The Portland daily press., 1883-12-29
Aroostook.
The Railroad Facilities Which lit Egns and
Which HI Needs.

| Edat0r OF the Press:
| About two years ago you kindly published
| for me two articles, relative to our railroad
| wants and needs in this remote section.
| which have reason to suppose were favora-
bly, regarded by the people of Portland.
| Will you have the goodness to again aid us
| in being heard by a Portland audience, and
| especially by the railroad and other business
men of your city.
| At that time the engineers of the Maine
Central were engaged in surveying route
for railroad from Presque Isle up the
| Aroostook river to Ashland and from there
through the Sebois country to Piscataqus to
connect with the Maine Central at Dexter
About the same time the New Brunswick
road was extended 10 this village, and the
engineers of that road made survey for its
extension to the E. & N. A. road at or near
Danfortn.
Since that time the Maine Central has Sc
cured the control of the European & North
American to Vanceboro, and the n. B.
Railway Co. the control of the N. B. go.
road to Houlton and Woodstock. We have
now railroad connection by the way of the
n. u. road through New Brunswick with
Bangor, Portland and Boston, and an i'm
mense business has been developed during
these two years from and to the depot in
this village; very much larger than was an
ticipated: but that road is not what we
wan. and need, and apprehend that Port
land and the State generally are not realiz-
ing the benefit which would be realized by
shorter and more direct connection with the
Aroostook valley; and to make this fact
more obvious to the minds OF all is the rea-
son of writing this paper
The distance from this village TO the e. g.
N. A. road at or east of Mattawamkeag is
not over so miles. The route much Of the
way is through splendid unsettled country,
covered with vast forests of every descrip-
ton found in Aroostook, with mill privileges
in abundance, Water-pOwer sufficient to turn
thousands of wheels and millions of spin
dies. When the lumber is gone, if it shall
ever be exhausted, it will be one of the finest
agricultural sections in Maine. On or near
this route are the beautiful towns and plan
tations of Sherman, Patten, Crystal, Silver
Ridge, Island Falls, Moluncus, Macwohoc,
Benedicta, Moro, Morrill, and Oakfeld,
having already population OF 1856, and
valuation of S541, 091. The forest on this
route, as have already remarked, is mag
|
towns and cities may draw on these vast for
ests OF hard wood and juniper in all coming
time it there can be way to get at them.
have already said the distance from
Presque Isle to Mattawamkeag by this route
is not over so miles. By the way of the
road as now travelled, it is POP miles, making
a difference of 122 miles of railroad travel to
reach Mattawamkeag, Bangor, Portland or
Boston from Presque Isle.
s,,Jr
North Aroostook is taxed to pay the trans
portation of all its products over 122 miles
of railroad more than it would be it we had
railroad direct from Presque Isle to Mat
tawamkeag, including also our passenger
business. And TO show wha. an enormous
sum this comparatively is, l give the
amount of some of the leading articles of
freight sent from this depot for the year end
ing Aug. 81, 1888, which l have from relia-
bic authority: Shingles, % millions; long
lumber, 12S, 900 it,; railroad sleepers, 81 ,439;
hay, 329 tons; starch, 1915 tons; and 5000
car loads of potatoes, averaging at least 400
bushels per car load. The freight to Boston
on bushel of potatoes is % cts. On starch
1t Is $3.50 per ton, making over $4,000 paid
for freight on the two articles of starch and
potatoes last year. / am not informed of
the amount of freight paid last year ON shin
giles, sleepers, hay and long lumber; nor up
OA ali Tue OtuSr vast QuanlltleS OF freight
which is sent out, nor upon the immense
amount of incoming freight received at this
depot, but it is perfectly safe to say that the
amount in all last year was not less than
100000 These figures all the way through
have reference to the business for the year
ending Aug. 81, 1888. Nor have taken in
to the account the amount paid for paBsen-
ger business, which was very large. The in
crease in business and transportation this
year will be astonishing to all when the ac-
count for the year is fully made up. OF
starch there has already gone and there is
in store to go 1000 tons instead of the 1915
tons of last year. OF shingles there will be
more than thirty millions. The barns of our
farmers are filled to their utmost capacity
with hay which must be emptied to make
room for next years crop, which is sure to
grow as our grass crop never fails. The crop
of potatoes, which was never so large as this
year, Unjust CO." The starch mills have
shut down and very large surplus for ex-
portation is left on the hands of our farm
ers. The import trade is astonishingly
large, and will be larger next year, in agri-
cultural implements, iron, hardware, build
ing materials, groceries and other heavy
freight.
The population which makes this depot
its place of shipment, receiving of freight,
and of departure and arrival of travel, is as
follows, according to the census Of 1880,
and also its valuation, according to the
State valuation of that year.
Totrns Foundation Valuation