Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-07-14
Electric RAILWAY for chelsea.

For the frst time in many years, rail-
road 10 Chelsea appears 10 be possipliity
IN fact almost a probability, the result oe-
pending largely upon the action OF the
town at its adjourned meeting, which VIII
be held Aug 18th next al O'Clock p. m.
Negotiations with the officers of the
Thomas Houston Electric Co. tnow the
General Electric Col have been pending
for about year. These companies have
become satisfied that The Establishment OF
an electric road between here and SO. Roy
alton could be warranted, provided that
they receive sufficient Recommendation
the towns along the line in the way oil n
nancial assistance and the privilege OF
laying the track within the limits Of the
highway. A town meeting was held on
the sixth inst at which the Co. was rep
resented and it was unanimously resolved
that the town favored the establishment
of railroad and 5. b. Hebard, Vim. Rob-
bins and John p. Bacon were appointed
committee to confer with parties relative
TO the matter and report at the adjourned
meeting referred to above.
AS to the question whether this enter
prise would benefit Chelsea or not, the
following figures will perhaps give some
light. Ii is estimated that to and from
Chelsea the amount paid yearly
For freight is 5000
FOR express about 1000
For passengers by stage and livery 20OO
These figures are based upon the present
freight rates OF from ten 10 fifteen cents
per cwt., from fifteen TO twenty-five cents
extra for each express package carried and
the present stage fare OF one dollar. The
freight rates which will be established in
the event of railroad, ii is understood
will be from five to seven and one-half
cents, the matter of express will be prac-
tically wiped out and the passenger SER
vice reduced to about thirty-fve cents,
thus making a saving 70 people OF this
town yearly on
Freight about $500
Express about 1000
Passengers 1900
Or total of 1880
The necessary increase of business in
Chelsea, the consequent rise in the value
of real estate, the possibility OF the devel-
opment OF her natural resources, which
for lack Of transportation facilities are at
present unlikely to receive the attention
they deserve, are among the many reasons
why Chelsea can i'll afford TO treat this
matter lightly.
The volume OF business above referred
| to, together with that Of Tunbridge, and
| the increase which would result, furnish
sufficient encouragement to warrant the
movement now on foot and when IL is
considered that line built as 1t is pro-
posed 10 build this, at cost Of 900 as
against perhaps s500,0O0, the estimated
cost of building and equipping a steam
road, the fact that il runs the entire dis
lance by the side OF a stream furnishing
many excellent water privileges by which
the electric power to operate the road could
/ be generated, reducing very materially the
running expenses and the fact that Chel-
sea would OF necessity become at once the
! shipping point for a large portion OF the
towns OF Vershire, Corinth, Washington
a., H. i..lA 20 1T hat
| Tunbridge and its surroundings would
/ furnish, ii would seem that the question
OF the road paying to operate is fully
answered.
1t is an admitted fact that, within the
next few years, the entire railway system
will be revoiutionized and electricity will
/ be substituted for steam. as the motive
power, the sure signs OF which are the re-
cent wonderful discoveries concerning the
power OF electricity, the facts that many
steam roads are being paralleled by those
operated by electric power and that the
present great X. r. corporations are quiet
ly securing all the available waterpowers
within their reach. The prejudice against
an electric road is without foundation,
and its establishment would be preferable
to that of a steam road, the one is possi-
BILE, the other is not. the one would be
permanent because 1t would pay, the 9TH
er would be doubtful because from the
great expense necessary TO establish it,
the present business of this valley alone
could not be expected to support it.
There are many other encouraging facts,
which space does not permit giving at
tention to at this time, but which il is be-
lieved the intelligent voters OF Chelsea
will not fail to note and appreciate.
The report Of the committee will be
awaited with interest and ii is expected
that it will be OF such a favorable nature
that a fair and liberal disposition of the
question will be made by this town at its
next meeting.