Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-01-29
COMMITTEE ON RAILROADS
"iSe Hearing on the Meg sntie Railro ad
Matter.

oh fauroaus gave hearing
IN Representative s. Hall yesterday afternoon
ana evening on the Megantic Railroad CUES
zion. As WAS expected, the contest between
the opposing parties was a warm one. There
was large attendance. and Bangor WAS
stsongly represented, between TWENTY-FIVE
nifty of her leading citizens being present
among them were noticed Moses Giddings
Esq, president of the B. P Road. ex
Mayor j. s. Wheelwright. ex-Mavor Lvsan-
| qer strickland. ex-Mayor VIM. B. Hayford
Liewilyn Morse Esq, Noah Woods, presl-
Gent OF the European North American
Road ,Supt. Arthur Brown of the same road,
Messrs. W. Fl. Persons, Chas Collamore
Ihomas Moore. Noah Emery, B.Thatcher.
Hon. j. 5. Wheelwright. Mr. Henry Lord
and MIR. VIM. Flowers were present as rem
resentatYes OF the Bangor board of trade.
Each side hal able counsel, G TO- c. Yeaton
Esq OF So. Berwick and Charles F. Wood
ard Esq, of Bangor. appearing for the Ne
gantlc Company, and City Solicitor Clergue
and Z. Z. Stetson. both of Bangor. for the
city.
Mr.. Woodland opened for the Megantic Co.
at 2.3oP NJ. He said All that we ask is
that we may run road direct across Moose
mead Lake. Such are the physical difficulties
around the lower end of the lake that in would
De impossible for US to build road there. 1t
~oulo necessltate grade of 80 feet to the
mile, which would efiectually bar US from anv
subsidy. We wish to run the road over the
stralghtest Course possible. 1t would be
longer by twenty miles around the head of
the lake If We bridge the lake we shall be
able to connect with the Maine Central at
Mattawamkeag, katshdin Iron Works and
Piscataquis Roads. II we are obliged to 90
to the north there will be none of these con.
nections made. If we can make our route
straight over the islands it will largely in
crease our chances for the subsidy That
which we petition for has been uniformly
granted IN previous similar cases. Mr.
! w GODDARD detailed a some length the history
of the road.
Mr. Parker Spoford, civil engineer, being
called, testified am familiar with the coun-
try around Moosehead Lake and in Penobscot
county. surveyed and constructed the
Bangor & Katahdin Iron Works Railroad.
While being employed on that, got an idea
that road might be constructed across from
the works to Greenville. Last summer | at
tempted to survey road on this route, in re-
spouse to request of the superintendent of the
lntercolonial Railroad, ascertained that it
might be possible to run a road down Wilson
Brook, but grade of 80 feet to the mile
|
neers and and all agreed that it was imprac-
ticable to build a road below the LAKE. The
line across the lake asked for, is nearly II
miles nearer than any other suggested. The
country falls off very rapidly below the lake
CrOSS-erdnlindti0a-No estimates of the
height of bridge over the lake have ever
been made
| Mr.. McFee, Superintendent of the Inter
national Railroad, came before the commit
tee. He testified as follows: | thought at
one time that we might get across Moosehead
Lake at Birch Point We supposed in 1881
that we would be obliged to go around the
lake. know of no negotiations made with
the owners of the PiscataqHs Railway since
1881. 1t has been claimed that another line
might be rnn through the north of Maine,
and yet another from Richmond. The sub
sidy to be given is $4,000 annually for Is
years for line constructed which would
connect the upper and lower provinces. 1t
would not be possible for us to get the sub
sidy if we used the B & =. Railroad, owing
TO its grades. The distance would be much
longer by this road. Our road, if completed
would shorten the distance between Mon
treal and Halifax, by rail- 3lS miles.
| CrOSS-eraminatioa-Th have been two
surveys made across the State in opposition
to our line All these surveys were made
Dy the DOMINION government
Mr. Clergue opened briefly for the citizens
of Bangor.
Mr. Moses Giddings, president of the B. &
p. RAILROAD, made a statement in regard to
the road fie said that the Megantic road, if
constructed, would be in direct competition
with his railroad and it would be impossible
for the latter to pay its interest as it has dur
| ing the past wear.
Messrs William H Strickland. Lysander
Strickland, NJ. S. Drummond and J. S.
/ Wheelrght came before the mmittee in OPP
position to the proposed legislation. They
made statements and were questioned by the
counsel
The objections presented by the Bangor
gentlemen against the bridging of the lake by
the company were in general as follows:
Bangor. at great expense, has pushed the
Piscataquis Railroad through to Mooschead
Lake on the clear understanding that it would
then connect with the Lake Megantic Rail-
road, by means of which communication
with the great West would be opened up so
that our Western produce could be laid down
as cheaply in Bangor as in Portland and Bos
ton That the State, having granted the
charter to the Megantic Railroad Company in
the interest both of the people of the State
and of the Piscataquis Railroad, that it should
not allow it, a foreign corporation, to deviate
from its well understood and original route
to the detriment both of the people Of the
State and of the Piscataquis Railroad. The
Piscataquis Road in which the city is in
terested to the extent of half million
dollars, would be largely enhanced in value by
n connection with the Megantic Railway.
| Again. the interests of Bangor as a feeder for
eastern and northern Maine would be greatly
injured if not ruined by a competing road
coming directly from the West to the doors
of Bangor's customers. Another objection
urged was that the bridging of the Lake must
seriously interfere with navigation upon its
waters now carried on by eight steamers and
MANY sailing vessels and the number of both.
in response to the rapidly increasing travel
ut the Lake being continually increasing
Lake could not be obviated bv draw, as
the boats are run at all hours of the day and
night, in response to the requirements of
visitors and the sailing craft must avail
themselves of the wind in running or beat
ing through the channels. Much of the
charm of that delightfully."- sequestered spot
would pass away were a bridge thrown over
il. and such a destruction of the natural
beauties of the scenery would be greatly in
furious to the Lake as place of resort.
1t would be gross violation of the rights
both of the PiscatsQuis railroad and the city
of Bangor if the Megsntic Co. was allowed
to bridge the lake and continue its road.
Many of the parties who held the bonds of
the Piscataquis r. X. Co. authorized two
wears ago hy the legislature. were inter