The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-11-10

TO TAP ASBESTOS FIELD
PRODUCERS ARE ANXIOUS THAT
RAILROAD BE BUILD
WITHOUT DELAY.

GTOpOsHi 10 hdNt btSicHttuit htuuht
Canadian Pacific to Build Line I'm.
der Acquired Charter Within Two
Years or Abandon Its Right-Other
; Projects For New Roads.
There is a difference of opinion
among people in Lomoille county and
the territory reaching up into Or
leans in regard to the railroadprop-
osition that will soon be submitted.
The Canadian Pacific has bought a
franchise that will permit it to run
branch line from North Troy down
through to Hyde Park or Johnson,
tapping the Lowell asbestos mines
on the way Many Lamoille county
people are anxious to have that line
built because it will furnish them
through Connection with big trunk
line.
, Mr.. Gallagher, who is operating an
asbestos mines in the mountains of
Lowell. is anxious to have the road
built at once and others who are in
terested in the asbestos properties that
| might be developed are with him in
that idea. They care more about
marketing their product, present and
prospective than about connections
for all the surrounding country. Mr..
Galleher, or someone representing
him. will soon have presented to the
Legislature a bill which will require
the Canadian Pacific to build a line
along the right of way it has acquir-
ed within two years or abandon the
charter.
Boston & Names Promise
The reason for this, it is under
stood. is that the Boston & Maine has
promised that if Mr.. Galleher will in
crease the output of his mine to 100
tons day they will build a line con-
Meeting with the St. Johnsbury and
Lake Champlain that will furnish
shipping accommodations and this
will also make it profitable for the
other owners of asbestos properties
there to develop them.
Mr.. Galleher's industry has been
built up by his personal effort and
has not been Incorporated. There
is practically no limit to the amount
OF asbestos he can produce. but the
cost of transportation at present
makes the production of low grade
material of little worth For some
time he hauled to Johnson with teams
the output of his mines, but now he
is using a 2l-ton traction engine,
probably the largest in New England,
and hauling the asbestos to Hyde
Park.
Reduce Cost OF Transportation.
If railroad running to or by his
mines should be constructed it would
reduce the cost of transportation to
such an extent that there would be
considerable profit in the produc-
ton of low grade asbestos. whereas at
present there is but little. The con-
struction of road would also make
it profitable to open up other mines
as there are extensive deposits in the
mountains of Lowell and Eden, some
Of them probably as good as those
Mr. Galleher is working.
This is promising industry for
Vermont, for there are large depos-
its of this substance, though it may
not all be of as high quality as that
produced in Lowell. However that
may be there is q large and increasing
demand for asbestos and ninety per
cent of that used in this country now
comes from Canada.
Want Railroad Constructions.
zinc II
ing and of the undeloped properties
are not asking for tariff protection
but are anxious TO secure railrca
connections that will enable them to
market their product at profit
In all asbestos mines there is con-
siderable percentage of low grade or
what might might better be called
short fibre, ore, which brings COM
paratively small price in the market,
but which is always in demand for
many purposes.
IT costs just as much to haul this to
the shipping station and practically
as much TO produce it as the higher
grade. So it is plain that as trans
portation facilities are increased the
production may be enlarged and the
profits will become greater.
The bill introduced Monday night
to charter railroad frcm Morrisyille
to MiddleseX is in line with the idea
OF the people who hope TO have the
Canadian Pacific construct line
through from North Troy.
With $4,000 apital.
This bill authorizes a company WIN
capital stock of $4,000 TO construct
line through Morristown, stove
Waterbury, DuXbury and MoretoWn,
Middlesex and Montpelier The in
corporators named are some of the
promlaeu1 and wealthy citizens in
-o towns named and there are possi-
bilitios Of an industrial revolution in
the Iamoille valley
The only question about the vail
rodds is enc OF desirabiliy which
Kind OF conection Will be best for the
people and interests along the lines,
But the proaslne question just now
ana The one the asbestos people are
disposed to push, is TO have one con-
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