixth, one being built,
is the only such road in the world. 1t
is wonderful system, but perhaps no
more so than the pennsylvania Rail
road" and its double track and magnif-
icent roadway.
The line between Boston and New
York, over the "Boston and Albany"
and "New York, New Haven and
Hartford" railroads, is also two-track
road. From Springfield to New York
stone ballast is used, which dispenses
with all dust usually arising from a
track surfaced with dirt or gravel.
The "Boston and Albany Railroad, :"
which is almost a household name in
the New England States, is consoli-
dation of what was once known as the
"Boston and Worcester and the
Western" railroads. The "Boston
and Worcester" end Of the road was
completed July 8, 1885. The next
day, July 4, the road was opened for
traffic the whole distance between Bos-
ton and Worcester. October l, 1889,
the "Western Railroad" was opened to
Springfield In 1867 the two roads
were consolidated. The original char
ter of the "Boston and Albany Rail.
road" was granted June %, 1880. II
was the first road authorized to use 10.
comotives in the State of Massachus-
etts.
1t seems strange now to think of the
opposition that prevailed at the time the
building of this road was being agitated
In the Pittsfeld, Mass, ''Sun," il
1882, a series of articles was published
for and against it. One writer, in fa
vor of it, showed by facts and figures
that the road would be a great success
and the other proved that it would bt
failure-disastrous, in fact to the
State and all individuals engaged in it
Joseph T. Buckingham, for many
years the leading editor in the New
England States, and one of the mos
progressive in the country, wrote. al
follows:
"Alcibiades, or some other greatma
of antiquity, it is said, cut off his dog
tail that quid nuncs might not become
extinct for lack of excitement. Som,
such motive, no doubt moved one o
two of our natural and experimental
philosophers to get up project for
railroad from Boston to Albany;
project which everyone knows, witt
knows the simplest rule in arithmetic
to be impracticable, and at an expens'
little less than the market value of tn,
whole territory of Massachusetts; anC
which, if practicable, every person o
common sense knows would be as use
less as a railroad from Boston to tn,
moon"
Editor Buckingham erred in hi
Judgment that time, sure, for the roac
was built, and to-day it stands as one o
the foremost, financially speaking, il
the country, its stock having sold a
Boston, within less than a year, highe
than any other railroad stock in tn
United States. For years it has pai'
seven, eight andten per cent dividends
The Boston and Albany Railroad i
the largest taxpayer on real estate il
Massachusetts,. Last year it paidnearl,
| s750,000.
Still there are people who say tha
railroads, like farming, don't pay. /
oil demands ON how they are MANAGED