Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-06-25
By TElEo GRAPH.
AsoTHER soUsrAIx .kAILwAY.
The Green MOuntaIn Road at Mount
Desert Ready for Use.

The Green Mountain Railway, running
from the shore of Eagle lake, about two
miles froLl this place, to the summit of Green
mountain. was put in use as passenger road
the first time today, the occasion being
the official visit Of the State railroad COM
missioners. The line is nearly 5000 feet in
length, bat in that distance it ascends height
Of 1860 feet to point nearly 1900 feet above
tidewater. The average grade is one foot
rise to every "A feet distance, and at the
steerest is one foot in three. The road Is
unique in its construction. The general
plan is similar TO that of the Mt. Washington
railway, but the roadbed is the solid ledge,
and there is no trestlework whatever. The
face of the rock was cut away TO the plane,
upon which were bolted cross timbers. On
these stringers were laid, and in turn. cross
ties, all bolted one to another in the strong
est possible fashion. Each tie is held by two
bolts seven-eights of an inch in diameter,
four spikes and two lagscrews, and the entire
structure is as solid as if it were a
part OF the letige itself. The railroad COM
missioners examined it carefully at every
point, and expressed great satisfaction, de-
claring it far superior in durability and much
safer that the Mt. Washington road. But one
engine--a ten ton machine, built at the Man
chester locomotive works-and one passenger
car-an open side observation car-are now in
use. The locomotive propels itself,a and pushes
the car up the mountain side by means of
cog wheels plying in a centre rail, as on the
Mt. Washington road. The car seats As
persons, but has taken up with ease II work
men. 1t runs very smoothly, and almost en-
tireiy without jar. The company was org
anized in December last, and under the gen.
and +. II. Clergue as secretary and treas
urer. The stock is held by lessees Hayford,
Clergue, Charles V. Lord, Thomas l.. Emery,
F. w. Cram, Sumner Laughton, +. NJ.
Laughton, +. w. Goodwin, and c. f. Bragg
all of Bangor, and Gen. Mumford of New
York. The first rail was laid May 9th and
last yesterday. William Nickerson did the
engineering work and George Jones was su-
ton was supervised by Frank w. Cram. who,
though young in years, is a veteran railroad
man, and has pushed the work forward
with remarkable dispatch. A large
party of gentlemen were pres
ent today and accompanied the
commissioners, Messers. Wildes, Anderson,
and Mortland, over the road. Besides the
officers and stockholders above named, there
were present ex-Vice President Hannibal
Hamlin, Senator Eugene Hale, ex-Mayors
Blake. Hayward, Thurston, Bass and Strick-
land of Bangor, Gen. Chas. Hamlin, Arthur
Brown, John l.. Crosby, Gen. George Var
ney, George Stetson, Frank Hight, George F.
Godfrey, Charles +. Woodward, w. c. Pit
man, Charles +. Gibson and C. c. Prescott.
The Eastern railroad was represented by
Lucius futile, general passenger agent, and
+. w. Cram, general eastern freight agent,
and the Maine Central by Fred f. Boothby,
general passenger agent. A large number OF
of newspaper men from Boston and from the
principal cities Of Maine was in attendance.
The view from the observatory of the new
hotel on the summit of Green Mountain was
declared by all who enjoyed it today to be
unsurpassed by any on the New England
coast and its fame is spread by the 1000 or
more persons who annually, for some time
past, have climed the mountain on ''buck-
boards" and on foot, it is safe to predi ct that
the new railroad will be well patronized. 1t
will be open to the public on July l, and four
trips will thereafter be made daily. A line
of barges will convey the passengers from
this place to the lake, where three mile ride
in little steamer will take them to the rail-
way station at the foot of the mountain. The
ascent by rail occupies about 25 minutes.