Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-20
IT'S GOT TO COME,
LOOK OUT FOR THE ENGINE WHEN rur
BELL RINGS"

since the item in Tuesday's Journal in 20
iAuon 10 the proposed continuation Of IN,
narrow gauge railroad from Farminston Z,
augusta, Hallowell or Gardiner, We b.v,
interviewed large number of business mer
on tne subject, and find that the general ,en
ament is that such . road would greatly hon
ent the city which should be selected a. Il,
southern terminus. Such . road will nm
douofedly be built within few years public
convenience demands it; we feel sure that i,
Will be . paying investment for its stock.
holders, and permanent blessing to the town
winch is enterprising enough to secure il
NOW, why shouldn't Augusta be the fortunate
city?
| THE ADVANTAGES OF Such RoAp.
MAINE has not increased as rapidly in popu.
lafion and wealth as she ought, during the
last decade. There is Aroostook county.
larger than Massachusetts,, with "A fertile .
soil a. the sun ever shone upon, but with a
sparse population. Every busbel of pota.
toes, every article Of export produced in
Aroostook has to pass through New Brunswick.
With railroad from Mattawamkeag up
through the heart of the young county, tap
ping the French towns on the st. John river.
Aroostook would double in population in ten
years. Here is Franklin county, the only
outlet to which il at present over the Maine
Central road, through Lewiston to Portland
or Boston; through Brunswick to Bath or
Augusta, or from Leeds Junction east to
Waterville, Bangor, etc. Franklin county
deals mostly with Lewiston-the same dis
lance or q little farther than to Augusta,
Hallowell and Gardiner-Portland and Bos-
ton. With the Sandy River road extended
as is proposed, the objective points for trade
would be the three Kennebec cities, or per-
haps but one of them, as they decide to act
and Boston (by steam boat for wholesale
business, summer travel, etc.
Ho For RANoELEr LAKES!
In former days all the goods going into
Franklin, came up the river to Hallowell or
Augusta and were then transported across
the county to Franklin. One of the most
prosperous stage routes in the State is that
running from Hallowell to Pennington, to
connect, in the summer, with the Boston
steamers. The travel now over this route
would be no comparison with that brought
by railroad as direct as the stage route. The
tide of summer travel to the Rangeley lake
region is increasing yearly, and will con-
tinue to increase for q quarter of q century
Round trip tickets at present from Boston to
the Rangeley Lakes. cost $3.50; by boat
from Boston to Augusta and thence by rail
direct the price would be reduced at least
one-third. FRights would be proportionally
less. Fare from Phillips to Augusta or Gar
diner, is now S4.0O-and very reasonable for
the distance, more than 100 miles, to accom-
plish so. The proposed route would reduce
this nearly or quite one-haG person can
leave Augusta with a team at the same time the
train starts, and reach Pennington ahead Of
the train, as the distance direct is but 80 or
35 miles, and the train consumes about eight
hours in the passage.
The road would bring all the traffic Of the
IOWuS hiouk It's EoutC-N iCHhhs WIN isS "Ah-
eral springs and summer resorts, pleasant
ponds and fertile farms; Mt. Vernon, with
its water power and other business facilities,
and busy Readfeld--to our city. Thousands
of dollars, which now find their way every
year into the tills of merchants in other
places, would be spent right here in Augusta
on Water street. For slight cost the chan
mel of the river could be dredged, and the
Star of the East come to Augusta to connect
with the road.
WHAT THE ROAD Would CosT.
Railroad building is business. The only
question to be settled now is whether the cap
itslists who invest some e2OO, 900 in the new
enterprise will reap substantial return on
their money. This road is continuation OF
the two-feet narrow gauge road from Philips
to Pennington, which has been running just
one year to-day. During the year the little
road has done a business which has paid its
daily expenses and interest on the cost OF Its
construction. No railroad in Maine can
show a like experience for its first year Of
existence. lnere 10 uO Ec0bOh W OSAS'S Wv
that the extension would make equally as
good showing.
Shall the road be built? We trust so. 1t
would be of mutual advantage to the people
of both counties. 1t would. We believe be a
paying investment upon the cost Of the road
for it ia estimated that the road can be built
and equipped for five thousand dollars per
mile. We trust our capitalists will give this
matter their serious consideration and decide
to aid in building the road. We have faith
in the enterprise, and want to see the ROAD
built. OF course we should prefer to have 1t
built to this city. but if it cannot come mere
let II be built to either Hallowell or Gard'-
ner. Let Kennebec and Franklin be united
by q narrow gauge railroad.
cARD FROM GUPPY 4 KINSMAN.