News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-03-05
Extend the Burlington and LamoilIe to
NewDOrt.

mont place should be given to the
extension of the Burlington and La
noble railroad to Newport or some
other point in that section OF the
State A glance at the map of Yer
mont will serve to show that the
building of a railroad from cambridge
Junction to Newport would bisect
stretch of country which now has no
railroad facilities whatever, but which
is rich in it's agricultural resources,
including some OF finest farming lands
in the state, as well as promising in
the wealth of asbestos deposits re-
Gently developed in various towns
within it's borders. The provision OF
railroad facilities for this section
would therefore be of material ad-
vantage to the inhabitants thereof as
well as to the State az a whole, IN
more ways than one.
The first practical question that
presents itself in connection with a
project OF this character is whether
or not it is feasible from a ply
point of view, and the second query
that would suggest itself to an invest
or in railroad properties is whether
such line would be profitable. On
these two questions hang all the law
and the prophets of railroading.
The distance from Cambridge juno
ton to Newport is about forty. tive
miles according to the scale of Yer
mont maps, and those who have been
prospecting the country 10 connection
with expeditions in search OF asbestos
deposits in response to Inquiries have
stated that the engineering problems
to be considered are not difficult.
The Lamoille river extends up the
valley from Cambridge Junction near
~ third of the distance, and little
| further on one of the branches of the
Missis quoi takes it's source and fl )ws
north. A few miles further on a
mountain notch opens the way OF the
Black river which flows directly to
| Newport. Railroad projects have al
| ways been wont to profit by the ex
tent to which rivers seem to have
blazed TIE way for them through the
cutting of channels by following the
course of streams, through uneven
country, and nature has been un
usually kind in laying out possible
routes as regards both even country
and valleys between Cambridge juno
ton and Newport.
Inasmuch as the Central Vermont
railroad already runs trains to Cam
bridge Junction from Burlington, it
would mean no very large increase in
Expense to have the same trains run
to Newport, as will be evident from a
moments consideration. of the sub
iect so that there is more inducement
under the circumstances tor the eX
tension of the Burlington 4 L4moille
to Newport than for any other rail
road project in that direction Ia other
words, if it would not pay to extend
the Burlington and Lamoille division
of the Central Vermont, which would
reuuire no new trains or train crews
necessarily, it certainly would not
pay another line to run a road
trough the territory in question,
which would necessitate entirely dis
tinct trains and new service.
This project is unquestionably more
feasible than that of a steam rail
road from Rutland to Newport which
would parallel the Rutland on the
vest side, the Central Vermont
throgh the central part of the state
or a considerable distance, and the
Boston and Maine on the east side OF
the state, which would fl Durish at the
expense of the lines paralleled; which
would depend upon freight from
Montpelipr and Barre, which already
nave freight competition through the
Montpelier and Wells River and the
Boston and Maine roads, on the one
,and and the Central Vermont on
the other, and which would further
on be dependent upon competition
tor freight from territory drained by
the Boston and Maine line extending
across the State to Lake Champlain
Any experienced railroad man &C
ouainted with all the conditions will
1ay at once that a parallel line of this
character could not be expected tC
pay it's expenses.
If any railroad running into New
port from this direction Is commerce
ally practicable it is the extension o
the Burlington and LAmoille divisor
of the Central Vermont. 10 connec
ton with the discussion OF this phase
! of the problem it is to be borne il
mind that the asbestos industry
promises to become for Lamoill'
county what the granite industry hal
become to Hardwick, and it is no
impossible that it may become VIVA
the granite industry has to Montpel
Ter and Barre. Certain it is that NJ
such amount of money was invested
in the granite industry in any section
of our state at the very outset as ha
been put into asbestos plants durial
the few months that have elapse'
since the development of these de
posits was undertaken.
One company has already invested
100000, having the largest plan
of the kind to be found in the country
while various other companies are in
vesting funds, and an additional CON
pany has just been organized. II tn
deposits are as promising as Pro
| 90, II parkins the state UeOlOUist