Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-10-02

kdtneIcu sOiHc VI Tue staihs W oIink
home.
The tall newspaper man was so anx-
ious to get on the other side of the river,
that, scorning the slow motion of the
ferry, he sprang into boat and with a
few vigorous strokes grounded the craft
on the soil of Dixfeld. Had Hanlan
seen this exhibition Of proficiency with
the oar, he would have trembled for his
laurels.
! After brief rest and most excellent
dinner at the National House. Dixield,
we pushed on to Rumford Falls, seven
miles farther up the river. These falls
are we'll worth visiting. Within less
than mile the river make descent of
1853 feet through rocky gorge averaging
only about ninety feet wide. Here is
more than twice the water power Of Low
ell, with unrivalled opportunities for the
storage Of water. Forty years ago, when
the manufacturing corporations which
I have built up Auburn and Lewiston were
looking for location, their attention was
attracted to Rumford Falls, but they
were driven away by the exorbitant prices
of the owners. Latterly, Mr.. Pettingill
of Rumford, has been buying all the ri
parian privileges, and it is thought that
Messrs. c. d. Brown and H. J. CHS
holm, Of this city, who drove over from
Livermore, Thursday, are interested in
these transactions. At the upper falls,
the river is very narrow, and there it is
proposed to build the dam. Natural but
resses Of rock in ledge form give foun.
da,ion on either side as solid as the hills.
Then the Idea Is to dig canal and lead
the water to the great mills which I'M
doubtedly will before long be erected on
this grand water privilege.
Returning, the party did not recross
the river at Browns Ferry. but kept on
the west side The scenery was if any
thing more pleasing than that on the OPP
posite shore, Some OF the finest inter-
vale farms to be seen in the State were
passed just before Gilbertville station was
reached. Gilbertville is village in Can
ton, and is the upper terminal point Of
the Rumford Falls IL Buckfeld Railroad.
Here are located the chemical pulp mills
Of the Denison Paper Manufacturing
Company. Of Mechanic Falls, and the
large mills Of the Canton Steam Mill
Company. These two large enterprises
furnish great amount Of the freight Of
this railroad.
A ride of ten minutes in the train,
brought tho party to Canton station.
Supper was taken at the Swasey House,
and the party took the train for Buck
field where they passed the night. That
evening in the Office Of the Buckfeld
House, Hon. George d. Bisbee gave the
newspaper men very interesting sketch
of the history Of the road. Only a mere
outline of his graphic account.can be re-
produced here. Virgil d. Paris, of
Buck6eld, was the, original proprietor Of
this road, and though .hellost.. nearly all
his property in aiding the enterprise. he
was ever firm believer in its ultimate
success. The road was chartered in ls47
to run from Lewiston to Canton, and
opened from Mechanic Falls to Buckfeld
in 1910 or 1880. 1t was then known as
the Buck6eld Branch of the Atlantic &
St. Lawrence Railroad, now the Portland
Division of the Grand Trunk, The road
was built by local subscriptions, as was
usual In those days. Under tho law as
it then stood, the shareholders were liable
not only for their original subscription s,
but for as much more. Farmers and
small traders who had subscribed $500
or $1,000, were called upon to duplicate
their subscriptions, and many were Grip
Piled or ruined by the exaction.
The late F. o. ]. Smith advanced $780,
600 on a mortgage Of the road. In time
the mortgage was foreclosed and the en-.
tire property came into his hands. Mr..
Smith proposed to extend the line north
ward into Franklin County. The towns
north Of Ruokasld we're invited to assist.
The line was to run through Sumner,
Hartford, Canton, Jay and Wilton to
Pennington. The towns voted money,
and Smith obtained a new charter under
the name Of the Portland & Oxford Gen.
trail. He contemplated an independent
line from Portland through Gray to Me-
chanic Falls, and thence to Pennington.
In 1870 or about that time the road was
opened to Canton, % miles from Mechan.
| ic Falls.
Not long after this, the town officers
of Hartford complained that the road was
not permanently opened for business
that it was not properly constructed ;
that the conditions of the towns sub
scription had not been fairly met. They
refused to pay over the money. Mr.. Smith