Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-08-29
NORTHERN MAIZE RAILROAD.
Opening Up the RI sources Of The
Aroostcok.

Ia 1887, charter Vas granted 70 the North
ern Maine Railroad, n the Request and esrrest
solicitation OF citizens of Aroost ,ok county.
They have, up to the present time. railway
connections At only two points in the county
ons 81 Houiton, on . branch of th- New
Brunswick railroad, miles long, and a other
branch Of the same road. 10 Presque Isle,
through Fort Fairfield and Caribou, max nz
but four stations in the eGuniy. The pros
perisy of thu Sc four towns has been marked
and the people felt tina, it could be repeated
ia other parts Of the county, IL railwaj com
munication could be had.
A corporation vas Al once organized a der
the charter With Hon Geo ge T. We,ep't of
Portland. as president. and JOSEPH b. Hal of
Pre,que Isle. IS vice president. The board
Of directors consisted Of Hon Lepellyh
Powers Of Houl;on, Henry C. Sharp OF Mon
ticelio, DR.. Geo II Freeman j W. Bottom,
Joseph B Hall. of Presque Isle, A. Crock
EFT Of kockiiId, and Hon. Geo. Z. Wcscoit
of Portland.
Nov. 22. 1887 preliminary survey was
begun from Houlton to patten, and praeti-
cable route was located between those two
points. In May. 1883. Frederic Daniorth.
Esq WAS elected cheif engineer and segaD
= survey Of the line from Mstta~amk to
Pxtten, thence to Houlton and from II uiton
to Pre.que Isle. The survey was completed.
the roa,i was located and five per cent in cash
of the capital stock was paid in before Dee.
81, 1883. thus complying with the provision
% the charter.
A syndicate of gentlemen has now been
formed to construct the road. they having
zen assured by the friends of the enterprise
in Aroostook county that 800 600 would be
raised in that county in aid OF the new road
1t was agreed that when that sum should be
raised the work of construction would begin
at once.
The sum of $50. 900 was readily sub
scribed, leaving about $4,000 to make ny
the required amount Houlton held town
meeting Monday and voted to bond the
town for IS 500, by vote of 375 to 6, show
ing conclu.ively that the enterprise in theiI
judgment has merit for that town Citizens
Of Houlton have also subscribed privately
an additional 81 800 in aid Of the enterprise
| Chief Engineer Danforth is now on the
ground with staff of engineers, getting
ready to put the work under contract. The
road will start from Mat,awamkeag, Med
way, Benedicta, Sherman, Patten. Crysta
Plantation, Island Falls, Dyer Brook
Smyrna, New Limerick, Houlton, Littleton
Monticnllo, Bridgewater, Blaine, Mars Hill
and Presque Isle. The length of the road
will be, from Mattawamkeag to Patten, 81
miles, from P2tten to Houlton, 33 miles
| from Houlton to Presque Isle 43 miles, max
lug total Of IA miles.
! Ii is intended to extend the road under the
charter from Pressure Isle to Fort Kent OF
the St. John river 1t is safe to say that NJ
enterprise has been started for many years
destined to be of so great value in the devel
opment of the resources of the county, al
the construction of the Northern Maine rail
road When it is understood that the count,
of Aroostook is about equal in territory to tht
entire State of Massachusetts, that the land
are unsurpassed in the United States ant
compare favorably for agricultural purposes
with those of Minnesota, being in about ti.t
same latitude, to say nothing of the vas
quantities of lumber tributary to this road
some id. of the value of the enterprise t
the whole State will be gained.
Besides connecting with the Maine Contra
at Mat,awamkeag the road will connect a
Presque Isle with the New Brunswick rail
way, and also touch the short branch of tn,
New Brunswick railway at Houlton.
The citizens of Maine are PRACTICAL,
unanimous in congratulating Aroostook OF
the near prospect of gaining adequate mean
for the proper development of her msgnifi
cent resources 1t is hardly necessary Il
call attention to the self evident fact tina
what benefits the Aroostook contributes Il
the prosperity of the whole State.