The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-05-20
LEASE OF THE BELFAST AND MCOSEHEAD
LAKE RAILROAD

W.
by the terms Of which the railroad from Bel
fast to Mooschcad Lake is changed from the
contemplated route by way of Newport to that
via the Kcnncbec River in the vicinity Of Wa
tervillc, thence to Skowhegan, and so on to
the Lake The gauge will also be changed to
correspond with that of the lessee The lease
is for term of fifty years, and the annual
rental to be paid is five per cent. for the first
five years, and six per cent. for the remainder
of the term on Il cost of one million dollars
In explanation of this divergence from the
, original purpose, ii is proper that some public
explanation should be made The intention
at the outset was to run this road first to New
port, crossing the Central Road at that point,
and thence on toward the Lake as fast rs the
means would admit Many well informed
persons, however, in this city as well as along
the route, always held that the interest of the
friends of the enterprise would best be served
by striking the narrow gauge road at Ken
dalrs Mills.
1t was contemplated from the first to lease
the road. Every person at all acquainted
with the operating of railroads knows that a
company already running road can do the
business Of an extension of the same at from
% to 33 per cent. cheaper than the company
owning the extension can do it themselves
AS the people OF Belfast and the towns on
the route desired only the benefit of the road
with the assurance, if possible, of reasona-
bic interest on the outlay incurred in construct
ing it, they naturally looked to the Maine
Central road to stand in the position of lessee
of the road. In fact this had been the under
standing from the outset. The charter OBJ
! tanned is of the most liberal character. 1t
authorizes the corporation to extend road
from Belfast to the Lake ''by the most practi
cal route''-eaving the location to the Judge
ment of the Directors. 1t however distinctly
provides that over the fourteen miles from
Newport to Dexter, the new road should not
be located, as that route was already cover
ed by another charter, and the projected road
leased to the Central
Thus it became imperative either that the
road from Newport to Dexter should be in
! corporated with ours or that we should lease
to the same corporation by which that is con-
trolled. If we are asked why such a lease
was not made, and the road located as orgi-
nally intended, we reply that after every eff
fort on their part to do so, during period of
eighteen months time, the Directors of the
Moosehead Lake Road found it utterly impos-
sibe to effect such lease Neither could
they make an arrangement to control the Dex-
ter road. The records of our corporation
show the following official action taken in the
endeavor to arrange this matter.
Nov. 10, 1867. Voted, That Mr.. Alden be re-
quested to correspond with the President of the
Maine Central Railroad and request him TO send
committee to meet our Directors here to confer on
matters of interest relative to the Newport and
Dexter and Belfast and Moosehead Lake Roads,
and if they cannot meet here, to designate the time
and place, that committee of the board may meet
them.
JAN. II, 1863. Voted, Directors Dickerson, Mil
liken, Lancaster and Simpson be Il committee, to
meet the Directors of the Maine Central Railroad,
or committee from their road, and confer with
them, in relation to the terms we can make with
them, provided we should want to run over their
road from Newport to Dexter any other az
rangcment we might desire to make with them by
connecting with their road.
Voted, That Judge Dckerson be chairman of said
committee and that he correspond with Mr. Dunn,
President of the Maine Central, Immediately to learn
when they will meet this committee.
! JAN. 81, 1868. Voted, To instruct Messrs. Lam
easter and Milliken, to visit Wuteryiile at early
day AZ possible, to consult with Mr.. Dunn and the
Directors of the Maine Central Road, as voted at
the last meeting, and report their doings. VOTED
That the Directors visit the towns on the contem
| plated routes go to Dexter and Newport, and then
to meet the Directors of the Maine Central, If they
will consent to meet us.
MARCH 12 1865 Voted, That the committee rails
"a Directors.
instructed to obtain from them written obligation,
| in regard to our connection with that Road, refer
ing to dsinterested railroad men any question that
may arise between the two roads, that cannot be
amicably adjusted by the interested parties
| JUNE 90. 1868. Voted, That Director Alden be
added to the committee to visit the Maine Central
| Road Directors and that said committee attend to
that duty as soon rs a meeting can be arranged.
July l, 1863 Voted, That committee of two
Directors Dickerson and Shaw be appointed to
confer with the Directors of the Maine Central
Railroad, regarding connections; and other subjects
for the interest Of our road
| OCT. 81, 1868. Voted That A. w. Johnson and
W. II. Simpson, be committee to go to Waterville
forthwith, and confer with the President and D-
rectors Of the Maine Central Railroad, and see up
on what terms if any, they will lease our road for
term of years. and that be left to their discretion
to agree upon the lease and Its terms.
| DEC 8, 1868. Voted, That Messrs. Dickerson,
| Milliken, Haytord and Shaw, be added to the com
mittee, to visit the Directors of the Maine Central.
MARCH ~ 1863. Voted, That Director Mlllekln
from the committee, proceed forthwith to Water
vile, and confer with Mr.. Dunn, President of the
Maine Central, and urge the necessity of immediate
action for leasing our road
April. o. 1869. Voted, That the President and
Director Sibley be added to the committee, TO confer
with the Maine Central Directors.
Here are no less than ten attempts made to
come to an understanding, all of which failed
These are aside from the numerous private
letters written and conferences had, all with no
better success. The commtteesmade journeys
by summer and winter, wrote letters, sent tele-
graph dispatches, and danced attendance on
on the Managers of the Central road. They
got promises in abundance, but no binding
agreement. The policy of the Central man.
ayers seemed to be to lull us into security,
a11ttI are should hoUe built oar road to them,
md thus be furry IN their grasp and subject
TO their oma terms. No other inference can
fairly be drawn from their course.
Meanwhile our road had been contracted
and graded distance of twelve miles, to
Brooks. At that point we must make our
election. One course led us to Newport,
another one to Kendall's Mills, AS prudent