Daily Kennebec journal., 1873-07-15
but only an argument in favor of good man

agement.
He also cites the Knox X Lincoln railroad.
| This, in its worst feature, was only case OF
| mis.management. The original estimate was
| less than Al SOC. 600 and it might have been
| let at 81, 700, 900, and without doubt money
| could have been made on it at that rate; but
| in one way and another it was made to cost
nearly S3,000,000 at that cost 1t does not
pay-but it is clear now that it would pay the
| interest on 50 ,000,0oo. so that all that road
shows is that before we commence our road
we should have the means to build itand
that it should be built by contract. But as
bad as that road stands, | have frequently
heard the remark from citizens of these towns
that they would not give up the road, if by so
doing they could be relieved from the whole
Indebtedness which it brought on them.
Another Point that the writer attempts to
make, is, that this proposed road will be loca-
Gated through a country that is not to be
compared to the Knox & Lincoln section for
freight and passengers. This looks very
much as though the writer could not be res
ident of Whitefield, and certainly not acguain-
ted with the Knox & Lincoln section; for
every five or ten miles that road has a good
harbor to compete with, through which most
of the freight of that section goes to Boston !;
and by this water communication at Rock land,
the largest town on the line, also from Wal
doboro' and Damariscotta, it has to compete
with regular lines of steamers to Portland
and Boston-while competition on this pro-
posed route is utterly impossible. And who
does not know that the Knox ( Lincoln sec
ton of country is not noted as an agricultural
section, while the towns through which this
proposed road will be located, are among the
very best in the State.
From one section large part of the bu,i
ness is, and always will be done by water,
while from the other the freight and travel!
must 90 wholly by rail. There is only one
item in which the shore line excels the inter
ior line, and that is ship building as most
ship building freight comes by water, ship
building cannot possibly furnish as much
business to the Knox K Lincoln, as it will fur
nish the proposed road by using the ship
timber that this road will open to a market,
and which is of no value now-but by this
road will become a source of profit as freight
and of immense value to the owners. l claim
that mile for mile, it is a better route for
freight and passengers than the Knox 4 Lin
coin, and that fifty miles of this road will pay
interest on larger expenditure than the fifty
miles of the Knox & Lincoln pays. But as
this road will be much longer than the Knox
& Lincoln, and drains a much larger extent
of country, its prospects are immensely great
er than the Knox 4 Lincoln's ever can be, and
if that will pay interest on $4,000, 900, the in
terror road, at a cost of 81 POO, 600, will be a
great source OF revenue.
But in discussing railroad questions it is
not much what they pay In dlviends, as
what they benefit a country. For instance
The State of Maine in 1910 had valuation of
about 500, 600, ,000 now its valuation is about
$3.50 900 ,000 an increase of $50 200, 900, and
this BY cost of less than $50, 900 900 expended
in railroads. In 1877 the city of Portland had
a valuation of about 81 900, 900; now its valu-
az (pn tI,Sta OI ha ST 81
fire as its valuation in 1910 is more than
$50, ,000, ,000; therefore we see that the divi-
dends that a road pays-even if they are ten
or fifteen per cent. are nothing III compari-
son to what they pay by the increase in the
value of property. Perhaps it may be said
that this increase in property would have
taken place without railroads; but we find
on examination that the increase is confined
almost entirely to the line of railroads--sec-
| tons without railroads have not increased
unless they had some great natural advan-
| tage, while sections with railroads have in
creased invariably.
But the question is, what will this railroad
do for Whtefield? The length of road, as
| proposed in this town, is about eleven miles
on the main line, and on the line to Augusta
about five miles-making sixteen miles. At &
cost OF $50 900 to the mile on a low estimate
$40, 900 per mile, will be left in this town, fol-
land damages, labor, supplies, and lumber OF
various kinds-making total of 100000; sc
that the $i4 900 which the town is asked tC
invest in money or credit will be returned al
most four fold in building. Again when we
take into consideration that every article OF
manufacture or agricultural production will
| be worth as much in town as it now is in
Gardiner, and that our farms will increase in
value and become salable, that our lumber
and ship timber will become the most valua-
| bic property in town, that the immense wear
and tear of travel and loss of time in going to
market will all be saved, and that villages will
spring up on all our water powers, and that
our farmers and petty merchants will take a
higher position in the estimation of the cor
respondent from Cooper's Mills, and be able
to sell goods just as cheap as the merchant in
Gardiner, we see at once the vast importance
of this road to the town of Whitefeld, ant
that il this Sti 900 were to be Il gift to thu
road, even then, we could not afford to wal
any longer for it-but when we take int
, consideration that it must, if properly man
aged, pay dividends, we see that it is tn,
most splendid opportunity to enrich a towI
that was ever offered, and that the gentlemen
who are engaged in the enterprise, instead OF
, being sneered at, should have our mos
hearty thanks.
Without railroad our town must continue
to take a secondary position. Notwithstand-
, ing its good soil, natural advantages ant
beautiful scenery; our young men will contin
ue to leave it, and in Massachusetts and in
the West will locate, where enterprise offer.
them better inducements. Therefore insist
we cannot afford to wait any longer, bu
should seize the splendid opportunity before
us, and do for Whitetield what enterprise ha
done for other towns.
In regard to the connection with Wisscas
set, there are many advantages. 1t gives US
direct connection with Portland and Boston
by railroad; and a connection with the bes.
harbor in New England, which, although in
land some fifteen miles, is always open in-
winter, and perfectly accessible at ali times
This road will connect this harbor with Au-
gusta and the whole interior of the State, and
by the proposed Megantic railroad will bring
Montreal fifty miles nearer tide water by our
route than by Portland which of itselfis sufii-
cient to insure dividends. Therefore / think
we should not object to connection with
! Wiscasset.
In conclusion, what applies to this town
! applies to all the towns on the route. 1t is
an opportunity to get a great benefit by a