The Somerset reporter., 1885-11-25
THE LAKE RAILROAD.

The interviews published lest week in
the REPORTER excited SO much interest
in scheme mat is of vital impoi lance to
our citizens that we have concluded to
them. Strange as it may appear
nearly all seen by our reporter this week
favor the building of road fiom here to
for the interest of this village Follow
ing are the opinions of a few well known
citizens:
Gen. II. b. Shepherd whose interests
are identified with those of the Town said
briefly that to his mind the proposed road
must be of great benefit to the town. II
would take our town from branch and
put it on the main line of the road All
the supplies for the Lake numbering oper
ations would go this way and a fine class
of trade which we cannot reach at all
would be opened up to our merchants.
Hon. A. II. Bixby says | am in favor of
the road believing that it would greatly
benefit Skowhegan. Some towns are so
located that they naturally become dis
hibuting points, and Skowhegan is one
of these points. Lewiston is benefited
by the road to Pennington, so Skowhegan
would be benefited by road to the Lake
as it won d give us an opening to supply
a large number of towns that we cannot
now reach. With the push, energy and
pluck of our business men will risk any
stores at Athens or Monsoon competing
with us. There would be nothing to JUS
,ify them in keeping SUCH stocks as in
Skowhegan, we reqnire lalge stocks for
our local trade and can supply the smaller
towns ABOUT as we'll as not. There is no
question but what a road would divert a
large trade and travel from Bangor to
Skowhegan Whenever any new enter
prise is advocated there are always some
cIoakcrs, some doubling ones that are
satisfied without making any progress
want the road believing thai il will in
crease the value of property in Skowhe-
gan.
Geo. Wentworth said that while it
might injuIe some of The trade it would
help the town as a whole in his opinion.
He is much opposed to the route proposed
of getting Though ths t WIN as il goes
through his large house lot.
Col. Isaac Dyer thinks road beyond us
will hurt our business but it will De the
least disadvcntageous il it runs fl ON heie
rather than from some other point near
us.
S. J. Walton, Esq, favois the road.
He says our state is now largely depend
ent for its growth upon manufacturing
and road from here to Greenville would
start UP a lot of li..le indust, les that
would not only make business for the
road but would employ LABOR and we
should be in q condition to supply tiiat
labor with supplies. He is ve.y sanguine
that the best results would follow if the
proposed road was built.
VIM. Folsom, Esq, sees how the road
would help and injure us both. On heavy
goods the towns along the line would
compete successfully with Skowhegan
but on lighter wares SkowheGan would
be what Augusta was years ago-a depot
for the country miles and miles around.
II. S. Stewart recognizes the fact that
a road must go beyond us sooner or later.
1t is the inevitable and we might as well
look it in the face squa, ely. Such a load
and the meganIic must necessa. lily cut off
much of our supply trade. Whether or
not it will bring any.hing in levuIn Is
question to De demonstrated.
Geo. Cushing thinks That the road will
be disadvantageous to us but if it must
go he would have it go from here by all
means.
A valued correspondent writes 1t is not at all
that the people here and along the
line of this road should feel that this project is
worthy of serious consideration for some OF the
advantages of such railroad suggest themselves
to anyone who will give the subject little atten-
ton.
Short lines, and ready, cheap transportation
for rhen and merchandise are what is wanted and
sought for in tIis busy, active worlL of ours. 1t
is long way round from Skowhe3aD, Water
vile, &c. to Monsoon and MooseerG Lake by
The way of Bangor and il is surely ratI"r for
bidding prospect which opens up to 2 man, WHO
caves Boston for G;eenville and Kineo wien
LAB miles from the foot of tie lake as he will De
obliged to travel, whereas. if there q road
from Skowhegan, through Athens, Brighton, &c,
ne could reach that point probably by going
ibout SO miles.
And it is worthy of thought in this connection
nat the number of visitors to western -'iscata-
luis and tiat far-faneG inland sea Moosehead
Lake and kineo is rapidly increasing IRON year
o year. And no pains are spared in that local
ty to .urnisl ample and sa isfactory nccomlo-
lations 70 these denizens of the city who seek in
he heat Of summer or early autumn she cool, in
yoratny air Of the country, and '.iat recreation
nd sport so needfu to their comfort and health.
At Monson, Lake Hebron Hotel, a neat and
eautifully located house, from whose balconies
ne eye takes in most Charming and varieyated |
cenery, invites and urges .,e Dleasure-seeking
ourist 20 tarry, assuring him generous treat
ient and careful supply of his wants.
At Greenvile there are Two well kept public
ouses. At Mt. Kineo, some fifteen or twenty
niles up tie lake, and w.,ic,l is tie objective
ONT of all visitors WHO turn their feet towards
mis- section of the ssrte, is a spacious magnif-
ent lo'el, rec ,ntly erected with all the modern
improvements and facilities for TIC comfort and
njoyment of its guess.
Can it De doubled that if iie rord of which we
re speaking s.ioYlG oe built, and so the line
rom Watervilie and all points west, 70 the Lake
E shortened soile "a miles, lie ru.ij2r of visit
70 to tiis region would at once oe lrrge,y in
reasedf And what a sti.lulous such a road
'ould De to important industries all alon; its
mel Already in an icipa;ion Of il, .',ere is a
'akiny up Of tie people. ant sr earnest desire
nd purpose 10 aroused 70 utilize tie wrter-pow-
: along the route: md .Aa..e 'he .los: possible
every business fscility. Suci road would
i've increased prominence and vrlYe 70 tie state
interests Of western Piscataqris by opening up
ew markets and lesseniny tue ex?ense Of {. ans
ogtatica.
Asl newaess 70 found better slate ,ian hat
1rnisae1 " t;Aess qua1iss and tae demand for
&c $500 ios rooftng purposes isIapidly in.
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