Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-01-19
.Iannnry. II. ISL.


January. II. 1871.
To the Eiior Of the american:
some weeks since | noticed your dis
senting comments upon an Ellsworth let
ter to the Wing. in which the writer sug-
gcsted that Rail Road to Bangor was not
what Ellsworth needed or desired. The
Wing correspondent has assumed the I'M
popular view. but there seems to be some
weight in his suggestions. and il may be
worth while to consider them.
do not wi.hto combat your proposition
that facility of communication Is always
desirable. though l can cite high American
authorities to the contrary. Your general
proposition. however will always be mol
flied by circumstances and by other equal
~ general principles. The great problem
in transportation Is 10 facilitate the natural
Interchange between producers and con-
sumers. The Rail Road or steamboat line.
To pay should connect the one with the
other or each with common market. Ii
must follow the natural direction OF trade
ANY other line would be unnatural aud un-
profitable.
Ellsworth /, Al once q producing and
consuming city, and at the same time a
market for other producing and consuming
towns. our iir>i need Is facility of trans
portalion for on products. our second
need is facility 81 transportation for arti-
cles consumed by u. Ailcr these have
been secured our next step should be 10
improve the facilities for our customers to
come to Us.
Our products are bulky, they must be
mainly il not entirely transported by Wa
ter. Their market j. in Portland. Boston.
and other Atlantic Cities. As these cities
being Of us. Ne naturally being Of them,
aud thus the natural channel Of trade i
direct betwccnu, and them. Our products
and wants are 20 reciprocal with theirs
that trade flow, naturally in it, present
channel. aud cannot be diverted. 1t would
De folly for Us To attempt il.
Assume now that Ellsworth can by pri-
waite aud public credit. raise s2oO.0oD. to
devote Ia improving communication aud
transportation. the question will be where
can We best invest il. Would il be in a Rail
Road To Bangor: What would be the ben
eft commensurate with the expenditure /:
Il would be- convenient road no doubt
Il would be much plcasantcr e. ride to
Bangor in warm car, than in i sleigh.
The Ladies would iind II delightful. and The
Boston Runners VINO come to %, 70 sell
good and To- bring nothing would approve
II. Would II pay H. dollars: The Road Of
would cost half million dollars. To pay
H. i per c.ai. it must earn $50 600 year
clear Of expenses. To earn that amount
net. 1t must do a business of sl20.000 q
year. Can i, possibly do so much: 1t will
IN u AnPfs r6RsR{ n Rf{spS ai apy ee sayy
passengers or $1,000. 600 of good, to earn
lis sls.coo gross. think We must admit
that the road will not pay dividends.
Will il increase our trade, II il would.
hor would it? Bangor does not buy a
dollars worth OF goods of Us, a, We have
| nothing that she wants. All the merchan-
disc that would 90 from Ellsworth on the
new road would be a few pets and veni-
son. There is no reciprocation Of trade.
no natural current, a between Ellsworth
and Boston. ! have a small check on the
lst National Bank. Bangor that cannot
get casheh. must send it over 10 Bangor
at an expens.' OF one per cent. Boston
checks are currency almost. We buy a
few goods of Bangor. and pay the money
for them. She makes the profit. out of US
We can make no profit out of them
Where will the increase of trade come
from:
have laid that Ellsworth is market
town also. IL is the center of a population
which it supplies with commodities. max
Ing profit in 50 doing. In this sense she
l. rival with Bangor. striving with her
for the trade OF other towns. Would Il be
wise for Us TO spend our money helping
our customers 10 90 TO Bangor to buy
goods: The amount of trade depends on
the number of customers. Those whom
Bangor supplies. We shall not. Every dol
lar profit made by Bangor out of our pres
ent customer, would be a dollar loss To Us
and decrease OF dollar in our business.
Bangor has the advantage of greater capi-
tai. and would certainly absorb our trade
II she can get AZ il. Ii we have any money
to spend in Rail Roads We would do better
TO 30 build them ~ 10 bring customers to
Us. than 10 build them to send customers
| TO Bangor.
repeat l am in favor of the greatest
facility of communication. but il must be
in the natural channels. Ii we are TO spend
money. let us spend ii so as to benefit US
We are not called upon to do the philan-
thropic in Rail Roads. we are allowed 10
be supremacy selfish in these matters. and
should ask ourselves. "Wil II pay:' At
thesame time we need not be Chinese nor
Japanese: we will not build wall round
Ellsworth. If Bangor i, sufficiently phil
anthropic to build Rail Road to Els
worth. We should offer no objection. We
ought even to be liberal in the matter Of
land damages, etc.
Ifyour comments OH this communication
do not make me hide nv diminished
head" ] will continue the discussion BY
suggesting how our hypothetical 500 600
may be probably inserted. JuNICs.
January II, ISL.
| To the Editor Of the american: