JHftS0flri)itsetts Cegielflturc. BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS AND CANALS' HEARING ON THE PETITION OF OTIS PETTEE AND OTHERS, AND ON THE MEMORIAL OF SAMUEL RUSSELL AND OTHERS, March 26t/i, 1847, in the Senate Chamber. CLOSING ARGUMENT BY CHARLES G. LORING, Eso Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee : I have the honor to stand before yon, as the humble repre¬ sentative of about li,000 inhabitants of this State; of 1,135 of the citizens of Woonsocket, and its vicinity in Rhode Island ; and of the memorialists representing a very large portion of the people of the State of Connecticut, seeking to obtain of the Legislature of Massachusetts, through your intervention and approbation, leave for the accomplishment of an enterprise which they believe to be of great importance to themselves, to this Commonwealth, and to the whole country. They are not here to sue for the bounty of the State in draughts upon her treasury, or gratuitous appropriations of her domain, nor to ask for any sacrifice of public or piivate prop¬ erty, or vested rights; but simply for permission, at their own cost, and with full indemnity for all who might otherwise suffer loss, to level the hills and exalt the valleys through a small portion of the Commonwealth, scattering, with liberal hand, the rewards of skill and industry, on either side, as they advance, and for the ultimate end of adding,-yearly, increas¬ ing millions to her wealth, and multiplying indefinitely the re¬ sources of industry, eulerprise, and intelligence, among her 4 All the petitioners and memorialists, whom I represent, to¬ gether with all the subscribers to the petition of Thomas H. Perkins and others, are united in the one great object, of a direct and continuous rail-road from Boston through the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut to the city of New York; the memorialists from Connecticut expressing no other preference than for the establishment of that route which shall most speedily and beneficially accomplish the end proposed. It is respectlully submitted, that no question of like impor¬ tance has been presented, for legislative action, since the establishment of the Western Rail-road And, in view of the great number of petitioners, the extent of territory which they represent, and of the different Stales and cities, and industrial population, interested in the result, it may be doubted whether any project, hitherto here discussed, ever embraced a greater extent of agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial capital and enterprise. The two greatest commercial cities in the Union, over 200 miles apart, are here, asking to be united by a road that may be traversed in seven hours—less than the third part of a day; four independent States, seeking to be connected in immediate fellowship, that their great resources of wealth, and enterprise, and industry, may be developed and made accessible to each other, and to distant regions: and vast reservoirs of power, hitherto unemployed, awaitins only the facilities of access which this road would afford, to poiir a flood of wealth along its course into the Commonwealth. But, while sustained and encouraged by the vast numbers of petitioners and memorialists whom it is my honor to repre¬ sent, and the great extent of commercial, manufacturing and agricultural interests which I advocate, i am not unmindful of the formidable, and seemingly almost overwhelming, opposi¬ tion with which I have to contend. The united energies of the Western, Boston and Worcester, Boston and Providence, and Norwich and Worcester Rail-road Corporations, and of numbers of the wealthy capitalists in this State, and occupants of the palaces of the city, are arrayed against the project before the Committee. All that professional talent can do. and all that every species of influence can accomplish, is put in requisition for its defeat; and, considering the numbers, the wealth, the social position, and political, and last, but by no means least, the editorial influ¬ ence of the officers and stockholders of these great corpora¬ tions, and of the other opponents, the petitioners may well be alarmed for the result; for the voice of truth and reason is too often subdued and quelled in such a conflict with interest and prejudice. No weapon has been lel't untried, no stone unturned, no stratagem imaUemptecl. Argument and invective, logic and sneers, assertion, insinuation, and rampant patriotism, have all been alike brought into service, and marshalled in thick array against the central route. But, sir, so far as this question is to he decided by truth and reason, this mighty and fearful opposition is a suliiciein basis for the greatest confidence on the part of those whom 1 repre¬ sent. It tells us, in language that, is not to be mistaken, that there is something, in the plan we propose, so important to the public. (md therefore so hostile to their interests, that this tremendous array is necessary to counteract and defeat it. Men do not marshal armies, and expend treasures, i: to fight a shadow"—to use tiie language of one of the opposing counsel: nor send the ablest generals to contend with spectres ; nor would they raise a tempest to drown a fly. The magnitude of an opposition is a just measure ol' the apprehension of real danger. The zeal and intensity with which an interest is defended, arc the best criterion of the hazard to which it is thought to be exposed. If the design be so futile and absurd as they contend, why trouble themselves about it? The granting of a charier will not construct the road ; and if it he so impracticable or useless a project as they pretend to think it. why not indulge those sim¬ ple people, whom 1 represent, with the gratification of their whim, and let them have their charter, find out their own lolly, and exhibit themselves to the world os a monument of infatua¬ tion '! Tile example might be useful, if one tenth part be true of that which the remonstrants here have asserted. Sir, 1 am glad of this public array against ns. 1 am alacl of it as the best pledge 1 can have of the real utility and mag¬ nitude of the design I advocate. I am glad of it, because It. necessarily brings to public view all the reasons upon which this opposition is founded, which can properly lie disclosed, or on which they dare ask to have the question decided : and enables us to weigh them before the eyes of the public and in the scales of common honesty and common sense, instead of having to follow and contend with them in the windings and lurking-places of private and lobby influences. It gives us the benefit of a fair field and open day, and that is afl we The learned counsel of the Western Rail-road.—who is nominally here for that corporation alone, but who has equally advocated the interests of the Boston and Worcester, and Nor¬ wich and Worcester roads,—among other sneers at these peti¬ tioners, has told you that, if you refuse the charter, they will 6 go home and thank you 1'or saving them the loss of further time and money. Sir. he greatly mistakes the .characters and designs of the persons for whom he thus undertakes to speak. Eight thou¬ sand petitioners from Massachusetts, and a large number from Rhode Island, and the representatives of a great portion of the people of Connecticut, with a design in their hands for the pro¬ motion of the great interests of their several States and them¬ selves. who have thought long and deliberately upon the sub¬ ject, and are. moving in concert under a deep and settled con¬ viction that the measure is one of incalculable benefit to them¬ selves and their country, are not to be thus easily stopped and turned aside. They are not to be so easily convinced, that they need to be put under the guardianship of his clients, nor even under that of the great State of Massachusetts. This scheme, sir. will be persevered in until it is accom¬ plished. It is too great, too deeply affecting the welfare of the public and themselves, and too obviously important, to be trampled upon and broken down by any temporary opposition, however well organized and imposing, and however supported by a popular influence carefully gotten up and promoted for the purpose. The road through Rhode Island and Connecticut will be created at some future and not. long-distant time: no man of impartial judgment can doubt it. The only question is, whether it shall pour its treasures into Massachusetts, or, by our short-sighted selfishness, be turned to roll them into the capital of Rhode Island. That is the question: and, with great respect, I submit that this Committee is now perhaps under the responsibility of its final solution. As some misapprehension has seemed to exist concerning our object, I repeat the statement, made at the opening of our case. We are not here, asking of this Legislature the grant of a charter for a road from Boston to New York: every one knows that this State has uo power to grant one. Nor do we ask for the grant of one to the line of the State, merely and only as a part of such a continuous road, as has been charged. But we ask for a road from Boston to Woonsocket; that is the whole extent of the road prayed for in our petition ; and we further ask for power to unite with other roads to be extended from it through Rhode Island and Connecticut to the city of New York. 1st. We seek the establishment of such a road with the design and expectation of its continuance through Rhode Island and Connecticut, to the city of New York—constituting the shortest and speediest route between that city and Boston. 2d. But we also seek it, as being demanded by the public convenience, as a means of rail-road communication between 7 the Blackstone Valley and Boston, and the intermediate towns, independently of any such continuation. 3d. And as altogether superior in the advantages it will afford over all the others proposed, considered either as the commencement of such a road to New York, or merely as such communication between the valley of the Blackstone and this city, and any other intermediate towns. Nor do we ask the Legislature to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which this road, if granted, shall constitute a portion of the line through to New York. That must of ne¬ cessity be matter of future arrangement with the holders of the charters in other States, and may safely be left to them, and of course be dependent upon many considerations not now foreseen. We only ask the permission thus to unite it with any that may be authorized, through those States, upon such terms as justice to the stockholders and the interests of this Commonwealth may require. For the sake of perspicuity, I shall present the views I have to offer under the following propositions :— I. That a rail-road from Boston to the line of this State, to he continued thence through Rhode Island and Connecticut to the city of New York, in the manner proposed, is requited for the promotion of the public welfare, and would be profitable to the owners. II. That the road, as prayed for by Otis Pettee and his asso¬ ciates, is the most suitable, if not the only one suitable, for the attainment of an extension through Rhode Island; and is better adapted than any other proposed, for the general pur¬ poses of a through road. III. That, considered as a through road, it would not con¬ flict or interfere with the vested rights, or reasonable claims or expectations, of any other chartered or established road. IV. That a road from Boston to the line of the State, for the purpose of connection with Woonsocket, on the route prayed for by Otis Pettee and others, considered as a local road only, from Boston to Woonsocket, is required for the public good, and would be profitable to the. owners. V. That this road, considered as suck local road only, is fat- preferable to any other proposed, in reference to the. combined elements of extent of public accommodation, expense of con¬ struction, and freedom from interference or conflict with the vested rights or reasonable claims of other existing or char¬ tered roads. It is far from my intention to follow the counsel who have preceded me in reply to most of the details of their respective arguments, and much less to the rhetorical flourishes, sneers, and witticisms, that have been so unsparingly resorted to. 8 There has been one allusion, however, deserving passing no¬ tice, for the capital that has been attempted to be made of it by each orator in his turn,—who seems to think it too admirable a hit not to be perpetually repeated:—I refer to the appellation attempted to be affixed to the route I advocate, as the self- styled “ air-line.” Now, it unfortunately happens, for the justice and keenness of this favorite specimen of satire, that the name was never assumed by those who projected and advocate this route, but was first put upon it by their opponents, in derision. It is the stale device of the enemy, seeking to lay his own bantling at his neighbor’s door. I have not come here, sir, to attempt to be witty. If I had the wish, nature has denied the faculty ; and observation in¬ clines me to think, that this is cause of gratitude rather than of regret. Nor shall I attempt to be eloquent. I have neither power, time, nor inclination, and have, besides, something much more important to do. I shall not, sir, attempt to make a speech, but an argument. I shall endeavor to convince you seven gentle¬ men composing this committee, as if you were my only audi¬ tors; and it will not disappoint nor trouble me, if, at the end of my first half hour, I shall be left alone with you. I. Illy first proposition is, that a rail-road from Boston to the line of this State, to be continued thence, through Rhode Island and Connecticut, to the city of New York, in the manner pro¬ posed, is required for the promotion of the public welfare, and would be profitable to the owners. The importance of the proposed road is to be considered in a twofold aspect:—1st. As a means of the most immediate communication between New York and Boston, and, 2d, as con¬ necting, with this State, the extensive manufacturing commer¬ cial and agricultural districts of Rhode Island and Connecticut, now almost entirely excluded from any intercourse with it. 1st. As a means of the most immediate communication be¬ tween New York and Boston. Of the incalculable importance of the speediest practicable transmission of merchandise, letters, and persons, between these two great commercial cities, no reasonable or practical man can doubt for an instant. It is one of those self-evident propositions that, to men of business, defies all argument. As a general truth, the mere saving of time, in the intercourse be¬ tween different communities, is so much added to the life of man and the progress of humanity. It is not merely a con¬ venience, a facility, an agreeable acquisition to our means of enjoyment or of activity and usefulness; it is so much added to our capacity for accomplishing the purposes of existence. Every minute thus saved in the daily transportation of 500 10 commercial operations should follow the news. The magnet¬ ic telegraph may transmit the chief public, and a part of the private intelligence; but by far the greatest portion, and nearly all that is most essential in intercourse concerning mer¬ cantile operations and affairs, can only be communicated by mails and passenger accommodations. No city in the world can have greater interest in direct and immediate communication with another, than Boston has with New York; and New York has scarcely less for one with Bos¬ ton. For, since the establishment of the lines of steam-packets between Liverpool and the cities of Boston and New York alternately, every hours delay in the intercommunication of news and passengers is of the most serious importance : nor is it less so in reference to the transmission of letters and passen¬ gers from either city to Europe. The repeated failures of arrival of mails and passengers from the South, in season for the steam-packets from this port to Liverpool, are strikingly illustrative of the insufficiency of the present arrangements, or any other than that now proposed; and warn us that such evils will not long be endured by this or the southern cities. Last year, a mail of SOOO letters, and about twenty passen¬ gers, lost their opportunity by one of these packets, owing to the detention of a steam-boat on the New York line: and, this season, another most material and similar interruption has occurred. The testimony of the postmaster upon this subject is most emphatic, and decisive of the utter insufficiency of the present arrangements, and of the utter want of regularity and certainty in the arrival of the mails. The evils of this state of things, in a commercial point of view, can hardly be exaggerated. It is not improbable that the disastrous results, to individuals, of those interruptions, would go far to equal the expenditure for constructing this I might appeal to the Committee, also, in behalf of humani- ity, to interpose this avenue for the protection of human life, to secure families and communities from the appalling losses and miseries that have ensued from the present mode of transporta¬ tion. The shrieks from the Lexington, and the moans from the Atlantic, are still vibrating along the waters of the Sound. The loss of most precious lives—the sorrow of the bereaved and desolate—are still causing multitudes of hearts to beat with emotion, and bringing many in sorrow to the grave. They call aloud for legislative interposition to remove, if not the necessity of, at least the inducements to, these dangers, by substituting another mode of conveyance, free from such expo- 11 sure, which, at the same time, affords greater regularity, rapidi¬ ty, aud precision. The public mind is clearly made up on this subject. The great number of petitioners who come here to ask for such a route to New York is conclusive of the public need; and scarcely an individual can be met with, not having a strong personal interest in some rival route, who does not unhesita¬ tingly declare his conviction of its vital importance. Nor is it merely as a mode of transporting passengers that this route is demanded by the public necessities. It would be almost equally so in the transmission of freight between the two cities. Little is now done in comparison with what would doubtless be accomplished, if a regular, direct, and uninter¬ rupted route by land-carriage were substituted. The Committee have knowledge of the plan, already sanc¬ tioned by their report in favor of a charter, for connecting the most important rail-roads with the deepest water in the harbor at East Boston; and have heard the testimony concerning the effects of a direct line communicating with New York, as a means of restoring to this city and State the East India com¬ merce which belongs to it, but which has, of late years, cen¬ tered at New York; and there can be no reasonable question that such a line of connection, between Boston and New York, as now exists between Boston and Albany, would have a vast effect in facilitating the commercial intercourse between the cities by such a rapid, direct, and certain conveyance, substi¬ tuted for the circuitous and hazardous transmission by sea, or the combined boat and rail-road navigation. Such a road would soon become the chief means of transmitting all those articles of merchandise of which the value is greatly dispro¬ portionate to the bulk. I am informed, by most intelligent merchants, that, upon teas, and all articles made of cotton, flax, woollen, or silk, and others where the bulk is so disproportionate to the value, the mere insurance upon them by water would pay the freight upon such a road at the rates for which it could be transported, if the trade should take this direction, as they believe it certainly would in the most valuable articles of merchandise, and those requiring the most regular and speedy transmission ; aud equal confidence is felt that it would soon become the regular chan¬ nel for transmission of our manufactures, and of all the mer¬ chandise between the two cities, the quick and punctual arrival of which is of much importance. It is no longer matter of speculation and hypothesis as to the results of such a road. That between Albany and Boston speaks, in language not to be mistaken or misunderstood, of the rapid and almost incredible reduction of rates of transporta- 12 tion as business accumulates; the charge tor transporting many articles from one city to another, above 170 miles, having been at times hardly more than the cost of trucking it to the house or store after its arrival. Wise men believe, and think they know that a similar road between these two great cities would produce similar results, and add almost as much to the commercial business and wealth of the State. But it would be needless to press this point further.—The necessity of a direct land route, hr rail-road, to New York, is too obvious to need proof, or to be any longer successfully resisted. And this is now most emphatically manifested by the course taken by the Western Rail-road. Last year, this Western Road appeared as remonstrants against this project., and deemed it chi¬ merical and futile, and asserted that the existing lines by the Providence and Stonington roads, and the Worcester, Norwich, and Long Island road, and the Western and Springfield and Hartford roads to New Haven, and steam-boats for each of these routes, afforded all the necessary accommodation, and that this, therefore, was not needed, and could not compete with those then existing. But now the tune is changed : and the great reason why these petitioners are to be sent bootless hence is. not because this road is not wanted, but because the Western Road is ex¬ pected to be united with that from New Haven to New York, and so make a continuous land route and itself supply the previously existing defect. This move has been made since the last year: and some of the managers of the Western Road have taken the stock, and a large portion of the whole is taken in this city. This is certainly very strongly symptomatic of a belief that a through road by land was demanded by the public, and would be had:—and the movement, if originating, as is suppos¬ ed, with the friends of the Western and Worcester Roads, was a very safe and judicious one:—for, if the New Haven and New York Road would be profitable if connected with the Western Road, it will of course be more so if either of these proposed through routes be established; for all the transportation from either must go over that portion between New Haven and New York. The taking up of that stock, therefore, and the commence¬ ment of that road, while it is full proof of the necessity of a land route, is no proof that either of those petitioned for here is not altogether the best suited for the purposes of such a route. But this question seems put at rest by the testimony of Mr. Gilmore and Mr. Dwight, directors of the Western Road, who expressly testify that a continuous land route is demanded by the public, and is essential for its wants. 14 business upon that road has already doubled within four years, and will soon overcome its capacities. All its resources, there¬ fore, and all its energies, should be devoted to that purpose, and cannot prove more than sufficient for it. A branch, therefore, running into it from NeioTTork, must be a subordinate and very inferior concern, and is expected to be so, as appears by the testimony of Mr. Gilmore and Mr. Dwight, who testify to the uncertain, or small amount anticipated; and whenever their interests conflict, that must yield. And the great delays of changing cars that must always take place once at least, and the frequent stoppages and waitings that the ac¬ commodation of so many conflicting and competing trains will, from time to time, occasion, must cause great irregularity and detention. Besides, it is to be remembered that the Western Road is essen¬ tially a freight road: that must ever be its principal business; and that this business, from the comparative slowness of its trains, must always cause greater embarrassment than passen¬ ger trains. The fact, therefore, that the New Haven and Springfield route must be part of a branch road to the Western , already crowded with business, and daily becoming more so, is of itself a sufficient reason why it can never be. traversed with the speed, regularity and precision of an independent through direct line. But this is not all: it is but the least of this evil. The Western Road, to which it is proposed to connect that from New Haven as a branch, is but itself a branch of the Worces¬ ter Road, having a very great, independent, and disconnected business of its own ; thus complicating and involving the busi¬ ness of two great establishments, and, of course, rendering ne¬ cessary more or less of delay in their operations. Nor is this all:—The Worcester Road has already three other branches, coming from different regions of country, bringing totally distinct and disconnected business, and thus accumula¬ ting upon it a heterogeneous and complex mass of arrange¬ ments and efforts, quite sufficient, one would think, for any reasonable degree of rapidity, safety, or precision, in its move¬ ments. Thus, the Norwich and Worcester pours in freight and passengers from Connecticut and New York; the Worcester and Nashua from New Hampshire; and the Worcester and Providence will soon do so from Rhode Island and the Black- stone Valley : to say nothing of four collateral spurs. And all these sources will doubtless continue to produce annually increasing business for this road, as the annual returns show. 15 Thus, then, we have the Worcester road, as one main trunk, —already possessing one branch extending to the Western and Lake country, and the. western part of' Massachusetts; one to New Hampshire; one to Rhode Island ; one to Connecticut; and at least four other branches in this Slate,—crowded with business already to repletion, annually increasing to an almost indefinite extent, and with accelerating rapidity. And now it \s proposed to add to it another branch, connecting it with New York, as a means of accomplishing the passage between that city and Boston for 'passengers and freight in the most speedy and punctual manner practicable. The proposition bears absur¬ dity upon its face. It is obvious, that a branch road can never answer the pur¬ poses of a through route to New York: or that, if any could, this cannot. The testimony of Mr. Carruth is conclusive to this effect. The Old Colony, with its little business, has already been compelled to leave for want of sufficient accommodation ; and the constant annual increase will soon render it impossible to transmit all f the business flowing into its depots front its existing branches.' Another fatal objection to the proposed route by the Western Rail-road, is the additional distance. It is at least twenty-four miles farther. This, supposing the roads otherwise equal, makes a difference of nearly an hour in time. Hut it has been at¬ tempted to show, that this difference in distance will be in great measure compensated for, in time, by the advantage of double tracks on the Western Road ; and that it is in contemplation to lay them soon from Worcester to Springfield, if allowed to retain the New York travel. If they intend waiting for the profits of this travel as now shown, "the tracks will not be laid these many years, unless those profits are much misrepresented. Rut, if that he done, it will give a double track for less than half the way to New York, and that from Springfield to New York will still be single only, and will probably so remain for years to come, at least. But what can be more futile and deceptive than such argu¬ ments? Is it not competent for the direct road to have double tracks as well as the Western, and is there not full as good reason to believe that, if this road be established, double tracks will very soon be laid ? It will bo that, of all others, where double tracks will be most wanted: and, if the profits he as anticipated, they can very soon be afforded. So that the inmost that can be urged in this behalf is, that the Western Road may have double tracks for less than half the way, a little earlier than one of these roads would have them to a still greater dis- Bnt it is contended, that the grades and curvatures on the 16 Western and Springfield Road are more favorable than those through Connecticut on the proposed route, and that this will tend to counterbalance, in some measure, the difference in distance ; though it is conceded that, upon the comparisons thus made, there may be a saving of 15 to 30 minutes on our line notwith- It is to be remembered, however, that these computations are made by gentlemen who are superintendents of the existing roads competing for this travel; and. however candid and in¬ genuous.—and I believe them to be as much so as any men can be in like circumstances,—they are necessarily exposed to every possible bias against this line and in favor of the Western Road. In the second place, it is most material to bear in mind, that they estimated the gradients upon the proposed road as being from .51) to 60 feet per mile with short and sharp curvatures; whereas, the testimony of Mr. Johnson and Mr. McDonough is, that the grades may all easily be reduced to 50 feet, and proba- ,blv would be upon a locating survey. The computations of the remonstrants’ witnesses are made upon the actually existing grades and curves of the Western Road, which are the most favorable that could be selected, and upon a merely preliminary survey of ours, which, the engineers say, could be greatly im¬ proved by actual locatiou. Another disadvantage under which this comparison is made is, that we have not, and cannot obtain, the radii of the curves on the Western and Springfield, and Hartford and New Haven Roads, though called for: nor can we procure their sum of ascent and fall. We have not, therefore, the proper means of accurate, or hardly of approximate comparison : and in the manner in which it is made, there is a clear error in assuming the grades to be 5 and 10 feet higher than they need be. It is very manifest that, considering the grades and curvatures between Boston and Rhode Island, and Boston and Worcester, they are very much in favor of the proposed road; and that the maxi¬ mum grades are much higher on the Western Road than on any part of the direct route. The proof is, that this road may be travelled in 7 hours. The admission of Mr. Parker and Mr. Lee, that there might he a saving of from 15 to 30 minutes, is most material, coming from that quarter, and the extreme may be safely relied upon. But their estimates were solely upon the difference of distance, and curvatures, and grades, and under the errors and disad¬ vantages pointed out, without reference to the delays and em¬ barrassments, before suggested, arising from its being one among manv branches of roads already crowded, and which • soon must be overburdened if the business upon them shall continue 17 to increase at the present ratio of augmentation : there can be no doubt, as the engineers testify, but that, upon a final location, easier grades may be obtained, and many curvatures lessened or avoided ; and, should the road be established and go into operation, and prove as profitable and important to the public as is confidently anticipated, its capacity for speed will doubt¬ less be constantly increasing. That will soon become a para¬ mount object in reference to mails and passengers; and with all the improvements that are so rapidly taking place in roads, and engines, and arrangements, it is reasonable to believe that the distance may, ere long, be traversed in five or six hours by the mail trains, and regularly in seven by the accommoda¬ tion lines. But another essential, and perhaps still more important, dif¬ ference between these roads, has been kept entirely out of sight; and that is, the great increase of expense in consequence of this difference of distance. The charges are necessarily computed by the mile for the expenses of keeping the road in order, and wear and tear of engines and cars, and of attendance ; and all those included in the term 11 running expenses” are necessarily in the ratio of distance. Now, this difference amounts to about 13 per cent, upon transportation of both passengers and freight, or $13 U00 upon every $100 000 ; and this saving, by the direct route, of itself constitutes an exigency or reason for its establishment. Upon any great business between the two cities, it would pay the income on a very large portion of its cost. It is evident, therefore, that the great exigency of a direct land route through to New York will not be sufficiently met and answered by the proposed union of the Western Road with the branch to New Haven and New York;—that such a line cannot afford the facilities for transportation with the despatch, and punctuality, and cheapness , that the public wants demand, and which the proposed route would furnish. Much has been said about the preference of men of business for night trains, and of the certainty that they will be rpsorted to by men of business; but there is every reason to believe, that the direct route would furnish the best means of reaching New York in that manner. Those electing that course, may leave Boston in the afternoon at four, reach New Haven in four hours, and take the boat from New Haven, thus avoiding all the dangerous navigation of the Sound, and the inconvenience of a late arrival, if that be worth avoiding; while those who prefer the land route may continue on their journey to New York, and arrive there in season to obtain from six to seven hours of good quiet sleep; while the morning train, leaving this city at seven, will reach New York to dine. As an accommodation for those 3 18 travelling lor pleasure or business, it will be, beyond comparison, the most convenient and agreeable arrangement compared with any other now existing or in contemplation. We have, thus far, considered the importance of the proposed road, as a means of immediate communication between Boston and New York only, and trust that we have satisfied the Com¬ mittee of the exigency for one, and that it is not answered by any other now existing or projected. We have, next, to invite attention to this road, considered as connecting this city and Commonwealth with the extensive, and wealthy, and rapidly growing manufacturing regions of Connecticut and Rhode Isl¬ and, through which it would pass, and from which all intercourse is now comparatively precluded: and we submit, with entire confidence, that, considered as a local road merely, extending only from this city to New Haven, it is a most desirable and important end to be’ attained: that, throwing aside the business between New York and Boston altogether, the local business along its line, between New Haven and Boston, will bo highly profitable to the proprietors of the road : and that its construc¬ tion will conduce greatly to the wealth and prosperity of this city and Commonwealth. Happily, we are not obliged to appear before the Committee, as last year, with merely general information concerning the character of the country, and its population and resources. We were then told that it was a terra incognita; that our whole or main reliance must be upon the through travel, and that no material aid could be anticipated from local business. But we are now enabled to present to the Committee well authenticated statistics, leaving, as is believed, no room for reasonable doubt of the capability of this road for self-maintenance through this State, Rhode Island and Connecticut; and that its construction will bring us into immediate connexion with an immense ex¬ tent of water-power and manufacturing capital and population of the greatest importance;—and by means of which our own wealth and enterprise will be greatly increased and promoted. It appears, by the map, that the proposed road will pass through portions of six out of the eight counties composing the Stale of Connecticut. It is proved, by the testimony of the gentlemen from Connecticut, and the statistics furnished by them, that the population, in towns within five miles of the line, on either side, amounts to ninety-one thousand four hundred persons; that the number of cotton and woollen mills, already established in towns lying within five miles of the line, is nine¬ ty-nine, and of saw and grist-mills, is one hundred and eighty- seven : that the capital already invested in manufacturing business along the line, is $4,772,7S7, and the annual returns from it are $8,510,635 : that the employed water-power on the 19 line, and within seven miles of it, at Willimantic, is equal to sixty-four thousand spindles, and the unemployed to one hun¬ dred and thirty thousand—equal to one hundred ninety-four thousand, of which more than three fourths are within three fourths of a mile of the line; while at East Haddarn and Col¬ chester, also on the line, is power for fifty-live thousand more,— malting a total of power equal to two hundred and forty-nine thousand spindles, exceeding that reputed to be at Lowell. And it further appears, from the tables of statistics, supported by tes¬ timony of the purest and most unsuspicious character, that the transportation of freight and passengers along the road through Connecticut, without allowing a farthing for any coming upon it beyond the Eastern line or the city of New Haven,— and without computing agricultural products, lire stuc/:, or lumber ,— would afford an adequate means of maintaining the road, and giving a large interest on the outlay. Indeed, no one can cast his eye upon the map, or the table of statistics, and see the country through which the road passes, the great number of manufacturing establishments already ex¬ isting, and the extent of population, without perceiving that these estimates are made altogether within bounds : too low, indeed, for a fair computation of the resources of a rail-road in that region. If the persons who prepared these tables had possessed the skill and knowledge, not to say the imagination, which distinguish the exhibits usually made on these occasions, they would have been able to present a plausible statement of an income of from 25 to 50 per cent, upon the stock', after paying running expenses. They have entirely left out all the transportation of animals, wood, lumber, hay, grain, stock and stone, and other materials, which figure so largely in most sta¬ tistical accounts, and arc very justly entitled to great considera¬ tion. The freestone quarries on the Connecticut River, within a stone's throw of the road, are entirely omitted. But who can doubt that this road would soon become the means of conveyance of it, wrought and fitted for use'! No one, I think, can read the memorial and table of statistics, and testimony in support of them, without being satisfied that very few, if any, roads were' ever presented to the Legislature, promising a greater amount of income from local business between this city and the region through which it was projected. But when ire add to this the busi¬ ness that would immediately spring up between these places, and between them and Boston, upon their connexion by a rail-road, it is hazarding little to say that no road ever projected afforded more rational expectation of abundant usefulness and profit to its owners and the public. And how is this testimony, with regard to the statistics of Connecticut, to be encountered ! I had expected that, some effort would have been made to counteract it by testimony showing, either that the representations were exaggerated, or the computa¬ tions fallacious; or that some witnesses, at least, would be in¬ troduced to express opinions that these tables and testimony do not afford satisfactory proof of a profitable road; and we stood fully prepared to meet such testimony, if offered, by further evidence, and the opinions of practical and experienced men well versed in rail-road statistics; but none such have been offered. A dead silence has hitherto reigned upon this suhject. The counsel for the Western and Walpole rail-roads have avoided the subject, or dealt with it only in round assertion. Has the disclosure of the views of our opponents upon this most important part of the case been left for the counsel of the Milford route, to whom has been awarded the great privilege of closing this debate: and who, having only nine miles of road, and one town, to advocate the interests of, may devote nearly all his time to opposing the great roads prayed for ? And has it been thought prudent and advisable to keep back the points of opposition, and mode of attack, until after we had left the field? Whether this was by design or not, such is the state of the case. JS'ot an intimation has been given how, or in what manner, this attempt is to be made. In this state of the case, I am left to anticipation merely ; but a little experience enables us to foresee the course to be taken. I suppose, sir, that one mode will be, to take the Connecticut tables of amounts of freight and passengers, and rates charged for transportation, and show that the rates are too high, and that, reduced to a level with those upon the established rail¬ roads, they would not yield the supposed profit, if any. It will be said, that we have charged seven cents per mile for freight where other roads charge three; and three cents for passengers, where they charge from two to three. Well; if this be so, I submit that it would be unreasonable and absurd to put down our rates to a level with those of old and established roads. Most of these are competing roads, where the charges are necessarily low both for passengers and freight; and 'where the. gradual increase of custom has authorized corre¬ sponding deductions in the rates of fare. The proposed road will pass through a country entirely unaccommodated, and where they can well afford to pay these, and even greater prices, for this accommodation, and yet save vastly from the expenses of their present modes of transportation. The price for passengers is not above the average, on most roads, for way travel, until very recently: and it is well known that way freight pays much more than through freight. This road will pay the usual rate of freight and passage for new roads, until the transporta¬ tion shall become so great as to authorize and require a re- 21 duction of prices corresponding with that of roads long estab¬ lished. But I submit to the Committee, that this is generally a super¬ ficial, unsatisfactory, and fallacious mode of arriving at safe con¬ clusions upon these subjects. I confess my amazement, that it is made the subject of so much consideration in these hearings. It is obvious, that the statistical tables of numbers of pas¬ sengers and ions of freight, and rates, &c., as generally pre¬ sented, must be extremely fallacious. If they were made by one person or committee acting impartially and judiciously, some dependence might be placed upon them. But, coming as they do from the parties immediately interested,—made up with every degree of care or carelessness, and under every influence of partiality and self-interest, entirely without any standard by which to compare them, they are to be received with great caution, and often with great distrust. The distinctions between them, in the present case, cannot have failed to attract the attention of the Committee. All those of the central route, except the returns from Brighton and Brookline, have been carefully made from diligent inquiry and most cautious proof of the numbers of passengers and tons of freight actually transported during the past year; while most of the others have been founded on mere general opinions stated by the witnesses, without any particular inquiry or exami¬ nation. One may be truly called statistical accounts ; the other, mere estimates dependent upon the greater or less degree of ob¬ servation, knowledge, judgment, or imagination, of the wit¬ nesses. It seems to me, that little importance can be attached to this sort of evidence. But there is one species of proof before the Committee that can be safely relied upon; and it is that, alone, on which their judgment may confidently rest. I refer to the rel¬ ative amonntsof population and capital invested in active indus¬ try along the proposed lines. Human nature and the influences of the same industrial occupations are the same every where— in Norfolk or Worcester, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecti¬ cut- and where you find any given numbers of people, manufac¬ tories, and workshops, you may safely calculate upon corre¬ sponding capacity and need for a turnpike or a rail-road, and means to maintain it. Now this, sir, is a view of this case that has been hitherto carefully kept out of sight by those who have preceded me. As I esteem it. however, the only safe basis of calculation and sound judgment, and as the fads are incontrovertible, so that we know the ground we stand upon, I wish to place it before the 22 Committee with particular emphasis, as deserving their especial and most careful consideration. Assuming, then, that the numbers of passengers and tons of freight will always be the same, in the like amounts of popula¬ tion engaged in like occupations, and that the prices of trans¬ portation must correspond so as to adapt themselves to the busi¬ ness in all cases , I now ask the attention of the Committee to apply the principle to the case before them. And, first, as to the population. We have not the means of actual comparison by taking the towns through which the lines of different roads respectively pass: but we have a criterion approximating, and hardly less satisfactory. It is proved that, upon taking all the towns whose centres are within five miles of the line of the road from Boston to New Haven, through Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and New Haven, and those whose centres are within five miles of the proposed central route, the population along the central route exceeds that of the Western Rail-road route full nine per cent.: and as this com¬ parison cannot be in favor of the central route, through Massa¬ chusetts, this increase must be mainly on the residue of the road. Next, let us turn to the tables showing the relative amounts of capital along the proposed route, and those of several existing profitable roads. The amounts invested in manufacturing and industrial capital are shown to be as follows :— Proposed route in Connecticut per mile, - - §56,SIS 00 Fitchburg Bail-road, ----- 22,929 00 Boston &, Worcester Rail-road, - 57,651 00 Boston & Maine l: - - - - 51.935 00 Old Colony :! - - - - 33jS54 00 Showing the industrial capital thus employed along the pro¬ posed route, in Connecticut, to be greater than that of any other of these routes excepting the Worcester, and only about eight hundred dollars short of that; and more than fifty per cent, great¬ er than that of the Fitchburg:—and, that all this capital must he as near to this line as that along the other roads, is proved by the testimony that the great body of it is within a mile of the HOAD, and all the residue within five or seven miles. Surely, then, if population and industrial capital are to be relied upon as the basis, the claims of this Connecticut road far exceed the great majority of the best roads in this State. But the case does not rest here. There is another criterion of the relative amounts of industrial population and capital along these lines—no less emphatic and decisive—to be found in the comparative numbers of manufactories and mills. From the tables it appears that, along the line through Connecticut, there are 23 more than (3 woollen and cotton mills to every 5 miles; On the Boston and Worcester line. 2 in every 5 miles; “ Fitchburg, - - 11 1 l; “ 5 “ 11 Old Colony, - - “ 1 “ “ 5 “ That is to say, as three to one contrasted with the Boston and Worcester; and as six to one with the Fitchburg and Old Col¬ ony. Not that all those on the Connecticut line are supposed to he equal, in size or importance, with those on the other lines : but their great number indicates alike the comparatively greater amount of capital thus employed and of population thus engaged. And to this we are to add one hundred and eighty-seven grist and saw-mills,—more than two for every mile. And this, sir, is the country which we are told is inacces¬ sible and uninhabited, barren and unproductive, and to which access by rail-road is neither practicable nor desirable: and such are the country, and the water-power, and the siiindles, and the jieople at work, which counsel who count their spindles by fifties, and measure their water-power by gallons, declare to have no occasion for a rail-road, and unable to support one ! And to these are to be added, the one hundred and thirty thousand spindles of water-power, as yet unemployed, within seven miles of this line, at Willimandc. Such, sir, are the resources of Connecticut, through which the proposed line would pass ; and such are the treasures she now offers to our acceptance. A most highly respectable dele¬ gation of her citizens have come here, with a charter in their hands for a road through that portion of their own prosperous State, aud respectfully request permission to have it united with one through our own : and the question now before the Com¬ mittee is, Whether they shall be turned coldly and contemptu¬ ously away ! They come, representing thousands and tens of thousands of industrious and virtuous men in Connecticut: and with eleven hundred, of like character, from Rhode Island ; and with six thousand of your own fellow-citizens.—asking merely the privilege of uniting .that region with ours in the bond of friendly and commercial intercourse, that the treasures now possessed by each may be made, in some measure, common to all, as the means of increasing the wealth and prosperity of themselves and their country. Surely such applications as these are not to be slightly regarded or thoughtlessly turned But, among other equally untenable objections, it has been said, that the road can never be profitable as a freight road be¬ cause it will constantly cross navigable streams where articles may be waterborne, and so transported much more cheaply than upon a rail-road. This is an entire mistake. The road will 24 cross but one navigable stream in Connecticut, and that is the Connecticut River. It is most essentially an inland route, and therefore most assuredly a profitable one. Finally, Mr. Chairman, upon this point we have the deliber¬ ate and definitive action of the State of Connecticut, which we think should be decisive. She has passed in judgment upon the question, after patient and careful examination, as is abundant¬ ly proved. So entire has been the conviction of her legislature, with the matter long and fully before them, that they have granted a bridge across their principal navigable river, notwith¬ standing one of the best organized and most forcible oppositions ever encountered. Would they have done this, if the road pro¬ posed were through a barren, fruitless, impracticable country? Was not every consideration of the utility of the road, its feasi¬ bility , its profit and its state and national advantages, and all its disadvantages, fully discussed, and deliberately decided upon 1 Were not these discussions before men familiarly and practical¬ ly acquainted with that region, and with the characters of the witnesses, and their capacities for giving accurate information,— therefore infinitely more competent to appreciate the testimony and arguments as applied to the subject than we can pretend to be 1 And when the State Legislature most competent to judge, and most interested to judge correctly, has fully considered the subject, and has determined that the road should be constructed, because it will be profitable to its owners and beneficial to the public, and has evinced the fulness of its conviction by bridg¬ ing the most important navigable stream within its boundaries, —does it become the Legislature of another state, with no compa¬ rative local information, and with only the feeble light of distant testimony , to deny the soundness of their judgment or the cor¬ rectness of their conclusions I If, Mr. Chairman, we had much testimony here, tending to show that the road through Connecticut would not be profitable, I should hold it of very little moment in opposition to this action of the Legislature of that state ; because no evidence before this committee could be supposed, for a moment, to compare, in am¬ plitude or extent, to that adduced before that Legislature ; and because it is obviously impossible for a committee composed of strangers to the territory and the people inhabiting it, however exalted their judgment or ability, to form so accurate an opinion upon the subject of inquiry, as can those who are familiar with the country—the numbers, occupations, possessions, and habits of the people. It may perhaps be suggested, that the charter was granted merely with the view of the through travel—to unite Connecti¬ cut with New York and Boston. But this cannot be so.—Con¬ necticut is already in full communication with Boston by the 25 Western road and Norwich road, and with New York by nu¬ merous steam-boats, and will soon be so by rail-road from New Haven. She could gain nothing of importance by a mere tran¬ sit of passengers or freight through her territory in that direc¬ tion ; and the road, therefore, must have been granted from the proof of its ulilily and profitableness in the region through which it proposes to pass. And next let us consider the course of the proposed road through Rhode Island. And here, too, it must become the chain of communication with a great and growing manufacturing and commercial interest, that may be of immeasurable importance if connected with this state and metropolis. The population, business, and water-power of the north-eastern part of Rhode Island in the vicinity of Woonsocket, have been proved, by numerous witnesses, to be such as to render rail-road communica¬ tion between that region and Boston of iiiu/ueslionable necessity. That village alone has 130,000 cotton, and 0500 woollen spindles now in operation, and is most rapidly increasing, and has water¬ power for 3(5,000 more, making a total nearly equal to one half the water-power of Lowell. It is proved, that there is now water-power, employed and unemployed, equal to 249,44S spindles, within 12 miles of Woonsocket, most of it in Rhode Island, and three-fourths of it within a mite from the line of the proposed central route: and that this is capable of increase at very small expense, making a total of 3S1,500 spindles ; while the whole water-power of Lowell is stated to be onlv equal to about 220,000 or 240,000. This road, therefore, if established, will bring Boston, and the centre of Massachusetts, in direct communication with very many manufacturing establishments already existing, with several large cities and towns, and an extensive agricultural country, and with water-power equal to (530,500 spindles,—all of which must ere long be brought into operation under the enterprising skill and capital which are so rapidly making New England the. manufacturing emporium of America,—and with none of which have we now any rail-road communication. Nor ought we to forget, in this connexion, the great probable use to be made of this road, in the transportation of cattle from New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The testimony shows that many are now driven the whole distance to the mar¬ ket at this end of our route : and it seems not extravagant to in¬ fer that, if a direct and feasible road be made; vastly greater numbers will be sent in this manner, to the great profit of the Slate, and the income of the road, besides the great numbers to be brought from Rhode Island and Connecticut. It is further proved, if the testimony adduced is to be relied upon, that, in comparing the population along the two lines 4 from Boston to New Haven, exclusive of the termini, that of the Western and Springfield route is less, by 9 per cent., than that of the proposed route, taking towns whose centres are within 5 miles of the two lines ; and this could have been most easily disproved, if not true. This, of itself, is sufficient. It proves conclusively, that the road will be at least so much more prof¬ itable in way travel, and is so much the more demanded for the public accommodation. Thus this road, if constructed, will bring us into immediate contact with a great and growing, and most industrious, enter¬ prising, prosperous population, with whom we now have no intercourse, who will buy and sell with us, and infinitely in¬ crease our wealth while increasing their own; and also into connexion with extensive manufacturing establishments already existing, and an almost inexhaustible power for their increase, and the profitable investment of our surplus capital. It seems to me derogatory to the intelligence of the Commit¬ tee, to offer further comment upon this point. If the evidence before them is entitled to any credit for honesty or intelligence, the result is too obvious for argument; it is a self-evident prop¬ osition : and I submit with confidence, that no evidence was ever placed before any committee more entitled to respect and full faith than that on this subject, coming from the highest sources of character, station and intelligence, and without the slightest attempt at contradiction by witnesses or in way but by mere assertion of counsel. It is to be borne in mind by the Committee that, in our esti¬ mates of the income of this road in our statistical tables, we compute it wholly upon the local business of the road, taking the existing amounts of freight and passengers, without adding any thing for the certain and great increase that must inevitably result from the establishment of the road, as proved by the an¬ nual returns of all the roads in the Commonwealth. We have stricken out the SO per cent, in the tables from Connecticut, al¬ though that may certainly be considered a most reasonable anti¬ cipation after the first four years; and we have not added one cent for any transportation of persons or property from Boston to Neio York, or to New Haven : and from those tables it appears that, as A LOCAL ROAD ONLY, IT WOULD PAY Sh PER CENT. ON THE COST, as things now are. But to this we are to add the natural increase, and which would be greater here than on any other road because of their present total want of any such facilities : and to that we are also to add the through travel, and transportation between Boston and New York, which, we believe, may be well com¬ puted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in a few years. I cannot leave this part of the case without reverting to one portion of the argument of the counsel for the Western Bail- 27 Road—viz., that we should wait until these resources are brought into operation before constructing a road to them. How long—and to what degree or extent of operation must they arrive'? The argument seems much like that of forbearing to cut roads and open means of access to a fertile country until it is settled with towns and villages. But the answer to this argument, if such it may be called, is all around us. We have a great surplus capital every where seeking investment. Our capitalists are building rail-roads in Pennsylvania, Michi¬ gan and New York. Why not avail ourselves of these resour¬ ces for planting it here, amid New England institutions, and protected by her energy, habits and principles'? There is no assignable limit but the extent of water-power to the amount of surplus capital that must continue to be annually invested in the manufactories of our country if she continue to advance as she has done. The destiny of Now England is determined. She must be the great manufacturing workshop of this conti¬ nent. And every spindle of water-power must soon be made to contribute its energy to her onward movement; and no policy can be more in consonance with the genius of her people, and their truest interest, than the establishment of the easiest possi¬ ble means of access to her mill-streams, and of intercommunica¬ tion between her states, cities, and villages. I submit, therefore, to the Committee, that my first proposi¬ tion is clearly made out:—that a rail-road by land from Boston, through Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York, is alike de¬ manded for the public good and by the public voice ; and that, whether considered as affording a more speedy, regular , and direct communication between the cities of Boston and New York , or as a local road merely connecting Boston with Rhode Island and Connecticut, its expediency for the public, and its profitable¬ ness to the stockholders, cannot be doubted; and that, viewed as a combination of both, it is not surpassed, in extent of utility and promise of profitable investment, by any that has ever been before the Legislature. And, in behalf of the inhabitants of Connecticut and Rhode Island, and of the 6000 petitioners in Massachusetts whom I have the honor to represent, I invoke your interposition and aid to procure for them this charter. II. We pass, then, to our second proposition :—that the par¬ ticular road, prayed for by Otis Pettee and his associates, is the most suitable, if not the only one suitable, for the attainment of an extension through Rhode Island, and is far better adapted than any other for the general purposes of a through route. ’ My first point under this proposition is, that the route I advo¬ cate is the most, if not the only, suitable one for attaining an extension through Rhode Island. In the first place, Mr. Chairman, it is obvious that the road 28 cannot be extended as desired -without the consent of the State of Rhode Island given in the form of a charter. The success of the project is as entirely dependent upon her will as upon that of this State; and that will must be in the sentiments and wishes of her citizens; and those sentiments and wishes must be in accordance with their perception of their public and private interests, and their sense of the justice and comity evinced towards them by the other slates interested in the enterprise. It is not to be asked or expected, that she will construct a conduit through her territories, merely for the purposes of having the treasures of Massachusetts flow through it into Connecticut and New York, and those of New York and Connecticut flow through it into Massachusetts, while she is to be jealously and carefully excluded from all the benefits which she might rea¬ sonably anticipate and desire from it. She is under no obliga¬ tions of justice, comity, or good neighborhood, to permit a stream to flow through her waste soil to fertilize Massachusetts and Connecticut.—when, by a course equally direct and beneficial to them, it might be made to fertilize her productive lands, and so add to the mutual comfort and wealth of all of them. Nor are her citizens to be expected to give their votes, or exert their in¬ fluence, to procure a charter which carefully excludes them from the only benefit they could derive from one if had on just and equal terms. Nor are they to be supposed willing to exert themselves for the benefit of those who avowedly disregard their interests and seek only the selfish and exclusive gratification of their own. These are very obvious and trite remarks, and may seem too plain to need even a statement of them. But they are clearly decisive of the question before the Committee, if applied to the evidence. The proposed road must pass through Rhode Island. The only point at which it can pass, with any mate¬ rial benefit to her, is Woonsocket. That is one of her central points of manufacturing capital, and enterprise, and expecta¬ tion. Her interests in that quarter may be greatly promoted by having it connected with the cities of Boston and New York by rail-road communication; and her citizens resident there, and in its vicinity, would be unquestionably greatly benefited, and have every motive of self-interest and State policy to aid and advance the project. That place is now altogether the centre of business in that region: and entitled to retain and enjoy its preeminence so long as fair competition will enable it to do so; —and, of course, not only cannot consent, but must vigorously resist any effort to destroy its importance, or build up another at its expense. But the whole argument of the advocates of the Perkins and Walpole routes, on this point, is, that the road should pass through Blackstone, because that is a Massachu- setts town,—and Massachusetts interests would be promoted, and Blackstone would soon become the central point of business of that region instead of Woonsocket, and outstrip her in the race of competition. And most earnest and pathetic appeals are made to, the patriotism of the Committee, and of the Legislature of Massachusetts, to protect the interests of her children, and not those of strangers, or aliens, as they are called. Good names are sometimes used to conceal very bad motives and feelings. Prudence, and love of one's family, are often the cloaks of meanness and inhumanity ; and patriotism, that much- abused name and sentiment, is too often the mere flimsy veil thrown over selfishness and passion. It may be very patriotic to protect the interests of citizens of our own State against the en¬ croachments of others, or even to advance them in preference to those of others, where no duty of comity or mutual regard in¬ terferes. But it is in no sense consistent with my ideas of pat¬ riotism, to beg the favor of another state for the benefit of out- own, while we deny any participation in it to the party from whom we ask the favor. i\or does it quite come up to my notions of the dignity or self-respect of the Common¬ wealth of Massachusetts, that, in a great enterprise to be under¬ taken for the mutual benefit of herself and other sister states, but most chief I) for her own, she should be seen merely contend¬ ing to deprive one of them of her just share of the profits by- absorbing it herself. ■ I feel, sir, that, if this were a mere question of dignity and self-respect, there would be no doubts in your minds upon the subject. But it is far otherwise : it is a question of life or death to this whole project. There can bo no reasonable ground of expectation that Rhode Island will grant a charier through her territory, unless it be for a road passing through Woonsocket, so as to give her some portion of the advantages which Massa¬ chusetts and Connecticut anticipate from it. Her legislators perfectly understand this subject. Their eyes are upon us dur¬ ing this whole investigation. They know, as well as we, the motives and reasons that are here engaged in the effort to turn aside this .road from the only point where it could subserve her interests, and make it beneficial only to ourselves, and to her loss; and they will meet such a spirit, if acted out, in the manner it deserves, and spurn the application for a charter through her lands. The people of Woonsocket, who are now united to a man in this enterprise, and have exerted all their influence in doubt of it, if Rhode Island be allowed a .share in its benefits: -would, if actuated by the motives common to all men. bo as united against it, if they are not only to be excluded from its advantages, but to see a determination on our part to build up so a neighboring village at the expense of their own flourishing town. Human nature is every where the same ; and we have but to appeal to our own hearts to tell us what we should do in like circumstances, in older to learn what they will do. Be¬ sides, it is known to the Committee that thoughts are already entertained, in Providence and Rhode Island, to extend the Boston and Providence Boad into Connecticut, for the purpose of drawing there the business which we are seeking to draw here by means of this road. And what better argument could the friends of that project have—what more popular one could the opponents of ours urge upon their Legislature—than this selfish, studied design, on the part of Massachusetts, to seek of her the favor of a road through her soil, solely for the purpose of passing, through it or over it, the treasures which she might otherwise secure for herself ? Sir, if either of these roads to Blackstone be chartered, it will be worth no more, for the purposes of a through road to Con¬ necticut and New York, than the paper upon which it is writ¬ ten. Such a charter would be far worse than the refusal of any. It would most justly and forever shut the door of Rhode Island upon us,—and exclude us forever from the rich treasures now within our reach. We should indeed stand like the dog who lost the substance in attempting to seize the shadow : and the selfishness and meanness of the motives would render the com¬ parison not out of place, though applied to a sovereign state. But it is worth the while to inquire when and how this sud¬ den outbreak of jubliant patriotism has happened. It is some¬ thing quite new—quite a recent discovery. Last year were eight petitions before the Committee, and not one terminated in or passed through this village of Blackstone, or rather Waterford, which now seems made the centre of Massachusetts interests and patriotism. All that did not terminate upon the Providence and Worcester road went to Woonsocket. There was the Deane route, terminating at Uxbridge ; the Hastings route, at "Woon¬ socket : the Dana route, at Woonsocket: the Pettee route, at Woonsocket; the Russell route, at Woonsocket, afterwards com¬ bined with the Ammadon route along the valley to Southbridge, with a branch to Woonsocket: the Walpole or Fisher route, to Woonsocket, and the Torrey route, also, to Woonsocket; and the Miller route, from Dedham to Woonsocket, afterwards united with the Russell and Ammadon. Not one of these was thought of as going to Waterford or Blackstone village. True it is that the advocates of the RusseTl, Miller and Am¬ madon routes, after having combined their forces, threw up their caps, and shouted heartily for Massachusetts interests, and down with Rhode Island : but that was for a road turning off below the village of Blackstone, and passing through the valley a 31 long distance to Southbridge, all within this State; and with the express disavowal of any design of a through road, by way of Rhode Island and Connecticut, to New York; and there was therefore some little pretence of reason in calling that a Massachu¬ setts interest—in contrast with a road that was to pass immedi¬ ately into another state. But no such pretence can be plausibly asserted by the advocates of a road which is intended to pass in the same manner with ours, and with no other difference than the distance of a mile and a half from each other. But how is it that, if it is so important to go to Blackstone now, and so unpatriotic to think of going to Woonsocket ,—that this was not found out until this season'? Has any change taken place in the relative condition of the two towns l Or any new light beamed upon the benighted eyes of these patriots—so that they can now see what before was not visible? Clearly not. All remains the same relatively : and if it was desirable then that the road should terminate in, or go through "Woonsocket, it is so now: and we have the united voice of the whole people of Massachusetts, who then desired any road, that Woonsocket was its proper termination. Indeed, so clear was this, that it was formally announced by the Committee, on the second or third day of their session, that the necessity of a road to Woon¬ socket was a conceded point, and need not be matter of evi¬ dence: the only question being which road would bo most con¬ ducive to the public good. And the unanimous response of that Committee was, that the one we now advocate was the best. How, then, is this change to be accounted for ? Clearly enough. It was seen then, and is seen now, that, if any road is to be granted to Woonsocket, it must be that of Otis Pettee and his associates : that all Rhode Island, and the greatest portion of all the petitioners for a road to that region, are in favor of it; and nothing else, therefore, was left to the others hut to seek some other termination, about which they could rally with a patriotic hurrah for Massachusetts, expecting to carry the day by that appeal. We have, however, no appre¬ hensions that it will avail. We believe the reasons already stated will suffice to show that it is one to which the Legisla¬ ture ought not to listen, even if it were true that the pecuniary interest of the state would be promoted by having the road pass through Blackstone village. But we are willing to meet the question upon that issue : we submit that the case is clearly with us beyond all reasonable doubt: that, in a pecuniary point of view, it is for the interest of this State that the road pass to Woonsocket rather than through Blackstone. whether considered as a local or as a through roar/. In the first place, it is obvious that it can make no great dif¬ ference to the State at large, so far as the development of its 32 own resources is in question, "whether it pass through one or the other. If the road be to Blackstone, it will, we concede, be as well for the mere accommodation of that village and the other Massachusetts towns, as if it should go to Woonsocket; and it is equally obvious that, if it pass through Woonsocket, it will afford about equally good accommodation to all those towns except the village of Blackstone, and will af¬ ford to Blackstone itself all the accommodation necessary for the full development of her capabilities of improvement. If the road go to Woonsocket, it will be only one mile and a half from Blackstone. and connected with it by a rail-road already in existence, or may be connected with it by a branch of only about two miles in Bellingham ; and it is absurd to sup¬ pose that one spindle less would be put in operation, in the Blackstone valley, by reason of the road ; s going to Woonsocket rather than to Blackstone. The whole foundation of any in¬ crease of population, or capital, or business, in that region, is in the water-power : and all that is wanted are reasonable rail-road facilities for bringing it near to this city. It cannot be moved or changed: people must go and settle down where that is: and it matters not whether the rail-road be a mile or two one way or the other, so long as it is within reasonable Teach of all: and to say that it would not all be accommodated by a road passing to Woonsocket, but would be by one passing to Blackstone, is to make the accommodation of the Blackstone valley dependent upon a trifling change of location wholly inade¬ quate to any such result. It might affect the growth of that particular village to have the station there rather than else¬ where, by the addition of the persons who attend upon a rail¬ road station : but not one spindle the less would be put in opera¬ tion, nor one drop of water-power the less put in requisition, if the road should go to Woonsocket. But, on the other hand, if this road be made to pass to Black¬ stone instead of Woonsocket, not only must the stockholders of this road lose the advantage of having it stationed in the centre of population and business of that region, and a corresponding loss to the public must ensue, but the State will lose the busi¬ ness of Woonsocket and its vicinity, and Rhode Island : so that, considering it as a local road merely, to terminate at either of these towns, the pecuniary interest of the road itself, and of the State, demand that it go to Woonsocket. IS'o person acquainted with rail-road statistics, and having any knowledge of the state of the country, and the actual con¬ dition of things there, could hesitate for a moment. Compare the population, factories, stores, resources, of Woonsocket with those of Blackstone: the one the centre of business in that region, growing with great rapidity; the other, a comparatively obscure place, owned by a lew wealthy individuals. It' any other charter be granted, no one acquainted with these localities can doubt that the road under it will terminate in Woonsocket, let the present pretences be what they may. It must do so to make it a profitable investment. But when to this consideration we add, that the business of Rhode Island and Connecticut can alone be secured in this man¬ ner, that no road other than the one through Rhode Island can ever be obtained, all other considerations sink into insignifi¬ cance : for, to charter a road to Blackstone rather than Yv oon- soeket would, in this point of view, be to sacrifice the advantage, of connexion with the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut, and the vast business and resources of both, and of the most direct and rapid communication with New York, tor the mere purpose of building up one village, owned by a single corpora¬ tion, whose only members arc a few rich men in Providence: and when, if the road should go through Woonsocket, that same village would be almost equally benefited. A more sui¬ cidal and short-sighted policy was never suggested for serious consideration. Another imperative reason for chartering the road to Woon¬ socket, rather than Blackstone, is in the fact that the termina¬ tion of it at Blackstone must necessarily occasion the delay of from fourteen to sixteen months in procuring a charter through Rhode Island ; and as the Connecticut charter requires that they should commence operations, and expend at least yollO.UOO. before the expiration of three years, and one year has already or nearly expired, the delay would prove ruinous to the whole enter¬ prise. It is well known that delays of this sort are often ruinous to undertakings dependent so much upon popular will and feeling, and there can be no certainty that the Legislature of Rhode Island or Connecticut, two years hence, will "be equally well disposed, or that the affairs of the country will be equally favorable for the undertaking. It is of the utmost importance to secure this great boon now, while within our reach. The delay of twelve or fourteen months may enable rival interests successfully to interfere ; Hartford may succeed, in Iter selfish rivalry, ill throwing obstacles in the way: Providence mav obtain a road connecting Connecticut with her, and thus for ever cut it off from us; and numerous influences maybe exerted, to deprive us of the great treasure now seemingly within our grasp : whereas, if this Legislature should now grant a char¬ ter, and one be obtained through Rhode Island, as”is most con¬ fidently anticipated, there can be no danger of the final success of the whole project. With regard to the application of the constitutional provision of Rhode Island, applicable to the petition pending there, eminent 34 counsel in that State have given opinions which are before the Committee, and which, with the provision, we are quite content, to leave to their decision; believing that it cannot be reasonably assumed, that a charter could be granted on this petition for a road not passing through Woonsocket. Would not every voter in Rhode Island have acted upon the notion that this was the course proposed, and have voted accordingly at the election 7 This objection, of inability to unite with a road through Rhode Island, we consider entirely fatal to the Perkins and Walpole routes, as parts of a through road. A refusal to charter the road to Woonsocket, as part of a through road, would entirely alienate many of the friends of the project in Rhode Island, dishearten the rest, and give vastly increased courage and in¬ fluence to its enemies, "it might, indeed, be considered as a voluntary abandonment of the undertaking. There are other reasons of preference for the Central over the Perkins route, which are more properly subjects of consid¬ eration in comparing their relative merits as local routes. Con¬ sidered as parts of through routes, they are both undoubtedly well fitted, in grades and curvatures and construction, for that purpose: though we think the Central road has peculiar merits in other respects. We leave the Perkins road, therefore, in this part of the case, with the single remark, that its proposal to go to Biaekstone is entirely fatal to any prospect or hope of ever becoming a part of a through road. But it may be argued, that Rhode Island will not, in any event, grant a road through her territory to Connecticut; that she will choose to take this Connecticut business to herself, and conduct it into Providence; and it is said that measures are already in progress for that purpose. This is entirely incredi¬ ble consistently with the usual comity of States; and probably with her own interest, as the direct connexion of such a cen¬ tral portion of her manufacturing interests, as Woonsocket and its vicinity, with Boston and Aew York, would probably be more profitable to her than the other course suggested. But it is certainly the true policy of this State not to drive her to that course by our own selfishness and want of comity ; and if such danger can be reasonably anticipated, the emergency may be met by giving to Otis Pettce and associates the road to Woon¬ socket. with the right, if it cannot be extended through Rhode Island, to go to Biaekstone. This course will be the best cal¬ culated to produce a favorable result there, as indicating no wish on our part to exclude Rhode Island from her share of the benefits of the enterprise, but, on the contrary, a disposition to deal fairly and liberally; with the intention, however, of adopt¬ ing this measure for the exclusive benefit of our own citizens, should she decline the proposal: whereas, the grant of a road to the Perkins petitioners to Biaekstone, with leave to go to Woonsocket, if they cannot otherwise get through that Slate, would be a declaration of selfishness of purpose, and intention to yield only provided the plan could not succeed, that would as justly and surely defeat the project as the confinement of the terminus to Blackstonc alone. Besides, our petition is so framed as to admit of this alternative, whereas theirs is not. Another objection to the Perkins route, in this connexion, as well as in reference to it os a local road, is the great difficulty and expense rendering it probably impossible to connect it with the circular railway to East Boston, as proposed by Air. Lewis. A glance at the map shows at once the great advantage of our road in that respect ; indeed, any such connexion with the Perkins road seems impracticable comparatively; and, if Mr. Lewis’s views relative to the trade between this city and New York, which may result from such connexion, be at all reason¬ able, (and they are entertained by others familiar with our commerce,) it is of the utmost importance, for it may be the means of restoring to this State a vast commerce that now goes to New York. Passing, then, from the Perkins to the Walpole and Milford routes, in reference to this question of their constituting parts of a through road, there is another fatal objection to both. The Walpole is equally obnoxious with the Perkins to that above stated; but both this and the Milford are subject to an¬ other in common: to wit, that they, as branch roads, are wholly unsuitable to constitute parts of such a through line. It seems obvious, upon the mere statement of the proposition, that a line of over two hundred miles in length, passing be¬ tween the two greatest cities in this part of the country as its termini, through parts of four States, and a rich manufacturing and agricultural country, with a thickly settled population compared to any other, and the prospects of business warranting the outlay of from four to six millions of dollars, cannot, with any degree of propriety or expediency, be made a branch to any other road, but must have an indep endent line under its own exclusive management, and with a separate and independ¬ ent depot. To make it a mere branch to any other road, would defeaL one of the objects of such a road, by placing the rate of its speed within the power of another corporation, who could equally affect it by regulations concerning the junction of trains or rapidity of motion on their own road; and also, by putting within their power, to a certain and very injurious extent, the rate of fare for -passengers and freight. Take the very case in hand :—It is conceded, on all hands, that this through route, if established, will compete with the Boston and Providence, aud Boston and Worcester roads for through travel and freight. The public convenience will re- 36 quire, that the rate of speed be the greatest and the fare the cheapest possible. But, make this through road a branch of either of them, and who does not see, that they may so man¬ age as to make this the slowest and dearest route; and who doubts that they would do so, if they could thereby secure the travel over their whole lines, instead of having it only over these small sections ? The idea of constituting a through road, of this extent, as a branch to another road, is altogether novel and unheard of; and no witness has been found, to say that it would be practicable or useful. But there is the strongest and most emphatic legislation against it. It is but two or three years since the Legislature, acting upon the principle that a long line ought not. to be ex¬ posed to the inconvenience of being a branch to any other, ac¬ tually deprived a main road of one of its branches, which it had expended large sums of money to receive and accommo¬ date, and gave it an independent line and depot without com¬ pensation to the parent road; and that, too, at an expenditure of over a million of dollars for fifteen miles. The Boston and Maine road was an established branch of the Boston and Lowell road. That road had incurred great expenses in arrangements and furniture for its accommodation, and was deriving a profit from the business thus introduced upon it. But the Legislature, against its will, and in disregard of its alleged equitable claims, withdrew the branch, and gave it a new line into the city, solely because, from its magnitude, and convenience, it was considered as an independent line and depot. Those who heard or knew of that controversy will not forget the trifling and insignificant inconveniences which were made the pretence for that movement; and now, the same authority is invoked to make a longer and more impor¬ tant line a branch of a branch of another existing road. As before remarked, it is perfectly apparent that the Boston and Worcester, and Boston and Providence roads, have as much business as the public good requires that they should have. They are both constantly expending very large sums of money in most expensive accommodations, and thus increasing their property, while, at the same time, paying large dividends. The business of both is constantly and rapidly increasing, and must continue to do so with augmenting velocity. Their occu¬ pation aud responsibilities are as great as they can reasonably ask, or as consists with the public safety and convenience ; and there is no reason why these, or their resources, should be increased by adding to either of them another long line far ex¬ ceeding the whole present extent of their own. Is it not ab¬ surd to talk of a new line, substantially of 120 miles, as a branch to a road not itself over forty or fifty! 38 New York, express or implied. Such a pretence would be too absurd, and needs no further notice ; and it is equally obvi¬ ous that the proposed road will not interfere with any rational expectations which either of them could entertain of obtaining or retaining any such right or advantage. This is perfectly obvious with regard to the Boston and Providence, and Norwich and Worcester, and Stonington routes, in the first place, be¬ cause all those routes are sea routes, more than one half the passage being upon the Sound ; and as it was not stipulated, so it never could have been understood, that no other rail-road corpo¬ ration should be established by an entire land route, whenever that should become practicable, avoiding all the dangers, delays, uncertainties and inconveniences of water-passages. For tliis reason, alone, it would be idle to pretend that any conflict of right can exist, whatever there may be of interest. Another entire answer is, that the proposed route passes through an en¬ tirely new region, not accommodated by either of those routes excepting at one intersection with the Norwich and Worcester road; and this, too, a territory of great manufacturing wealth and enterprise and still greater capacity; and connects them with our own State; and it is absurd to suppose that this region was intended to be excluded from communion with our State and her commercial metropolis, or that they were to be deprived of its trade because a road leading through it would cross at right angles with an existing road; or that such crossing could conflict with any supposed, implied or expressed rights of those two companies. Whatever effect, therefore, this route may produce upon those roads, no reasonable complaint can be made that it will violate any right, or disappoint any just or reasonable expectation. The only aspect in which this interference can be contemplated is that of policy or expediency : and the question is, whether the amount of public benefit, to be derived from this route, will counterbalance the damage it may bring upon those roads so far as to require its construction; and this question seems sus¬ ceptible of very easy answer. In the first place, one of those roads is entirely in other States, the Stonington being exclusively in Rhode Island and Connecti¬ cut; and by far the greatest portion of the Norwich and Worcester in Connecticut; and great portions of their stocks are. held in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Without, therefore, ren¬ dering ourselves obnoxious to the imputation of selfishness or unreasonable exclusiveness, it is both just and right, in legis¬ lating for this Commonwealth, to preserve and advance our pe¬ culiar interests in preference to those of other States when they must conflict. Now. it is perfectly plain, from a glance upon the map. and the statistics before the Committee, that the pro- 39 posed route will not only afford all the advantages to our State and city which both those roads afford, considered in reference to their great termini of Boston and New York, but that it will, in addition, bring Boston in direct intercourse and com¬ munion with a great extent of territory rich in manufacturing establishments already, and every day becoming more so, which neither of those roads now touches, excepting the portion through which the Norwich and Worcester passes at right angles with this. The utmost that the Stonington road now does for Boston is as a communication with New York; it affords not one particle of trading or manufacturing territory. The principal effect of the Norwich road is the same, though it docs afford facilities of intercourse with the region through which it passes, that being, however, up in the line of the. stream of the GLuimiebaug River, and not across tlio whole range of streams, as the proposed route will be. The advan¬ tage, therefore, which the Norwich and Worcester road affords for intercourse with that region, is very trilling compared with that which would enure from the establishment of that now under consideration. No man can doubt, if the question where the road should go were now for the first time agitated, that this is the true route; and the inquiry now is, whether Massa¬ chusetts shall lose all the benefits of immediate intercourse with this extensive territory, and the consequent increase of her wealtli and prosperity, because other roads were established, under a mistaken pol icy, or one limited to the views then exist¬ ing, which cannot afford such intercourse nor accomplish any of the great purposes for which the new road is designed. In other words, the true question is, whether the State of Massachusetts shall support the Stonington and Norwich roads at her own expense : for it can make iittle difference whether she pays for their maintenance out of her treasury, or sustains them by foregoing the advantages and increase of wealth that the new roacl would furnish. And here it is objected, that this State has loaned to the Nor¬ wich and Worcester road four hundred thousand dollars, which will be jeoparded or lost if other roads go into operation.” Well, what if this were true? (which, however, it is not:) it bv no means follows that the State would ho a loser by the operation. She had better lose four hundred thousand than as many mil¬ lions. Four hundred thousand dollars, if totally lost, is the. whole loss, and we know the end of it ; hut it. is a very small sum compared with the wealth (lowing into the State from its immediate connexion with any extensive manufacturing re¬ gions. Let this road go into operation, and the. tide of business of these regions, or any considerable part of it, he turned to Boston, and the four hundred thousand would be repaid in,any 40 one year, and the accumulated and accumulating profits to our Commonwealth would make four hundred thousand dollars as a unit in the computation of gain. But there is no danger of such entire loss. The State has a mortgage upon the whole road and its equipments, and must be first paid. The road may still do the share of business that justly belongs to it. and bo worth that amount, or more, though of less value than now; and the State will bo eventually no loser except in the depreciation of the small portion of stock held by its own citizens. Indeed, it is thought that the road would be more profitable if confined to its local business, in¬ stead of being involved in steamboat speculations as it hitherto has been ; and if the proposed road be established, the Norwich and Worcester, it is believed, will be the great route from New Hampshire, and the central portions of this State, to New York, and probably become far more profitable than it ever yet has been. The truth is, that the Stonington and Norwich roads were built entirely as routes to New York, accommodated to the notions of that lane, and, it certainly seems, with verv little anticipation of the future. They were not built as affording the most direct and best route to New York, for no examina¬ tion of that now contemplated, and which obviously is the best, was ever made. They were built as the best that were then thought practicable. It was supposed that, being cheap and short roads, they could be subscribed for and erected ; and, as steamboat navigation had been so long in use that it was con¬ sidered as the settled mode, which never could be superseded, the great object of those roads was to furnish the readiest access to and from the Sound. They were, therefore, not chartered or built as the best and most permanent routes to New York, but as expedients adapted to those times and the public senti¬ ment then existing as to rail-roads : and they must be viewed like all other plans or expedients suited to the times when they were adopted,—but which must be necessarily outgrown and superseded by institutions of a later period and more advanced state of public intelligence, enterprise, and wealth. The enterprises in rail-roads which were thought great things then, are littie things now. The improvements in their con¬ struction, the comparative cheapness of their erection,—above all, the surprising and even yet daily astonishing results in the facilities they afford, and the unprecedented wealth and pros¬ perity which they are carrying into every region of the coun¬ try, have given a confidence and energy in enterprises of this sort altogether unknown before; and a rail-road from Boston to New York is an undertaking, now, no greater, comparatively, than one from Boston to Providence or Worcester was, when 41 those roads were first proposed; and it would be as reasonable to refuse to charter a steamboat company because it would supersede or interfere with sailing craft; or to refuse to charter a rail-road because it would conflict with a stage-coach line, a turnpike, or canal,—as to refuse to charter a great line of direct rail-road communication between the two greatest commercial cities in the Union, and through thickly settled manufacturing and agricultural regions, because, in former days unsuited to the enterprise, one or two other indirect, insufficient, and com¬ paratively unsuitable roads had been established which this might interfere with. Such policy is too short-sighted, too sui¬ cidal, for a Massachusetts Legislature. Wc have next to consider the remonstrances of the 'Western and Worcester Rail-road Corporations, which have been filed, and one of which has been printed and circulated with the obvious view of an ex-parte hearing, and to obtain preposses¬ sion of the legislative and public mind before the decision of the Committee could be had. These documents are worthy of remark for the tone they assume, and the reasons they assign for the desired refusal of the charters prayed for. The remonstrance of the Western Rail-road Corporation was first filed, and for a time seemed the only one which it was thought expedient for them all to do battle under ; but, as the case advanced, and the claims of the projected routes were probably found to be matters more serious than was at first supposed, at a late day, the Worcester Rail-road Corporation sent in their manifesto, at the same time giving it wide circula¬ tion by pamphlet and newspaper. The remonstrance of the Western road, after setting forth the cost, and the interest of the State in its stock, and that the road has paid six per cent, only for the past three years,—not referring, however, to the fact well known, that a large portion of the present holders of its stock bought under par,—-proceeds to say that, if deprived of any considerable portion of its business by competing lines, the road must fail to maintain itself without serious embarrassment: and that already an important portion of the annual income is derived from travel between Boston and Now York. It appears, however, upon the testimony, that the past in¬ come from that source can never have exceeded §120 per month, if we understood it correctly ; and upon no view of it could the amount he double that sum. One can hardly believe that this is a very important portion of the annual income of a corporation whose income, for the past quarter, exceeded the corresponding one of the preceding year by §60,000: or that the loss of it could produce very “ serious embarrassment” in its operations. After enumerating the existing routes, and the proposed connexion of the present roads with one from New 6 Haven to New York, the remonstrance proceeds to urge that any difference in the speed, to be obtained by the Pettee route, “ can hardly be urged as warranting the outlay of millions for construction of a rival line, which, if completed, must still further depress the roads now doing this business, some of which, as is well known, can now barely maintain themselves.” Here is a pathetic appeal for certain other roads represented as hardly able to subsist; but it comes very strangely from the lips of a corporation which is confessedly about uniting itself with others to take from them all of their custom which it is supposed that the route objected to could take; and thus to reduce existing lines to the same degree of supposed poverty and embarrassment which that proposed is remonstrated against as calculated to produce. It seems to be thought perfectly consistent with humanity and charity for the Western Rail¬ road Corporation thus to take from them their means of sub¬ sistence, but very impolitic and unjust for any other corpor¬ ation to presume to share with her. This remonstrance con¬ cludes with advising the Legislature that Woonsocket and Norfolk county will have all the accommodation they arc rea¬ sonably entitled to by branches into the Worcester or Provi¬ dence road, and that, therefore, the prayer of these petitioners ought not to be granted. The people of Woonsocket and Norfolk county may be very grateful for the kind intentions which this advice implies, but their own convenience and accommodation are matters about which they respectfully believe themselves to be the most competent judges. The remonstrance of the directors of the Boston and Wor¬ cester Rail-road Corporation is more elaborate, and takes a much wider range. It sets out with an announcement that they consider themselves as representing the interests of the public and of the Commonwealth, so far as they are involved in the management of one of the great lines of communication in the State. It then proceeds to instruct the Legislature in its duty, and the principles it should be guided by in all these cases; and, after representing that the petitioners for the through routes rely chiefly upon the income which is an¬ ticipated from the transportation of passengers between the cities of New York and Boston, (a circumstance, by the way, of which they were before wholly ignorant,) proceeds, upon that hypothesis, into an elaborate argument to convince the Legislature of the fallacy of any such reliance. The first remark applicable to these remonstrances is, that neither of them meets the case before the Committee :—both present false issues:—both have constructed a man of straw, to be battered down at pleasure. It is by many deemed a mat¬ ter of much regret, that these great and influential corporations 43 should have adopted the course pursued in this investigation. It was to have been expected, not merely as matter of right, but of duty, that they should present tlieir respective interests fully before the Committee, that they might have their full weight in the balancing of advantages and disadvantages, private and public, to accrue from the grant of either of the charters prayed for; but it was hardly to have been expected that either of them would enter into this contest with the zeal, energy and labor of a competing line:—fighting every inch of ground, and contesting every point, as if its dearest and most sacred chartered rights were at stake, for the sake of protect¬ ing a merely incidental advantage of comparatively trifling importance in opposition to the earnest desires and extensive interests of so many individuals, and of the public at large. Admitting that the establishment of a more direct route would somewhat interfere with the interest of the Western Rail-Road Corporation, is it not one of those incidents to which all cor¬ porations are liable, and of which she has no cause of com¬ plaint 1 Was the Western Road originally established with any view to transportation between Boston and New York by a land route '! Nobody will pretend it. That road was projected and chartered for a totally different and foreign purpose, as an avenue to the great West. The idea of making it a land route to New York never entered any man’s head till within a very short time past. It is true, indeed, that anticipations have for years, and perhaps always, been entertained of its obtaining a considera¬ ble portion of the transportation of passengers between the cities of Boston and New York, by roads uniting with it from Hartford and New Haven—but it was always in view of their connexion with steamboats to New York—not as aland route. And how is it now that they anticipate any increase ? Is it by themselves carrying out and completing any part of the original design of their road, or by constructing any new branch to it, or by expending any money in reference to it, or themselves doing any thing to effect it ? Clearly not: but by the mere accident, that other people, interested in other roads, forming no part of theirs, and not legally or by any necessary interest connected with them, have made, and are making, other roads that go from theirs laterally to New Y ork, by a circuitous route of twenty-four miles out of the direct line. Such connexion and such formation of a land route is therefore a mere accident—a mere contingency—never thought of when their road was chartered; for which they have never paid a farthing or incurred a momentary liability ; and to which they are solely indebted for this promised advantage or profit: and for this they come to pray for legislative protection. '44 and employ eminent counsel to urge their cause with all the seriousness and earnestness with which they would defend a chartered right. If the case were, therefore., what these remonstrants repre¬ sent it to be. and our project did depend, as they allege, upon the securing of the principal portion of the through travel be¬ tween Boston and New York, and its success would deprive them of a portion of this accidental and collateral advantage, it would afford no reason for rejecting these petitions, if the ben¬ efits they will confer upon other persons, or the public, would exceed this accidental and trifling injury to that corpo- And still less is the Boston and "Worcester Kail-road Corpo¬ ration entitled to favorable consideration in this behalf. That road was established merely from Boston to Worcester, a distance of less than fifty miles, with no reference whatever to any con¬ tinued land route to New York,—or any, the remotest prospect of any,—and has, therefore, no more good or reasonable claim to monopolize or secure that travel than any other rail-road in the state. By a series of happy coincidences, it has become the main trunk of three great branches—the Western, Norwich and Wor¬ cester, Nashua and Worcester, and is soon to be of the Provi¬ dence and Worcester; and. not content with those, is now seeking to assume to itself a fourth, by uniting Rhode Island at Woonsocket, having already extended a branch in that direction, under color of its charter, and waiting only the grant of Mr. Hastings's petition to consummate the act. She is thus possessing, or will soon possess, four great branches leading to other states, including two, and perhaps the most profitable, routes to New York: and is now seeking to defeat all the other projects before the Committee: to obtain another to the valley of the Blackstone. Surely it might be thought that this corporation has its full share oflegislativepatronageand public favor, and might be content to see others come in for a share of what is left. The subject has been, thus far, considered as if the object of our road was entirely or chiefly for obtaining the through travel and transportation between New York and Boston, as is assum¬ ed by these remonstrants, and on which assumption they wholly rely. But this is a totally erroneous view of the subject; and, properly considered, their objections have very little pertinence to the realities of the case in hand. The great and main object of our proposed road is its local business, the connexion it will establish between this State and Rhode Island and Connecticut, along its whole line, bring¬ ing us into immediate contact with a large industrial popula¬ tion and country, already rich in manufacturing capital profit- 45 ably employed, and affording sources for almost indefinite ex¬ tension. Our tables, and the evidence, show that this road will be a very profitable one, throwing aside all regard to through travel between Boston and New York : and that such travel is to be regarded as an incident only to its support; so that the true question upon these remonstrances is, whether \vc shall throw away these treasures, these benefits of intercourse with Rhode Island and Connecticut, for the sake of saving to the Western Rail-road, and the Worcester llail-voad, the modicum of profits which they derive or are anticipating from the trav¬ el between Boston and New York. In other words, the true question is, not whether the Commonwealth shall sac¬ rifice one thing for the sake of another, but whether she shall sacrifice the whole and incalculable advantage of rail-road communication with these flourishing regions,'from which she is now nearly excluded, for the purpose of securing to two favored corporations the comparatively trilling and un¬ important benefit they now derive, or expect to derive, from a monopoly of accidental business, for the accommodation or ac¬ quisition of which neither of them was ever created or intended, —and for which they have never expended one dollar. But this is not all:—While these remonstrances set forth no sound objection to the proposed road, supposing it capable of maintaining itself from local travel, they, and the evi¬ dence in support of them, do furnish very conclusive evi¬ dence of the advantages and utility to he derived from it as a through road. The Remonstrance of the Western road ex¬ pressly states that the new line, if established, will, in any event, compete, with the Western road for the through business to such extent that the diminution of its present and particularly its prospective amount will be a very serious loss to that cor¬ poration, which it can ill afford to sustain : and the President testified that he should not object to a road, from Walpole or Milford to Woonsocket, because they, being mere branches, would not go through: but that he. did object to lit a Perkins and Pcttee routes , because, if either reached Woonsocket or Blackstonc, it would go through, or lie feared it would go through. This is the clearest and most conclusive evidence of the prac¬ ticability, importance, and value, of the proposed route. No¬ body knows better than that gentleman what roads will and will not go through, and that none can go, as ho feared, that will not be profitable : and no one knows better than he that this road, if carried through, could not seriously injure his road unless it was better adapted to the business, and the public wants. We have, therefore, thus indirectly his testimony that 46 the road is practicable, and would be profitable, and beneficial to the public. We. therefore, respectfully submit to the Committee, that none of the corporations who have remonstrated against the projected routes, or whose claims in reference to them have been presented or urged, have auy just or reasonable cause of objection; that neither of them has, or can with the slightest plausibility pretend to have, any vested right which will be violated or interfered with in the remotest degree, by the es- talishment of either of the roads prayed for : that no reasonable expectation or claim would be thus frustrated or defeated; and that no pecuniary interests would be affected other than those which are incidental merely to the roads of the remonstrants, or which are of any moment compared with the advantages to result to the Commonwealth, and great numbers of its citizens, from the grant of the prayer of the petitioners. But hero we encounter another remonstrance, made by citizens of this State, inhabiting the borders of the Connecticut River, alleging that the proposed construction of a bridge at Middle- town will impede the navigation of the Connecticut River to Hartford, and so increase the rate of freight to that port, and thus constitute an indirect tax upon them on all the merchan¬ dize they receive in that direction. If this Legislature had power to authorize, or prevent, or in any way interfere with, such a bridge, these remonstrances would seem entitled to some little more consideration. But as it is utterly powerless, and can do nothing upon the subject to control the action of Connecticut, it would seem hardly worth our while to waste time upon the subject, if it were now open ; and that the proper disposal of the subject would be, to refer them to that tribunal. But, whatever might be our interests or wishes, that matter is now definitively settled. The Legislature of Connecticut has granted the right to construct the bridge ; the charter has been granted : and any interference on our -part is hopeless and idle. But it may be argued that, unless one of these through routes be established, that charter will not go into effect, and so the bridge will not be built. This, however, is an entire mistake. That road will be built, and will go to Providence, if not permitted to come to Boston: and we are recklessly striving, by this opposi¬ tion, to divert a great channel of wealth and enterprise into that city, which we may now bring to our own. The evidence proves that movements have already been made in Rhode Island, to this end : that some of her citizens are aware of the immense benefits to be derived from such a line of road; and renders it probable that, unless the boon now offered be promptly accepted, we shall lose it for ever. 47 Further, we submit that there is no satisfactory evidence that such a bridge would produce any sensible effect upon the navi¬ gation to Hartford, or that it would injure the inhabitants of this Stale one farthing. The question of injury to the navigation of the river was most fully and amply inquired into, and dis¬ cussed, before the Committee of the Legislature of Connecticut, and decided in favor of the bridge, by the Committee and the Legislature, after most thorough and searching examination : and the result ought to be acquiesced in without complaint. Indeed, if the only testimony against the bridge were such as has been adduced here, there could be little doubt what any intelligent tribunal would decide. But, what seems to us even more conclusive upon this subj is the fact that not a Massachusetts man engaged in trade been found to come here and point out any definite or ascertain damage, that would thus be sustained by our citizens, or approximation, to any. The principal, if not the only witnc; called, are a few men living in or near Hartford, deeply in ested in the controversy and rivalry between Hartford and 3 dlctown ; and the whole appearance and management of the c on this point, seems to indicate that these remonstrances movements of the people of Hartford, or of the Western E road in aid of its remonstrance, rather than the voluntary ac of the citizens of this State. Further, it will be remembered that the testimony shows the freight by vessels bound io Hartford, is now about i cents per ton higher than that by those to 31 iddletown, whic only fifteen miles below by the road ; which would go very to pay the additional expense of transportation fromftfiddlcto if hereafter the goods should be landed there. The C 43 a local road only from Boston to Woonsocket, is required for the public good and would be profitable to the owners. The statis¬ tical results of such a road arc exhibited in tabic of the central route, No. 1: and, if sustained by the proofs, show a profit of 10 per cent, upon the cost of a merely local road,— or S per cent, upon that of a road built in the most thorough manner for a through road : and, if we take the estimates of the Perkins route as our guide, and embrace towns enumerated there, the business of which would, with equal certainty, come upon onr road, we have more than 13 per cent, on the cost of a local road, and more than 11 percent, on that of a road adapted for a through road. I do not understand that any attempt is made to impeach the items of income here relied upon, so far as the number of pas¬ sengers and of tons of freight is represented. The estimates of the Perkins and Walpole routes represent an excess over ours of the number of passengers from the Blaclcstone valley. We are therefore within reasonable bounds at that cud of our line. From that valley down to Jledfield inclusive, there is an entire coincidence in all the statistics of the several roads, and no rea¬ son to doubt their accuracy or safety, as they were all proved by us as statistics : and, in no part of the case, has the evidence been more full and satisfactory, or more carefully sifted, than in that relating to the residue of our route through Dover, East Needham, Newton Upper Falls, and Newton Centre,—the only items not established by plenary statistical inquiry being those of passengers from Brighton and Brookline, which the witnesses from this town may have overrated. They, however, are cer¬ tainly far less extravagant than those of West Roxbury, Ja¬ maica Plains, and Roxbury, and, if we deduct one half, it will not sensibly affect the result of our tables. Nor can it be neces¬ sary, after the full argument of the counsel for the Perkins road, for me to urge the obvious necessity of an independent road for the business of the Blacksione valley and the intermediate towns:—and that any branch road will be inconvenient and unsuitable, if not entirely insufficient. The Blaclcstone valley, and the towns from Sonthbridge to Woonsocket, constitute one great region, or family of towns, containing in itself resources and existing establishments sufficient for, and demanding, an independent road : and no accommodation by branches can ever properly supply the general necessities. All these towns are, or must soon become, of such magni¬ tude, by the development and use of their capacities for manu¬ facturing purposes, as to require the accommodation of rail-road communication with Boston : and that end can be attained only by branches extending from each to the Worcester or Providence Rail-roads, or by an independent line running through and connecting them all together. The expenses of constructing all the branches that would thus become necessary, it is believed, would exceed that of build¬ ing an independent line through them, as such branches would combinedly present a much greater length of line and variety of surface : and the same cause would operate to render them more expensive to those using them in reference both to time and money; while, at the same time, such a system would de¬ prive those towns of that direct, easy, and regular intercom¬ munication between themselves, which would effectually con¬ duce to the growth and prosperity of them and of intervening places. From the evidence before the Committee, it is apparent that the Blackstone valley alone, with the towns intervening be¬ tween it and this city, will amply support an independent road, and render it alike profitable to the owners, and advantageous to the Commonwealth; and common foresight seems to de¬ mand its establishment, whether considered in reference to the accommodation of the citizens of this State alone, or the proba¬ bility of its future extension into other regions. If it be grant¬ ed to the line of the State, it will, ere long, be extended along the valley and thence towards Southbridge, and be of itself as useful and profitable, to say the least, as most of the roads now existing : and if it be connected with a line, through Rhode Island and Connecticut, to New York, receiving that along the valley as a branch, it is confidently believed that none ex¬ isting, excepting the Western, will vie with it in importance, and none exceed it in profitableness to the stockholders. And when to these considerations are added the extremely important accommodation it will afford to the towns of Bellingham, Franklin, Medway, Med field, and Dover, now entirely without rail-road communication with this city; and the great additional facilities it will afford to the towns of Needham, Newton, Brighton, and Brookline, without interference with the legal in¬ terests of anv oilier road, it is confidently believed that rarely, if ever, was a more convincing and commanding exigency for a road presented for legislative consideration : very little effort, indeed, seems to have been made to impeach the statistical tables except by detracting from the rates of fare charged, but the point of main attack lias been the computations of cost of construction, which, it is said, are underrated. This is a question, the solution of which depends entirely upon the capacity and integrity of the engineer who lias made them. He alone can know and disclose the nature of the soil and excavations, the length of hauls, and facility of using waste materials, and the numerous incidental advantages and disad- 50 vantages attending the construction of the particular road. Comparisons with other roads, or computations, are no safe guide, though undoubtedly affording light. No attempt is made to disparage the capacity or integrity of Mr. Parrott. His plans, profiles, and report, speak for them¬ selves as to his capacity: and his estimates have not been im¬ peached by any direct or satisfactory evidence. The compari¬ son made by Mr. Laurie, in the tabular statement put in, is rebutted satisfactorily by that of Mr. Parrott: but if we were to make every addition suggested which is absurd, as there are many in reference to things that admit of no comparison, and put bur road at $1,312,3US, the estimated cost of the Perkins road, the income -would still pay a large profit above the inter¬ est. If these estimates are not reasonable, there have been certainly able engineers enough here to delect and expose their fallacies or errors, and the Committee know enough to see, by the plans, profiles, and reports, whether they indicate capacity. But a moment's consideration of the objections urged will suffice to expose their futility. What are the mistakes that the coun¬ sel attempts to point out ? It has been said, indeed, that other engineers put double the estimates of Mr. Parrott upon some of the work. But this is mere imagination : there is no such evi¬ dence and nothing approaching to it. The only material dif¬ ferences are in the computed cost of one cutting where Mr. Laurie charges a shilling, and Mr. Parrott twelve and a half cents per cubic yard: and in one rock excavation, which Mr. Laurie puts atone dollar, and Mr. Parrott at eighty cents. But Mr. Parrott has examined these localities and Mr. Laurie has not. The difference in their computations of the cost of the earth excava¬ tions is accounted for in the fact, that Mr. Parrott found that a large portion was sand and soft gravel, which Mr. Laurie sup¬ posed all hard earth ; and in that of the rock excavation Mr. Parrott had found it soft and shaker, in which opinion he is confirmed by the testimony of Mr. Lee. The testimony of Mr. Cheeseborough was concerning a cut for the water-pipes for supplying the city, very narrow, and at a depth of thirty feet below the proposed bed of the road, and he expressly stated, that it was no criterion whatever for compu¬ ting the cost of excavation for a rail-mad. Although Mr. Par¬ rott may have never entirely constructed a rail-road, he has had great experience in the making of roads and bridges, and in other great works for the State of Maine, in the superintendence of whose public^ works he was employed by the govern¬ ment: and, for the purposes of computing the expenses of cuttings, excavations, and embankments, the knowledge thus acquired is as perfect and reliable as if acquired on a rail-road ; and while his partner, with whom these estimates were made, 61 has always been, and is now, exclusively devoted to rail-road engineering. It is respectfully submitted, therefore, upon the evidence before the Committee, that, if the project of a through road be considered unadvisable either as not demanded by any sufficient exigency, or as involving a disproportionate expense, or as in¬ terfering -with existing interests, nevertheless, a road from Boston to the Blackstone Valley is required by the public neces¬ sities. and will immediately be alike profitable to the owners and the Commonwealth.—And we are thus brought, no doubt most happily for the patience of the Committee, to the consid¬ eration of our last proposition, which is,— V. That the road prayed for by Otis Pettec and others, consid¬ ered as a local road only, is far preferable to any other pro¬ posed, in reference to the combined elements of extent of public accommodation, expense of construction, and freedom from interference or conflict with the vested rights or reasonable claims of other existing roads :— 1st. As to extent of public accommodation. This road em¬ braces a greater number of towns within this State not now ac¬ commodated by rail-road communication, with access to and from the city,—which is of course the chief object, than any other road before the Committee. It passes through Blackstone. Bellingham, Franklin, Medway, Medfield. Dover, Needham, Newton, Brighton, and Brookline.—in all, ten towns : of which six, viz: Blackstone, Bellingham, Franklin. Medway, Medfield and Dover, have no accommodation whatsoever:—and also, through Newton, at the Upper Falls, a most important and flourishing manufacturing settlement, not now accommodated; and which cannot be. but by a circuitous route of about four¬ teen and one-half miles by the Worcester road in place of one is common to ail the rooms, ami it appears, from the, tables, that the towns above enumerated, together with Newton Upper Falls ami Centre, present .1 be ac¬ commodated by the road 1 advocate. Let us then, compare tli lodation with that of any other line proposed. The Milford route will accommodate Mendon ami Blackstone only, and, taking out Blackstone. it accommodates but one town only, not already in the enjoyment of this privilege, and a town of very limited 62 population and business, and adjoining Milford, where there is a rail-road almost as near to its centre as that proposed. In¬ deed, it is difficult to see who can want that road, except the people of Mendon and the Worcester Rail-road Corpora¬ tion. The inhabitants of Blaekstone and Woonsocket, do not want it Those of Blaekstone are united to a man in favor of the Perkins route, and those of Woonsocket, with great unan¬ imity. in favor of the Central. As to any new accommodation it will afford to the inhabitants of this State, it is utterly insig¬ nificant. of no moment whatever. To connect that branch of the Worcester road with Woonsocket or Blaekstone would be a forced marriage, and can never prove a happy one. The people of that region reject the union, are averse to it, and it can only tend to alienate them from union with this city and State. Next, turn to the Walpole route. The only towns that will accommodate, not already supplied, are Wrenthmn, Franldiiy Bellingham, and Blaekstone. Four only: and the number of passengers for all excluding Blaekstone, are 1791)1); a little ex- ceedins one sixth the number to be accommodated by our road. A'exT, consider the Perkins route. It passes through seven towns in all. The number of towns to be accommodated, through which no rail-road now passes, or is chartered, are five, viz., Blaekstone, Bellingham, Franklin, Mcdfield. and Medway, being two less than the Central route. Strike out Blaekstone, and the number of passengers from towns not now accommodated, which would be so by that road, is 32.131—being less than one third of that by the Central route : and if we strike out Brook¬ line altogether, it would still leave a balance exceeding 60 per cent, in our favor. The number of towns, therefore, to be ac¬ commodated by the respective lines, are as follows :— By the Central road, - ten; “ the Perkins, - seven; “ the Walpole, - four; “ the Milford, - two. Those to be thus supplied, through which no road now passes, are as follows:— Central, - seven: Perkins, - five: Walpole, - four: Milford, - two.' Passengers from towns not now accommodated with roads through them:— Central, - 101,133 Perkins, - 32.121 Milford, - Walpole, - - - 17,900 53 If we take the comparison of the accommodation for freight, as appears by the tables, the disparity in favor of the Central route is equally obvious. The freight on the Perkins route, be¬ low Med field, is stated at 7S7II tons—a large portion of which must now go by the Boston & Providence road ; while that on the Central route, below Medlield, is found to be 17,394 tons. There can be no doubt, therefore, that, if the extent of pub¬ lic accommodation, in furnishing facilities of intercourse be¬ tween this city and the towns within the State, he alone consi¬ dered, the Central route would afford more than three times the amount of the Perkins route, nearly six times that of the Wed- pole, and twenty times that of the Milford. Indeed, a glance at the map shows that this must be so ; and that, considered in rela¬ tion to other existing roads, and tire hitherto unaccommodated portions of the Commonwealth, this road is loudly called for by that region. It appears, from the evidence, that the income on the Central road below Medfteld. is computed at §47,711, on business which either of the other routes would leave entirely without accommo¬ dation, being an income upon, nearly iJSUU.UUU. 1 ’- The next subject of consideration, in comparing the relative advantages of these several routes, is the amount of water¬ power employed and unemployed in the towns through which they will respectively pass ; and it is respectfully submitted that, upon the evidence, it appears that a very far greater manufac¬ turing interest, already existing, is found along the Central route than upon any other, and with much greater capacity for aug¬ mentation by means proved to be entirely practicable, and now in contemplation ; and there can be no doubt that, upon the con¬ struction of the proposed rail-road, they would all be put into immediate requisition. If the results of the evidence are as represented, the whole quantity of water-power in the towns of Bellingham, Medway, Medfteld, Dover, and Newton Upper Falls, with the means of increase by artificial reservoirs, and the auxiliary use of steam in the same ratio, as resorted to at the Waltham factories, on the same stream, but which can only be adopted if rail-road facilities exist, would be equal to 9G.SSU spindles—nearly the whole of which would be left unaccommo¬ dated by the Walpole or Milford routes, and more'than two thirds of which would be so left by the Perkins route .—In reference, therefore, to this view oi' the subject, there can be no question that the Central route would be by far the most useful and pro¬ fitable. But here we are met with a claim, on the part of the Wal¬ pole and Perkins routes, to a decided preference, upon the ground of alleged superior facilities which they are said to af¬ ford for the accommodation of the county of Norfolk, in access 54 to and from the shire-town. This has been much dwelt upon, and greatly magnified.—The case has been argued as if those two routes alone afforded any such means of access to the shire- town, whereas, it is a part of onr plan, as prayed for, to have a branch from Dover or Needham to Dedham for that purpose ; which will afford reasonable facilities, not merely for those towns in the upper part of the county now without them, but for those in the lower portion, also, who are now totally destitute. So that, in truth, the Central route will afford a greater extent of accommodation than either of the others. This, however, isaquestion of purely local interest, to be settled by the people of the towns who are supposed to require this ac¬ commodation : and a very large majority of them are in favor of the Central route. So far as this interest is affected by the Wal¬ pole route, it applies only to these towns—Wrcnlham, Frank¬ lin, and Bellingham—not now having a rail-road to Dedham ; and the population to be thus accommodated in that respect is very small. Of the inhabitants of those towns, who appear here as petitioners, 321 only are in favor of that route, while 2(3S are in favor of the Central route, 0 in favor of the Perkins, show¬ ing no decided majority, if any, in favor of the Walpole route in the only towns it can claim. The Perkins route will afford this benefit to four towns not now enjoving it—namely. Bellingham. Franklin, Medway, and Medfield. But, of the petitioners from those towns, 7S6 are in favor of the Central route, and 2S3 only for the Perkins—or The Central route will afford this benefit to seven towns not now enjoying it—-Bellingham. Franklin, Medway, Medfield, Dover, Needham and Brookline : and, taking all the towns above Dedham not now having rail-road communication—sav, Bellingham, Franklin, 3Iedway, Medfield, Dover and Needham, and we have 1158 petitioners for the Central, and only 2S3 for both the other routes—or more than 4 to 1. Again :—if we take the aggregate of petitioners in the whole county, we have 149S for the Central route, of which 207 are in or below Dedham, leaving 1271 interested in this question; and 913 for the Perkins, of which S14 are in Roxbury and Dedham, already in immediate rail-road communication with Dedham, or residing there, and no more properly to he com¬ puted iu this inquiry of shire-town accommodation than the inhabitants of Boston: and, deducting these, there remain 99 only against 1271—about 13 to 1 ; while, for the Walpole route, the aggregate is 767, of which 269 are in or below Ded¬ ham, and which, being deducted, leave 49S only against 1271. So that, in whatever aspect the relative merits of these routes is viewed, as affording accommodation to the county of Nor¬ folk, it is incontrovertible that, so far as the inhabitants are 55 judges, the decision is in favor of the Central route by an over¬ whelming majority , and what more certain, safe, and effectual mode could be adopted to determine that question than its submission to the people themselves 7 And, let it he remem¬ bered, that the petitioners on the route I represent are, as I am instructed, all legal voters , who would be alone competent to act upon and decide the question, if submitted to the people; while those for the other routes are not thus qualified to act or to judge. We respectfully submit, therefore, that, so far as the question of county accommodation is involved, the Committee cannot hesitate in giving a prompt and decided preference to the Cen¬ tral route. There is another most important element of consideration, in determining upon the relative merits of the several roads, which I beg leave briefly to submit to the Committee; namely, the relative extent of collateral roads, or branches, which must be built, to effect the same degree of public accommodation. If the Central road be constructed, it will be of thirty-five and three quarter miles in length, and with a branch to Dedham of four miles, making, say forty miles in all, and will accommodate all the towns in Norfolk County not now provided with rail-road facilities to Boston and the shire-town, and without means of intercourse with eaeh other. But, to produce the same result, if the Milford route be established, will require nine and a half miics for the proposed branch; five for one to Medway; two from Newton Lower Palls to the Upper Falls ; four from Dover mills to the Worcester road; and two from Brookline,—making twenty-two and a half miles, and still leaving Bellingham, Franklin, a large part of Medway, Medfield. Newton Centre, and Brookline, entirely without this accommodation, and with none for any of them to their shire-town. If the Walpole route be adopted, it is to extend seventeen and a half miles. To this must be added one of four miles to Medway, and three to Wrentham, as shown by its advocates; two to Newton Upper Falls; four to Dover Mills and two to Brookline, to connect with the Worcester Rail-road,—making thirty-two and a half miles of rail-road, leaving Medfield, East Needham, and Newton Centre, unaccommodated, and four towns without communication with the shire-town. And if the Perkins route be adopted, it will require the branches to the Worcester road from Dover, from Newton Upper to the Lower Falls, and from Brookline, being eight miles ; winch, added to the line, would make forty-three miles, and still leave three towns unaccommodated by communication with Dedham. If these views be correct, as they are believed to be, it fol- lows, that the Central route will furnish far greater accommo¬ dation throughout its course than any other; combining that of access to this city, and to the shire-town, to a great extent, wholly unattainable by any system of branches that can be devised, and with a great saving of expenditure for the ends most desirable: while, at the same time, it will afford the best possible main trunk for the extension of a branch up the Black- stone valley and the towns in that direction, and for the con¬ tinuance of the line through Rhode Island and Connecticut to New York, if that great and most important end shall prove, as it is confidently believed to be. attainable. Any further comparison of the relative merits of the Perkins and Central routes may seem superfluous: but as much stress has been laid upon the advantages and disadvantages of their proposed termini, both as affecting their respective claims to preference, and the expediency of chartering either of them, it may be worth the while to give to them a few moments’ con¬ sideration. And, first, as to their termini at the southerly line of the State:—The Perkins line is to end at Waterford, a little village in the town of Blackstone. and about a mile from the village of that name. The line of the Central route is to pass the line near to Woonsocket, with a view to be extended into that place, being about a mile and a half from Waterford. Now, let us contrast these two places as suitable places for the termini of a rail-road from Boston. If tiie villages of Waterford and Blackstone be taken together, though they are nearlv as far asunder as Waterford is from Woonsocket.it will'ap- pear that they contain only about one hundred dwelling-houses, ■whereas Woonsocket contains between 400 and 5U0; that they have only four stores, or shops, while Woonsocket has between 60 and 70; that their population combined is not above 2,650, including farmers and others, while tiiat of Woonsocket ex¬ ceeds 5,000, composed almost entirely of manufacturers and traders: that the water-power in Waterford is equal to from 12.000 to 25,000 spindles, three fourth parts of which are situ¬ ate in Rhode Island: and that in Blackstone is from 50,000 to 60.000, owned entirely in Rhode Island,: while Woonsocket has water-power equal to 96,000 spindles : that, in Woonsocket there are forty-eight owners of the water-power, and many who hold long leases: while, at Blackstone, the whole is owned bya single wealthy company in Rhode Island: and in Waterford all is owned by one individual: that Woonsocket has, in addi¬ tion. three large manufacturing establishments turned by other streams than the Blackstone River: seven machine and tool shops: trvo iron foundries; a quarry of iron stone for furnace hearths, the best known in this country, and beds of iron ore, 57 of the richest quality, entirely inexhaustible-—and that the road, if extended through Woonsocket, as proposed, will, in the course of thirteen miles, penetrate a region of water-power now equal to 249,448 spindles, and capable of being increased, at very trifling comparative expense, to 3S5,000,—more than three fourth parts of all which is within three fourth parts of a mile of our line. It is humbly submitted, that no reasonable doubt can exist of the expediency of adopting Woonsocket as the terminus of any road that may he constructed in that direction, even if a local road, to terminate within this State, were the only object; and that such will be the main dependence of any that shall be authorized, let the language of the several petitioners be what it may; and that, considered in reference to a road through Rhode Island, this is the only route which can afford any hope of success. And it is believed, that the advantages of the Central route over the Perkins route, in reference to their proposed termini in Boston, are hardly less apparent and decisive, considered in reference to expenditure, injury to private property, and con¬ venience of their depots. In estimating the relative cost of each, we take the Perkins route from the Dedham turnpike to and including the depot at South Cove; and the Central route from the crossing of the Worcester Rail-road to and including its depot near to the Western Avenue. The cost of the Perkins route, including road crossings,by the estimates furnished to me, cannot be less than §526,0U0, while that of the Central route will not exceed $264,SOT. The Per¬ kins route passes, for a great portion of the way, through a thickly settled region, crowded with buildings, and through or near to many valuable country seats, requiring the sacrifice of one or more houses and producing incalculable annoyance and inconvenience to numerous families and the public, and greatly impairing the safety, comfort, and pleasure of riding in a por¬ tion of the country much frequented for that purpose; while the Central route, on the contrary, goes through a part of the country near to the city, as yet almost entirely unoccupied by buildings,—passing, as far as has been shown, near to one house only to which it can occasion any inconvenience or dis¬ comfort, and occasioning, therefore, comparatively no injury to individuals or the public. It does not, like the Perkins route, derange and break up existing establishments, and gardens, and family arrangements, and pleasant neighborhoods; but passes through a vacant region, in which all the uses of the lands may be readily made to correspond with the location of the road. The only estate which has been represented here as liable to be particularly injured, is that of a highly respected 8 58 gentleman, the owner of a farm in Brookline, intended to be sold in building lots upon a plan exhibited. But he has not urged any remonstrance against the road, and would not do it, being himself a petitioner for the Perkins road, which is de- . signed to pass not merely through other persons’ valuable lands, but through or close by the houses and gardens in which they dwell. A'othing has been done upon that estate which this road will disturb, excepting the erection of the house re¬ ferred to: and the alteration of the plan in correspondence with the road will be no irreparable calamity. The land through which the Perkins route passes is estimated to cost from six to fifty cents per foot: that which the central route will cross, is comupted at about 1000 or 1500 an acre, ifor a portion of that nearest to the city and at much less for that beyond. The Perkins route wall cross eight roads and several at grade : the Central, but one, and that above grade. The Perkins route crosses with a bridge the navigable waters of Bos¬ ton and Roxbury, the Central route, none. The Perkins route enters into a thickly crowded, confused, disagreeable, and incon¬ venient portion of the city: the Central into the most spacious, beautiful, and commodious part, not yet occupied, affording every means of present and future accommodation. Another most important point of comparison, is their respec¬ tive relations to other established rail-road routes. It cannot be considered a violation of the rights of any existing rail-road corporation, that another road, called for by a public exigency, should pass near to it, or even through the same towns in the immediate vicinity of this city,—if such course is essential to the construction of such new road; because this being the cen¬ tral starting point, all that proceed from it must, for some dis¬ tance, be in near proximity to some other. But it is obviously inconsistent with the reasonable expectations, if not the legal or vested rights, of another corporation, to authorize the con¬ struction of another road near to or parallel with its own, and thus to divert a portion of the custom in reference to which it was constructed, and upon which it relies for mainte¬ nance,—when such new line is nearer than the exigency requires —or is continued so further than is absolutely necessary. ]N T ow, we submit that this is clearly the case with the Perkins route, which runs in close neighborhood with the Boston and Providence from Boston to Dedham, and is continued with equal proximity to the branch chartered to Walpole, to the distance of fifteen miles from the city—passing not only through the same towns but so near as necessarily to divert a large portion of the transportation which was one of the declared objects for the chartering and construction of these roads ; while, from the map surveys exhibited last year, the latter of which is now 59 before the Committee, it appears that another route, avoiding this interference with Dedham and the Walpole Branch, is practicable, and was that then desired; and the Boston and Providence Rail-road corporation has presented an earnest re¬ monstrance against this proposed violation of their rights. The Central route, on the contrary, passes no nearer to any existing road than its course between its termini necessarily requires— scarcely conflicting at all with the interest of the Boston and Worcester, to which it is nearest, and only at points where it now affords no reasonable degree of accommodation compared with that proposed. The inspection of the plan, and recurrence to the evidence, must satisfy the Committee, that no complaint could reasonably be made by the Boston and Worcester Rail-road Cor¬ poration on this subject; and their entire silence upon it, in the elaborate and earnest remonstrance which they have presented, sufficiently proves their consciousness that none can be urged with propriety. It only remains to consider the objections made to the depot, in this city, as too distant and limited, and as injuriously affecting that portion of the city and the Western Avenue. With regard to its distance from the centre of the city, assuming the Old State House to be such for business purposes, the Committee have seen that much exaggeration has pervaded the arguments. For foot passengers, the walk is shorter, and infinitely more agreeable, than that to many others; and, from the weight of evidence, it is apparent that no additional cost would attend the transporta¬ tion of goods; and if the freight depots should be constructed in Charles Street, between the church and the bridge, as may ea¬ sily be done, the distance will not much exceed that of others. With regard to the extent and degree of accommodation which this locality will afford, none in the city can he consid¬ ered comparable to it. The space is now wholly unoccupied by ways, or streets, or other incumbrances, and free, therefore, to be laid out and disposed of as the necessities or conveniences of a depot may require. About three acres are proposed to be devoted to the passenger and freight houses, being as much ground as the Boston and Providence Corporation has used until within a very short time ; and 4 acres to the engine and car houses and workshops,—which are amply sufficient. To these may be added, au indefinite extent of land and flats, between the depot and the bridge, if the necessities of the establishment should require it, and at very moderate prices. Nothing has seemed more frivolous and unfounded than objections of this nature made to this location. It may be, without fear of rea¬ sonable contradiction, asserted, that no place within the city affords so ample and convenient accommodations, for the con¬ struction of a rail-road depot, as this. 60 In reference to the injury to be done to Beacon Street and the Common, it is very obvious, from the testimony and the nature of the case, that very little, if any, will accrue. All the heavy freight will pass along Charles Street, either to the north or south; and most of the passengers must take those directions to reach the thickly settled portions of the town. Compara¬ tively, very few, excepting those on foot, will pass through Beacon Street; and those will generally seek the shade of the trees, along the mall, and thus enjoy a luxurious refreshing walk without disturbance or offence to the most fastidious. Nor is there any reasonable ground for the highly colored representations and poetic terrors in which gentlemen have been pleased to indulge concerning the apprehended dangers and in¬ conveniences alleged to be consequent upon the construction of a Tail-road so near to the Western Avenue. That it may some¬ what mar the beauty of the view for a mile, and interfere with the present comparative seclusion of the drive, is undoubtedly true. And this is certainly to be regretted, as are all such sac¬ rifices of taste and luxury to the rolling tide of population and business. But they are inevitable,—mere dew-drops in the on¬ ward march of society. The apprehension that any danger will accrue to travellers from their horses becoming frightened by the noise and sight of the engines and cars, is very satisfactorily put at rest by the experience at Craigie’s bridge, to which the Lowell Rail-road runs muck nearer, upon an average, as appears by the plan presented, than will the proposed road to this avenue ; as, also, by that at the Warren Bridge, so near to the line of the Boston and Maine Rail-road, and to which the Fitchburg road is pro¬ bably to come much nearer, It is to be remembered, that a part of the plan is to erect such barriers or screens, as may be thought proper by the proprietors of the avenue, for the protec¬ tion of travellers, until houses shall have been erected. And if the proposed proximity were too great, the Legislature might require the road to diverge farther north, as it approaches the city. It might seem a sufficient answer to this objection, to remind the Committee, that there can be no reasonable appre¬ hension of any such danger, inasmuch as the scheme meets the entire approbation of the proprietors of the avenue; who de¬ pend mainly upon its tolls for its support, —and cannot be sup¬ posed willing to consent to an arrangement which would destroy, or seriously impair, its income from that source. I have thus endeavored, Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen, to discharge the duty imposed upon me, of presenting the views of those whom I represent upon this interesting and important ques¬ tion, upon the evidence as it lies before you, and which 1 sup¬ pose to be the ground upon which your decision will- rest. If 61 it shall have satisfied you as the petitioners confidently hope, that a road, through Rhode Island and Connecticut to New York, may he practicable and expedient, I can hardly suppose it doubtful that you will charter the route which I advocate as that best entitled to favorable consideration as constituting the portion of it that shall pass through this State. If, however, you be not so satisfied, or if doubts rest in your minds concerning it, I respectfully submit that, as a local road merely between this city and the valley of the Blackstone, the central route will be productive of much more extensive and vari¬ ed usefulness, and is much more earnestly sought for by the peo¬ ple most interested in the result, than any other: that, ifcharter- ed, it will not only thus transcend all others in local usefulness and importance, but is the only one that can secure an opportuni¬ ty of a line through Rhode Island and Connecticut, if future inquiries and proofs shall hereafter further demonstrate its fea¬ sibility and importance ; but which may, and probably will, be otherwise irretrievably lost. To these are to be added, the consideration that a charter for this route will not conflict with any legal or equitable rights of the proprietors of any other, while it will gratify the earnest de¬ sires of a large portion of the most respectable citizens of the Commonwealth and, that if the road shall not be constructed under such charter and so satisfy what is now deemed to be a great public necessity, the failure will injure, no one, while it shall put to rest the desires that have so long agitated, and, if unheeded, threaten still further to agitate, the public mind and the halls of Legislation with harassing controversies. And having thus humbly performed my task, with many thanks for the patience with which you have listened, I leave the subject in your hands. NOTE BY PETITIONERS. CEMTRAXs route, Amounts of Freight and Passengers, per annum , as at present existing on the Line, to be tran; ■ted over the proposed Rail Road from Boston to Woonsocket , by way of Newton Upper Fall rhvay, &c. cost of Local Road, (*1,183,272,) - ‘ r 0 P=r cent.. than TEN PER CENT, on the invested capi “ “ c£ Northbridge, - ss given in said Tables for Perkins Route, as for Freight and Pas- of Blackstone, Woonsocket, and vicinity, - ity Business to Dedham (from the whole westerly side of Norfolk , on the Pcttee Route,) the same sum as included in said Tables for by the Pcltec Ri Central and Direct Land Route from BOSTON to NEW YORK, PETITIONED FOR BY OTIS PETTEE J TABLE NO. 2. Amounts of Freight and Passengers, per annum, as at present existing on the Line, to he turn, ported oner the parts between fVoonsocIcet and the East Line of Connecticut, of the proposed JRa Road between Boston and New Haven. Chepachet and Woonsocket, Chepachet and East Line of Connecticut,; East Line of Connecticut and Woonsocket, j from places on the Line in Connecticut, I Between ditto from places on the Massa- i chusetts part on the Road, Bet« een ditto from lateral towns in Mas¬ sachusetts, Estimated receipts for Mails and Expresses for this part of the Road, N. B. Other items of income for this R. I. part of the Road are not here included. 2 021 1,313 49 043' S,7So 1,20' 11,069 i 2,S3g 1,20] 3,631 SSO 1 1,26; 1,108! To the alovc add as follows : By means of the above mentioned portion in Rhode Island are to be brought from . places on the Road in Connecticut, and j to pass over the Massachusetts portion [ of the Road for Boston, as proved, j And in like manner are to be carried from j places on the Road in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and to pass over the: Connecticut portion of the Road for] Receipts for Passengers and Freight pass- j ing over the whole Line from New Ha- j ven to Brighton, as at present passing, I 7,901 2,45 19,357 22,429 1,05 5,075 ! 5,90 1 1 29,942 11,622 12,50 i 10,200 3,150 j 4,00 54j 11,923] 22,992] 3,636' l,G3o| .3,000 Central and Direct Land Route from BOSTON to MEW YOU, PETITIONED FOR BY OTIS PETTEE AND OTHERS. Summary of receipts computed for way business as at present existing on the line of the Route, requiring Rail Road accommodation, and to be transported over the proposed direct Rail Road between Boston and New Haven, without herein including anything for through business between Boston and New York, or the termini, or from anv places beyond. Amount of Receipts for Way Business between Boston and Woonsocket, as per Table, No. I, £'168,635 Amount of Receipts for Way Business on account of the Line in Rhode Island, between Woonsocket and Connecticut Line, as per Table, No. If, 166,955 Amount of Receipts for Way Business on the proposed New York and Boston Rail Road, between New Haven and the cast line of Connecticut, as shown by the Table for that part, 230,281 Total for Way Business, $'565,871 Expenses of running between Boston and Woonsocket. (Ten Trains.) as per Table, No. 1, N 1-6.543 Expenses of running, each day, in addition, four Passenger Accom¬ modation Trains, through, between Boston and New Haven, and two Freight Trains between Woonsocket and New Haven, as continuations, 141,226 Total Running Expenses, $187,769 Cost of Road in Massachusetts, “ “ Rhode Island, “ “ Connecticut, $T ,451,221 411,090 ,548,000 Total Cost, 100.311 Interest on cost, $4,400,311, Surplus, over six per cent. $261,019 114,083 Or more than eight and a half per cent on the invested capital for Way Business only, now existing in the line of the route and requiring Rail Road accommodation, and without al¬ lowing anything for increase in consequence of the Road. To this is to be added the net income from Passengers and Freight between Boston and New York, New Haven, and places between New Haven and New York. AMOUNTS OF FREIGHT AND PASSENGERS, PER ANNUM, THE PROPOSED NEW YORE AND BOSTON RAILROAD, BETWEEN NEW HAVEN AND THE EAST LINE OF CONNECTICUT.