Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-02-04
Railroad Mania.

railroads. Along the shore, into |
the interior. parallel with existing roads
and across them, where there is business
in order to facilitate it, and where there Is
mot in order to create 1t; through pdpula-
ltion, and through wastes in order b pop
'ulate them, Maine is projecting railroads.
why nots Has not the Legislature au-
thorized towns to subscribe and issue
bonds, and then vote themselves rail-
road everywhere? jackson and Liberty
and Sunkhaze and Lyndon can have this
modern convenience by a majority Of bal
lots. who blames them for the ballot?
So Aroostook is In for railroad. A
late number of The Sunrise come. to us
freighted with calls for railroad meetings
in aid of the projected enterprise from
Mattawamkeag to Pressure Isle. The dis
lance is only about a hundred miles. The
cost OF the road would be only thiriy-five
or forty thousand dollars a mile say
three millions and half or four millions
of doll lars. We have run over the names
of the signees to the call. They are ac-
tive. thrifty gentlemen. From what we
know of them. and from what we learn,
we should have no doubt that all Of them
together, upon a strain. could raise fifty
thousand dollars In grecnbacks. They
could do this without distressing their
families, or wrouging their creditors. So
therefore, properly llaid out. these enter
prising and public spirited gentlemen
could, with this money build and equip
a mile and half Of railroad. This would
leave ninety-eight and a half miles TO be
got on credit. or contracted by other par
ties who at present do not seem to share
he enthusiasm Of these impecuneous
Aroos,ookers. But this fact need not
daunt them. They should 60 on. hold
meetings. pass resolutions, vote mortgag-
es. and endeavor by every possible meth
cd known to civilization. 10 get into debt
and pledge present property and future
earnings. The possibility tnat somebody
, may be found fool enough to lend an ear
to their senseless projects. and aid them
I in involving themselves irretrievably in
the mire of debt, for the purpose of build
! ing a railroad that by no reasonable calcu-
, lalion could pay running expenses, should
! stimulate renewed exertion.
The difference. it seems to us, between
these paper resolution railroads. and the
real thing. may be seen by comparing the
Presque Isle talk with the Houlton effort.
i Houlton is one of the most active and
1 thrifty towns in the State. In its interior
I position as the entrepot of the surplus
{. projects Of a great shar. Of Aroostook
county. Il has arrived at its maximum
growth. Itneeds communication with the
, commercial world in order TO ensure any
, considerable enlargement Of It's business.
J For the upper Arosstook trade It always
had rival in Woodstock, and that town
, has lately added TO its previous advantage
, es on the st. John river, the additional IA
i cility Of railroad which connects it with
J Saltwater at ST. Stephens and Calais. and
by means of the European and North
American with ST. John. or course rail-
road connection has become q necessity TO
Houlton.
In order TO connect itself with the ocean
by means Of these railroads, and ultimate
ly with Bangor. and go with the whole
syste N Of American roads, it is necessary
for Houlton to build three o, four miles Of
road. People connected with existing
roads are willing to do the rest if Houlton
will do thus much. And still the pro ject
hangs fire. The Houlton people appre-
ciate the fact that building railroads means
money. Resolutions and mortgages. and
ballotings are excellent methods TO get
into debt. but 1t needs something else in
order 10 get out Of Ii. We commend the
prudence Of our Houlton friends. Ii
forms so striking contrast with the dem
onstratiye displays of the Aroostook val
ley. that we could not help calling atten-
ton to It.
But we would not be understood as en-
couraging timidity. live werein Presque
Isle we should not stop talking about rail-
roads. unless there was lack Of other
matter, with which to while away the via
ter: and If we were in Houlton, We GER
tainly should not rest until we had the
railroad connection. The formation Of
the country indie ates SO strongly that the
valley Of the ST. Croix was intended as
the outlet of the aroostook trade that ii
seems like doing violence to natural laws
TO talk about anything else. An open
harbor can be got in distance of ninety
miles. while 1t is necessary TO 90 hundred
and thirty miles to secure An equally good
landing place on the Penobscot.
Besides this natural advantage, fools
have already been found to advance mon
ey TO build railroad almost TO their doors,
while Penobscot connection ria Presque
Isle. or across to the Mattawamkeag calls
for millions to be supplied from either pub
lie or private sources.
We know the Bangor people are smart,
and are not slack in promising. and that
they make The most of their position. All
this is granted. Individually they have
reaped fortunes out of the public lands.
and now BY means Of constant pressure
they have at last grabbed all the remain
ing lands of the State in aid Of their local
projects. They seek to divert the trade of
the Aroostook and st. John vallies from
the St. Croix to the Penobscot. Not con- |
tent with stripping the State OF its lands
lis only wealth-they are now at Washing |
ton Fostering Congress with the schemes
of additional debt for their private benefit.
As yet we do not hear that our neighbors |
have contributed Of their own moneys.
They are vary about adventures which
peril their own gains, though in promises