Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-09-25
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER Is, 1879.
RAILROAD Discussion.

road policy of this State. One of them
appeared in the Boston Adrerfiser OF
Sept. 18th, signed Maine" and the
other in reply in the Portland Advertiser
of Sept. 18Th.
The irst. after deprecating the rivalry,
bitterness, and vast expense attendant
on two lines of railway running throue h
the State. forcioly describes the i'm
mense resources OF the Siaie-impOrt-
snce OF railroads 10 their Development
these objects.
Ii then advocates the consolidation of
all rival lines and argues that this being
done, they will have capital sufficient
and that theirintere>t will promp; them,
to extend right and lett, branches of
communication from the Maine Trun 3,
TO the rich and nndevcloped fields of the
in,eIior. Thus. will the parent road
aud he people of the State be benefited.
The following is an extract touching
upon The Interests of Hancock and
that we have not space sufficient for the
whole article.
The European aud North American
Railway - now possessed of nearly mil
lion acres o. valuable timber lands. having
received The same by gil, from the State.
These land, are rich in soil, lumber, iron.
limestone, and excellent marble. But
railroad, must bc constructed through
posed and chartered North Aroostook
Railroad al the outset. The European
road cannot build his extension. But it
j. willing, Il J. anxious to dispose of all il
property and rights TO those who can.
Your companies in combination can do
th> work A. i were with one hand.
Wonld Won bnt consent to do Il You would
lay The State OF Maine under the deepest
obligation. 1on will open up incompara-
bis the finest part of New England living in
mass the development OF which would en-
rch Maine. and directly and indirectly
-reatlr enlarge the business of your roads
You would at once command vast freight
OF lumber. There can be no question that
the state viii cooperate with you in any
scheme Tor promoting settlement. No
where else in the United States can char
CnIl-iron br made in great quantities at so
.oN cost Is amo 90 the gigantic hard
wood forests OF -iroo,iook county, with
the best or ores extending for miles with
limestone side bv side for fiux. The slate
brt Of Maine. reaching eighty miles be-
tWlXf The kennebec and Pcnob>cot rivers
aud iuru ~ oui the best literally the best
slate ia The world. need. railway extern
siou. The Pi>cataquj- branch OF the Euro
pean road ha> been pushed into it, vicinity.
Short spurs % the qu3rrie> are now indis.
pcu>able to the more rapid utilization OF
the deposits. The supply will last practi-
caily forever. and 20 viii the demand. II
J. peImaucn, thing 10 count npon. The
railroad struggling up the hennebec River.
above Showhegau. wants a In. II opens
a good country. Every mile il advances
carries f. nearer the lumber region OF
Moo>ehcad Lake and IL OUTLYING terri
:orie>- lo LAY nothing of the road building
toward II from Quebec. and already about
opruiug To The STATE frontier. \ branch to
She European road ! called for NJ the
valley OF III" Pa>Saaumkeag. 20 bring out
The stores of hard and soft lumber. and let
DAYLIGHT into it, wilderness districts The
shore line from Bangor east TO Machias
J. iu sharp demand. Some CT. 900 people
viii give IL their business. They have
aiuo>, strength enough TO build the road
alone. but not quite. They will do their
u;mo, with prompt alacrity. Business to
ami from the Provinces would at once en-
large greatly were the gauge of the Euro
pean and North American road brought
down 10 the standard of the lines west.
aud TIRE bridge At -. John built. This
cannot he done without some help. Your
roads and Boston are deeply concerned 10
render tina; help without delay. Letting
alone. however. the question of railroad
extension into new territories, you would
lind ample and perhaps more urgent call
ia..l,.
short branches 10 the manufacturing sites
OF the state, upon which diversified in-
du>trje> are already established. but which
are put a. disadvantage by the cost OF
haul3ge and repeated handling in placing
their products upon the rail. Examples OF
thi- sort are too numerous TO mention.
Manufacturing operations are conducted in
tAe localities referred to even now with iair
success. But enlargement must be based
upon improved facilities to market.
The wriler in the Portland Adaertiser
fakes issue on many important points
with Maine" foresees evil in the es-
adjustment of single powerful rail.
road corporation, TO the interests of the
people of the State, and argues that an
open competitor would best promote
tue prosperity and gro with of the State.
The following are the writers views
with regard to consolidation. and they
will be seen TO have a bearing on rail-
road enterprise in Eastern Maine. On
The whole, we are disposed TO adopt
these views. believing that with two or
more independent corporations. capital
will be quicker TO discern its true int err
es;s, more anxious TO extend its claims.
promote the interests of the people,
develope remote resources, and receive
benefits thcrelrom, than single power
iul corporate body, Independent of
everything save own aggrandizement
aud profit.
4 combination between the two Boston
roads now 10 competition. Maine" thinks
will tend TO deyelOpe and extend the in
terror railroad system of Maine. | find
myself compelled to believe that ii will re-
tard aud arrest it. | am Darwnian enough
to believe that the struggle for life has
ueen the great spur of human achievement.
Our local history fairly shows that men
acting ia combination in the building OF
railroads. have felt the influence Of mutual
contest and antagOnism. just as man in
general has, in acquiring wealth, power
and intelligence. Ii was difficult to build
a road from Portland 10 the west line Of
the State. 20 We built two. and ultimately
five and found il easy. Ii taxed the cred
it of towns and wealthy men to connect
Portland and Waterylle by rail. and for q
time seemed incapable of achievement. so
we GOT up Juror and found it very easy to
build two roads, only ten miles apart.
Did the consolidation of these roads devel-
ope. or tend to develope new roads east and
north? II took the B elfast and MOosehead
road partly off the necks of the Belfast
people under the compulsion of a contract,
and the fear of the courts: 1t did not take
tie Knox and Lincoln road, and will not
as long as it can keep off, through its infiu-
ence in The Legislature. or by its power OF
outwitting or corrupting their agents, the
aid which the Boston and Maine is prepar-
ing to give. Has not the West Waterville.
Norridgewoch and Arson road been killed
BY consolidation, leaving the poor towns
that undertook it, burdened with hopeless
debts for the useless structure of road bed
aud bridges. What interest will the grand