Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-03-06
Hoods J0rsapdrili0

the Central Vermont through the central
part of the State for considerable dis
lance, and the Boston and Maine on the
cast side of Tie state, which would -four
ish at the expense Of the lines paralleled;
which would depend upon freight from
Montpelier and Barre which already have
freight competition through the Montpelier
and Wells River and the Boston and
Maine roads. On the one Eand and the
Central Vermont on the ether, and which
would further en- be dependent upon com
petition for freight fro m territory drained
by the Boston and Maine line extending
across the State to Lake Champlain Any
experienced railroad man acquainted with
all the conditions will say at once that IL
parallel line of this character could not he
expected to pay its expenses.
If any railroad running into Newport
from this direction is commercially prac-
ticable it is the extension of the Buringt ton
e Lamoille division of tho Central Vermont.
In connection with the discussion of this
phase of the problem it is to be borne in
mind that the asbestos industry promises
to become for Lamoille county what the
granite industry has become to HardwI, X,
and it is not impossible that it may BE-
come what the granite industry has to
Barre and Montpelier Certain it is that
no such amount of money was invested
in the granite industry in any section of
our State ut the very outset as has been
put into asbestos plants during the few
months that have elapsed since the de-
velopment of these deposits was unaer-
gal,en.
One company has already invested 800
to be found in the country, while various
other companies are investing funds, and
an additional company has just been or
ganzed. If the deposits are as promi Ing
as Prof George II. Perkins, the State
gcologist, thinks. from what he has ben
able to discover thus far, the next i've
years are likely TO witness the mark d
development of that section of the com
try. A railroad would of course help t.
develop the section still more and build
up business for itself, as regards freight
traffic.
There would also be considerable travel
over this line, since residents of that Sec
ton of the State coming to Burlington
and other points in this section would
take the more direct route instead of go
lng down to Wells River and coming back
by way of Montpelier, or going round by
way of Richford andSt. Adams ami so W tn
those going in the opposite direction. Lake
Memphremagog is one of the most attrac-
tive sheets of water in the land and in the
summer many tourists who come 10 visit
our own city and other points in the
Champlain valley would unquestionably
be attracted over this route
Looking ahead to a time when Vermont
shall be developed as We expect ana hope
it to he, it is not Impossible that tic
Grand Trunk might want connection he
tween this division Of the Central Vermont
and its through line from Montreal to Port
Land through the White Mountain regi n,
which would require an extension of the
limo in question only twenty miles or so
further We commend this subject to the
attention Of tho Central Vermont, as well
as 10 the people of the section which will
hc materially benefited by this improve
ment.