Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-08-10
What . Massachusetts, Railroad Man
thinks Of Railroad from the Penob
scot to the PassammaQuddy BAY.


A week or two since we alluded to n
communication to be published In the Bos-
ton Journal by a railroad man, giving his
views of the shore line. as proposed. In
this mornings Journal We find the letter.
and give the substance OF II below The
letter Is dated. Ellsworth. July la,h. aud
Is headed ST. John tn Mount Desert
The people are alive 10 the idea ri a rail-
way. The wide gauge from Bath Ia Rock
land i costing more than 0.OD0 per mile.
and impoveri-bing its builders. Such
line this portion OF Maine cannot sustain
and does not require. and the people are
conte nnplatiug = narrow gauge line TO cost
hut Sli,Uo per mile. The favoritr route
appears 10 be from Bangor, through Els
worth and Machia>, with a subsequent
branch through Dennysvilic To Calais.
The entire distance from Bangor 10 Lubec,
which lies on the steamboat route from 81
John to Boston. i bat i6 miles with but
81 more by a land-locked water route to
IT. John. and ~ more from fuhcc to Cal
ais. The new ronte from Bangor will be
shorter than the European and North
American line nearly 10 miles Ia ST. .Iohn
AMI Calais. and more than - miles Ia East
port. \ daily steamer might be- run from
Lubec TO Campo Bello. PASSPORT and ~
John. returning the same day. Another
to Pembroke and Calais. and their success
would bring down branch from Calais
aud Pembroke
At Ellsworth the route will pas within
twenty miles Of Bar IIarbor. Mt. Desert.
where one hundred passengers from Port
land and Boston We - landed last satur-
day, and this would bring the chief village
OF MI. Desert within four hours ri Ban
gor. and within fourteen hours by land OF
Boston. and add to the attractions Of thi.
Newport ofour eastern coast. A. respects
railways. the question of the hour Is VIII
there be business TO sustain them. and can
the money be- commanded for their CON
-truction. The line proposed will pass
through or near many populous villages
among which are thcrryiield with 1850.
and Ellsworth with some 600 inhabitants
l pom it, route il will accommodate Mt
.ca-f J'b inhabitants to the mic ample to
sustain narrow gauge railway. although
L would make no return upon the cost OF
a wider gauge. y narrow gauge line
would conform closely to the surface of
the country; would be cheap 10 build and
easy To maintain, for IL would disturb hut
little the face of nature. aud here need not
cost more than 1000 per mile, including
stations and equipagc. In place OF sixteen
ten; Ia place Of sixty pounds tn the yard
for the rail but thirty two pounds la place
ot twenty tom for the engine eight tons
Ia place nf cars weighing ten tons cars to
weigh hnt two OF three tons The line of
three feet gauge and curve, Of 30 feet
radius can wind around the elevations and
follow the -rrpeniinc valleys and climb up
gradients OF on. or two hundred feet 70
the mile, and light engine eau draw no
such gradients three or fnur light passrn-
ger cars at the speed of twenty mile, the
hour. and heavy trains OF freight with per
fcyt safety II can thus avoid both costly
cuts and cmblnkmcuts aud reduce cost
- Ia 20 per cent. \ revenue Of s. per
bead from the population accommodated.
OF $500 mil" from a population Of So t.
III" mile, would scarcely keep up the track
on costly line. but on cheap narrow
gauge line mal return per cent on the
Investment. II would carry freight aud
passenger NOR" cheaply. from the saving
In dead weight. than a more costly line.
A. respects the fund, required TOR such 4
line. 4 million and a half at money will
suffice. II j. -aid that To" towns on The
roul" are authorized 10 raise . per cent On
Their valuation. such = levy would furnish
half the amount necessary, and would
prepare the road FIR the iron. stations and
Tai-rd by bonds On the basis Of the sub
scupInn but the people oi TIL, impor-
tam section 81 ~" state can appeal with
confidence 10 the state either a. take the
amount IN stock or tn lcui il To them on a
long loan Al 1 or percent. interest, .ccur-
ed by a NOR gage and sinking fund. Mas
achu>ctt- has made many such loans to
her railways, With great benefit to the.
state; ani both Maine and Massachusetts
have contributed a, o gin $500 go 10 the
European and North American railway,
which will divert business from this So
t."h and lessen H. facilities ;or travelling
Whatever invcStmrn, ~" state may make
viii IN 4 few year b- returned by the In
creased Salu" Of trNahi- property incident
10 A railway.
Aiter resting a night at Macha>. W.
travel pleasantly by stage To Ellsworth. 90
miles distant. where We again r,.st. on our
way 10 Mt. Desert M.ssactIrsrrrs