The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-12-02
The Railroad Situation.


1t seems to have slowly dawned upon some
of our State contemporaries that the celebra-
ton at Hartand the other day was something
more than jubilee over the building of eight
miles of railroad; although the manner in
which the road was constructed, the short
time in which it was built, and the no less sue
cesSful financial management. would have war;
rantcd painting the town red. This, however,
is only link in the chain of railways which is
to connect the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans
with Belfast as the deep water terminus on
th, side There j, now every assurance that
before the close Of the coming year the Seba>-
ticook and Moosehead railroad will be complet-
ed to Greeuvlle. there to connect with the Me
gantic railroad. We understand a contract has
already been closed for the extension of the
road from IIartand to Harmony. Wellington
had an enthusiastic railroad meeting Nov. 2G,
at the close OF which an informal vote was
taken to ret an expression OF those present
and there was not dissenting vote on the
proposition for the town to raise per cent. OF
its valuation to aid this road. A town meeting
will be held Dec. :. when the citizens will vote
yes and no on this question. The citizens of
Abbott vote on the same proposition Dee. 6.
The towns all along the line are full Of cnthu-
>iasm. In addition to the comparatively small
amounts asked of these towns the Maine Cen
tral contributes $1,000 per mile for every mile
of road built, and Canadian capitalists stand
ready to furnish what additional money is re-
qIired. There can bG no more doubt as to
the speedy construction of this road than of
the Mcgantic road. OF which ii is TO be an i'm
portant branch.
We have been shown . map. drawn to meas
uremcnt, of proposed railroad lines from
skowhegan and Ptt,tield to Moo>ehcad Lake,
which also includes our Belfast branch and the
line of the Maine Central from Wate:vllc to
Augusta, \ ruler laid on the map with one
end at Belfast and the other at Greenvle
show, that this is the most direct line of rail
way in the State. The distance from Belfast
10 the foot of Moo>ehead Lake over the Belfast
branch and proposed line from Pitt>lield i -
miles While il is 90 miles from Bango~ to
Mo0>ehrad Lake over The Bangor and Piscatl-
qui>. The distance is less from Bar IIarbor to
Tie Lake Via. Pitt>fied than Via. Bangor; and
the distance to Bangor from The Lake i less
ia. Pitt>ield than over the Bangor and Pts
cataqui>. j. +. SpragUe. Esq. of Monson, in
a letter read 1t the IIartland celebration, saws:
Nv hen our slate manufacturers load 4 car of
slate at their quarrie, in Non>on c,t forie for
Boston that car has to 90 A distance OF nearly
50 miles out OF its WAY before reaching its port
Of destination. The immense slate freiglts Of
Monson are two miles nearer Boston when at
home than when they reach Bangor, provided
we could be connected with the Maine Central
system by Il short line Via IIartland.''
The sentiment at the IiartIand celebration
and at subsequent meetings in other towns is
toward Belfast as the salt water terminus of
thi. new and important railroad enterprise. In
decd it could not we'll be otherwise. is trade,
although it may sometimes bc temporarily di-
verted by artificial methods, will eventually
low in the most direct channels. At the Hart
land meeting it wa- said that citizens then
present may ride to Grecuyle ncXt November
and take part in the final dedication Of 4 com
ploted line. connecting the Canadian Pacific
with the Maine Central, making Belfast ship
ping port for ocean steamships like Portland
and Boston, and competing with either place in
distance and saving ocean travel. The Eastern
state, whose editor attended the opening Of the
b. Il NJ. railroad, SAYS: "Within two wears at
the outside there will he i direct line from Bel
fast to GreenyiIle, forming an integral part Of
the Canadian Pacific, and cars loaded with the
products Of Oregon ana British Columbia, to
say nothing of China and Japan, will be daily
rafting through IIartland on the way to Bel
fast, their port of European shipment. This
come up it will be-