The Portland daily press., 1880-12-03
sKowHEGAN TO MoNsoN.
a Proposed Marrow Gauge Railroad.

MoNsoN, Dec. LIST, 1880.
Mr.. EDIroR:-Presuming that you are inter-
ested in all that appertains to the prosperity of
Maine, desire to submit few facts relating
to a matter which believe would not only be
Of great benefit to this section, but would also
be the means of increasing the already impcr-
tant trade which the wholesale merchants of
Portland now have with the business men of
this town and vicinity. Parties from the vi
cinity of Skowhegan were here few days
since, who are interested in the proposed mar
row gauge railroad from that place to Athens,
and their proposition was to extend that line to
Monson.
The slate Of Monson would be about eleven
miles nearer Boston and Portland by this route
than by any other that has ever yet been sug-
gested. We are 210a miles from Portl md via
B. & p K. R., and $50 miles via Newport. Tho
distance from here to Portland via Athens and
Skowhegan through the valley from Abbott
Village to Athens, passing through part Of
Parkman, Kingsbury, Wellington and corner
of Harmony is only about 139 miles. The fem
tire route would be easy grading and two feet
gauge could be cheaply constructed. In addl-
ton to the slate business and other industries
ancillary thereto. of Monson, the spool factory
at Howard, and the various other branches OF
business from which railroad would derive
great profit including much summer travel to
Moose ~ cad Lake, all of the Kennebec lum-
Der supplies going to the lake would necessari-
| ~ pass over this road.
The only objection to such road is the re-
loading of freight at the broad gauge junction.
| But for the slate quarries this is more than
| counterbalanced by advantages gained, be-
cause each quarry could easily have train-ways
| leading to the main track SO that every car
| load of slate could be loaded at the slate sheds
at the quarries, thus saving the great expense
| of loading on to cart, carting to the depots
| and again re-loadiDg on to the cars. Four slate
| quarries are now in operation in Monson.
| whose products are about 25,0OO squares per
| The Willimantic Linen Co. of Connecticut
| have erected immense works at Howard, only
| about eight miles from here, this being nearer
| than any other railroad point.
| Beside the slate industry of this town there
| are many other branches of business to feed a
railroad. 1t is q town Of over eight hundred
| Inhabitants, aud rich farming community.
| The next town on the line is Abbot, with two
| thriving villages, an excellent agricultural
| town, with manufactures of various kinds.
| Population of Abbot, seven hundred; valua-
ton. 1870, $4,000.
| 1t would touch Parkman which is prosper
| ous farming town of eleven hundred inhabi-
| tants valuation in 1870, of $260,000 1t would
also pass through part Of Kingsbury, where
| are good settling lands. valuable water power,
| all kinds of timber, etc. 1t would run through
the entire length Of Wellington. an excellent
farming town, with mills stores, etc.; popula-
ton about seven hundred; valuation in 1870,
| $4,000. 1t would also accommodate the
| thriving farming town of Harmony, with a
population of about one thousand, aud valua.
| ton of over 100000.
The other towns which it would be in close
| proximity to, but would not pass directly
through, are Shirley, Blanchard, Greenville
etc., Guilford, Sangerville, Brighton, Mayfeld
Cambridge, Ripley, etc. The capitalists who
have and are now investing in the slate enter
prise will eventually have better and cheaper
railroad facilities for transporting the MonsoI
roofing slate to the markets of the world.
Whatever, section or community, ,unites with
us in securing this will be materially benefited
PROGRESS.