Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-01-14

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To the Editor Of The OXFORD Democrat
IL IL with much interest that have
watched the various schemes that the
people OF Androscoggin County have
from time to time seen fit 10 give to the
public through the Press, relative 10 Rail
Road connections With OLford County
At various times They have expressed
! themselves ready. as they said, to expend
their money for the purpose of making
an outlet or market for our citizens,-yet
when their long talked of project begins
to assume shape, it takes decidedly
Lewiston color. instead Of Oxford For
instance, they have petitioned the present
Legislature for charter for Railroad TO
Rumford Falls. How much do they pro-
pose TO benefit Oxford County, Why,
they propose n road through Auburn.
Turner. Livermore, 10 strike Oxford Coun-
~ ut Canton, border town-iollowing
our eastern border to Rumford Falls
Now Auburn and Lewiston are growing
cities, and we are by no means adverse
to having Oxford County connected with
them by rail-yet we do have some ideas
as to our own interests, rs well rs theirs.
Let us now look at facts.--'rhe Grand
Trunk Railway taps Oxford County near
ly in the centre. 1t goes through Bethel,
Greenwood, Woodstock. Paris. and Ok
ford to Mechanic Falls station. a point
less than ten miles from Lewiston. and
an important manufacturing place. Now
the Portland & Oxford Central r. r., with
charter from Portland TO Canton, and
already built from Mechanic Falls 10 Cam
ton village Connecting with the Grand
Trunk at Mechanic Falls, passes through
the towns of Hebron, Buckfeld, Sumner.
Hartford and Canton, and will ask at the
Legislature this winter to extend their
charter from Canton 10 Rumford Falls,
with further object, when time shall de-
mand it, OF penetrating the Lake country.
The people along the line Of this road
have, from time tO time. been taxed
heavily 10 aid its progress, and have just
seen the contamination Of their hope. II
having been finished 70 Canton the last of
December it is natural that they
should look with jealous eye. towards
any object that threatens 10 cripple the
Road which they have so zcalously sus-
tanned and they can hat feel that amy
Railroad TO Rumford Falls other than
theirs. is not required by the public-but
would be public wrong which no Legs
lature would permit, not only would It
defeat the objcct of this road, but it
would hazard the life of the Androscog
gin Railroad which runs to Pennington.
1t would run parallel with the road from
Lewiston 10 Canton, and hardly stones
throw from it. From Canton to Rumford
Falls would be but about twelve miles
for the p. & o. G.. Railroad to build, which
the proposed route is some forty miles.
The proposition which | would here make
to our Androscoggin friends, is this: They
have long talked about connecting with
Mechanic Falls by rail-now let them
build from Lewiston across 10 Mechanic
Falls. only about eight miles, purchase
or lease the T. Il .. &. Railroad, cut il
loose from the Grand Trunk-and they
have thus turned the current from Oxford
County towards them to certainty-Yiz
The Middle and Western portions OF Ok
ford would go down on the Grand Trunk
! 10 Mechanic Falls, then across TO Lewis
ton. while the Eastern portions would go
over the z. 81 o. c., an arrangement
which would do far more to benefit Lew
iston, and with much less expense. Any
mid that Androscoggin may desire in this
direction, we shall give with will.
In closing, / would say 10 our Oxford
delegation in the Legislature, stand firm
for our rights, and resist all encroach-
ments upon our interests. The friends
of the Portland and Oxford Central K. K.
will ask you to extend their charter from
Canton to Rnmford Falls.-giye them q
helping hand, and thus say to the towns
along its line. that that their money has
not been given in vain.
OXFORD COUNTY.