Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-04-10
For the Journal

| QUEBEC, AUGUSTA AND WLSCASSET
The proposed railroad from Wiscasset to Quebec
must be admitted to be one of the most important
enterprises ever attempted in the State of Maine
The proposition is to unite the Lewis, Somerset,
Messalonskee and Wiscasset roads in one line
With this view, the friends of the Wiscasset and
Kennebec section have already changed its name
to Wscasset and Quebec Railroad Company
which would naturally be the name of the consol-
idated road.
The President and Directors of the Wiscasset
| and kennebec company, visited Quebec last June
| and attended the opening of the Lewis & Kenre-
bee road, and at that time inauguratcd the move
| ment. More recently, through the persistent
efforts of gentlemen in Augusta and on the Som
erset road, more particularly Hon. VIM. Atkinson
of Somerset, the Augusta meeting has been called
| and held. That meeting was attended byseveral
gentlemen from Quebec, who at the same time
| visited Wiscssset, examined the harbor and river
to the ocean, becoming very favorably impressed
with The enterprise, and leaving impression on
Augusta and the Stale which must result in sue
cess.
The great importance of this proposed road can
not be over-estimated. The Grand Trunk road
has been, and is of great advantage to the State
particularly Portland and the western part. This
road opening the whole center of the State, bring
ing all parts III close connection with Canada and
the "Great West" and connecting its whole line of
coast, its numerous harbors with the same, must
prove of vast Importance, and give an impetus to
business, and development of natural ad, antages
which no other enterprise has ever done. 1t will
be a reaZatiC n OF the earliest hopes and aspira.
tons of our people. 1t has always been known
that the shortest route from the ocean to the St
Lawrence, is q direct line from Wiscasset through
| Augusta, up the Kennebec river to Quebec This
| is the route of the famous Canada Road, natural
valley always travelled by the Indian, the hunter
and the earliest settlers OF the State 1t was sur
veyed in 1884, and ascertaned to be only 235 miles
a very favorable route; connecting abe river ST.
| Lawrence at an important city like Quebec with
an Atlantic harbor, some fifteen miles inland, only
| twenty three miles from the capital of the State
very near the center of population with capacity
sufficient 10 do the whole business of the "West"
and with depth Of water at low tide sufficient to
float the largest vessel ever built. The realization
OF this enterprise would put to use all the water
power OF the kennebec it would make Augusta
a large manufacturing city, the center of trade,
great distributing point for the produce of the
West and place Wiscasset i'll relation to Au-
gusta and the state, as Havre is in relation to
Paris.
Will such road pay In answer, the Province
| OF Quebec alone ha. population of more than
| 100000; twice as much the State of Maine
The business of that province will all come over
this road in winter, and much of it in summer, as
the distance is nearly 100 miles in favor of this
route. The City of Quebec is the terminus of the
| Canadian Pacific raili DAD, which will be extended
| TO the Pacific ocean. This road will get its share
OF the exports Of Canada. Again, the st. Law
renee brings ITS vast resources TO this road A
river unequalled in resources connections and ca
pacty for lranspor alton by any highway of ma
| tions on the face of the earth ; il seems 10 have
been created by the hand of ri evidence and placed
purposely to convey the produce Of the nexhaus-
ube fields OF the interior Of this continent to the
ocean. This road taps this vast outflow at the
right point, and by ITS short distance, easy grades
and cheap facilities, it must be the favoiite route
by which to export the pl oductions Of the "Great
| Nest and must receive a vast amount Of freight
aud travel; enough to make it pay ing road, even
II 1t should cost as much as the Grand Trunk.
But with modern facilities for building roads, ex
perience cheap iron and labor and favorable route
IT can be put IN operation at a cost of not more
| than one-iourth OF the cost of the Grand Trunk
So that with half of the business of that road
| this would be a great paying road. When this
| road Is completed, the produce of the "West" will
be brought by water in bulk to Quebec loaded on
cars by elevators at q slight expense, and put
through TO any part of the State Of Name inside
of twelve hours. So that with the great facilities
for shipping from all the ports the Great Lakes
and the unlimited capacity of transportation by
the St. Lawrence, and the short route from uebec
to the ocean, this would be the surest, cheapest
and most unlimited route for tran portalion, and
would undoubtedly require double track in five
years. Therefore, it must aronce become one OF
the best paying roads in the world; and Quebec,