Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-29
Meeting of the Common Council on the
Ratlruad Ouestfon.

=" O N' " 49,
meeting Oh the common Couhch was heiu }es'e'-
day afternoon, to receive the petition Or calling
meetno of our citizens on the propostiou to loan
- " - -,
'ne eicui' vi 'ne my W "'o INV '"'iui"s Vi "ai
row gauge railroad from Augusta TO West ater-
will.
In the absence OF tue PRESIDENT, j. IL. DOlyer
was chosen President pro TEN.
Permission being granted gentlemen to address
the Council, lion. j. w. North took tue floor
lie saii thar IN olu times, when the people desired
TO move, they came en- mdsse To the place OF as
sembilng' aud made known their views. Now
they came Dy signatures; anu lac held III his hand
petiuon from large number of the principal
CITIZENS oil Augusta, voters and taxpayers, making
request oil The common council. lie then pre-
sented tue following petition, signed by 6Sl voters
OF Augusta!
To the UoHo1dble C1iauoa CyHocI oC Nh. Elm
Of 4n1usf1
The undersigned citizens of the citv of An
gusta respecttuly represent that in their indie.
ment, the construction of a narrow oanye rail
way fIom Augusta to West Wateryille. there TO
connect with the Somerset "a ilro,d wonld greatly
promote the material interests and business pros
perity of Augusta by atfordiup direct and cheap
communication with the town, of upper Keone.
bee and Somerset counties and that the connie.
tiop of this euternrise W nj LARGELY determine the
future welfare growth and importance of our civ
and they farther tepte.cnt that the recent action
of the towns of Arson. Norridpewock and Emb-
dem stockholders IN the Somerset railroad. iudi.
cate that a sufficient guaranty Will readily he
furnished thar the gusve of that road viii be
CHANGED tn cnnf,rm 70 the narrow gna,,e of the
PROMISED road from Augusta To We.t Waterville
Wherefore in view of the fact that the con-
struclion of the railway from Wi-ca,set TO An
gusta, has already been assured by the and OBJ
tanned on the pronosed line of that road and mat
The present season is the most favorable time to
undertake the extension of the same to West Wa
terye, the undersigned respectfully ask that
your honorable body " III order and request the
Honorable MAYOR and Aldermen of Augusta to
call meeting of the legal voters OF the city Al
a time ss early n. NAV lie practicable for the pur-
pose of acting upop the PROPOSITION for the Civ
of Augusta to loan IT'S credit to an amount n OF
exceeding Sl5O 600 to and in the construction Of
said railway from Augusta to West Wateryillc
Mr. North remarked that the subject matter of
the petition was not unknown; il had been can
vas, ed for some two wears bv those interested in
the material interests and deV elopment of Angus
ia They now wish to make known their wishes
in relation to the road from this city to West Wa
tervle. He did not propose to discuss the merits
of the road the petition simply asks that the yot-
ers oil the place may have an opportunity to vote
on the proposition. la answer to question, Mr..
North said that Wscasset had pledged 500 0OJ
which would ensure the bulldog of the road to
this CITY; the Somerset would change their guage.
aud this would give US a continuous line to The
upper Kennebec. making Augusta the centre of a
narrow gauge system. Thi. would cheaper trans
portation and increase mAuufactu ring and other
business
The following order was then presented 10 the
Common Council and received passage
ORDERED, That the MAYOR aud Aldermen be
and are hereby directed 10 cause the inhabitant,
of the several wards in the city of Augusta quail
lied according to law to be notified and warned
IN the same manner that meetings for the cleo
ton of city officers are called to assemble at their
respective ward rooms on Wednesday the fifth
dsy of September aext at ten o'clock ia the fore
noon then and there to give 10 their vote. on the
following propositions to Wit.
Shall the city of Augusta, by the Mayor thereof,
subscribe to and take the stock of the Messalons
kee and Kepnebec Railroad Coupany to an amount
not exceeding fifteen hundred shares of the par
value of one hundred dollars per share and raise
sufficient sum OF money to meet the payments
therefore by loan to be effected by an issue of the
bonds of said city, with such utter It. not exceed
ipg six per cent and for such period of time. not
exceeding thirty wears, 4, NAV he determined bv
the city councii of sad cry. for the purpose Of
constructing narrow gauge railway from Au-
yusta to West Waterville, provided, that the
shares of the capital stock of said company shall
not exceed two thousand in number and that no
part of said subscription be PAYABLE unit all of the
captal stock of said company shall have been suh-
scfioeu lor, anu 'ne directors OF tue somerset