The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-03-09
rhe Bridgtou Railroad sohema,

The action of the town of Bridgton, at its le-
gal town meeting in appropriating forty
thousand dollars towards the construc-
ton of a railroad which shall give that enter
prising town railroad communication with
Portland and "the world beyond is under
stood to practically ensure the success of the
scheme. True, this sum is a "mere bagatelle''
of the whole amount required; nevertheless,
the towns corporate aid secured, there are the
best of reasons for believing that the balance
of the sum needed can easily be raised
There are two projected routes. The first,
and the one which seems to have been most in
favor with the voters of Bridgton, is what
along the line is termed .'the Bradstreet
route" 1t starts at Bridgton, runs through
the towns of Naples, Casco, Raymond, along
the valley of the Presumpscot in Windham,
and either connects with one of the roads
running into the city, or comes in over line
of its own over the old tow-path of the Cum
berland & Oxford Canal. Its charter permits
it to do either, as may be found most advan-
tageous to the company. 1t will be marrow
guage." and the estimated cost per mile is
about $500. If built through to Portland a
distance of forty miles, the cost of the road will
be about 1886 900; if connection is made
with the P. & o. at Gambo, a distance of twen-
ty-eight miles, the cost will not be far from
$250,000; if with the P. & R. at Saccarappa the
the cost will be trife more than this. Mr..
Bradstreet has given some encouragement that
if the towns along the route will lend their cor
porate aid, and individuals will literally sub
scribe to the stock he thinks he shall be able to
raise the necessary funds from outside parties
to complete and equip the road. He is SO san
guine that road, thus built. will prove good
investment, that he desires to take twenty
years lease OF the road, at rental of three per
cent. for the first ten years, and four per cent
Tor the remaining ten years, at the same time
pledging himself to carry freight and passen-
gers at large reduction from present rates.
The vote of Bridgton is substantial accep-
lance of the Bradstreet proposition; and that
gentleman is allowed ninety days to ascertain
if he can make the necessary arrangements for
carrying through the project. AS to his sue
cess, much depends upon the liberality of the
other towns upon the route, which are really
more largely interested than Bridgton, as
Bridgton has another way out, and the other
towns are not SO fortunate.
The other route, and the one which has the
sanction of the monied interests of Bridgton, =
such men as W. f. Perry of the Forest and
Pondicherry Mills; w. A. Stevens, p p.
| Durham, Col. j. P. Perley, Darwin ingalls,.
and other well-known representatives of Bridg-
| toms substantial interests-is branch road to
Hiram, to connection with the p & o. at
that point. The distance is sixteen miles, and
the estimated cost is $4,000. While this
route has the advantage of being short one,
it has the disadvantage of increasing the dis
lance between Bridgton and Portland some
eight or ten miles, of being entirely dependent
upon the P. & O. road for connecting fayors
and of being entirely Bridgton enterprise. Ii
| is claimed that Bridgton Centre interests
would be largely enhanced by this route, draw.
ing as it would the business of Naples, Harri.
son, Waterford and Sweden to that village
The provisions of Bridgton's vote carries her
corporate aid to this route in the event
that Mr.. Bradstreet Or a responsible stock
company are unable to demonstrate
within ninety days their ability tt
construct the road by the other line. 1t i.
understood that in the event of Mr.. Brad
streets failure responsible Brijgton men O.
abundant means and large interests stand
ready to undertake the building of the road
and have it ready for operation by the LIST o.
January, 1882.
Within the next three months we may ex
pect to see lively agitation of the railroad
question along the line of the Bridgton & Pre-
sumpscot Valley Railroad, and the action O
the towns interested will be noted with not
little interest. 1t certainly looks as if Bridg
ton is to have a railroad; whether the town
lying between us and Bridgton are to be thu
accommodated depends largely upon the liber
ality with which they embark in the enter
nriSe II