The Portland daily press., 1890-12-24
THE PENosscor SHORE Liss.
What Hon. =. E. Richards SAYS Of
the Proposed Extension.

MIR. Fred Richards Of the board Of dlrec-
tors OF the PenObsc0t Shore Line, In an inter-
view yesterday afternoon relative to the
prospects Of an extension Of this line to Cam
den, says:
The directors Of our road and large
stockholders were invited to a banquet
given by the Merchants Club at Camden
village, October 7th, and at that banquet
President Sewall, In behalf OF the Shore
Line, made proposition that II Camden
would raise S25, 600 either by subscription or
otherwise. within 80 days, the company
would agree to extend its road TO Camden
from Rockland, and have 1t In operation
sometime during the summer OF 1891. 1t
seems that this amount Camden village
aud Rockport village (all Camden) agreed to
divide, the former to raise $4,000 and the
latter $1,000 Camden village raised their
$4,000 within the 80 days, by subscription.
Rockport village raised about $1,000 eondl-
tionally. that the Shore Line construct its
road along the water front between Eel's
shipyard and the iron bridge.
When they had their $1,000, they said that
was all they could do. Tue Shore Line then
employed man to ascertain what the land
damage would be between the points just
mentioned. The amount they sent up as
their claim aggregated some So. 900, and their
subscription was based upon the assump-
zion that we should adopt that route and Of
course pay their claims.
The committee of the Shore Line delegated
to just this matter felt that they could not
entertain any such proposition from the fact
that there isn't piece OF property along the
west side of Rockport Harbor the value Of
which would not be at least doubled by the
construction Of a railroad across Ii, as 1t Is
immediately back Of their lime kilns and
along the head Of the best wharf property In
the village. The committee believed that
the construction OF q railroad here would
Affect That property precisely as the Grand
Trunk railroad tracks through Commercial
street in this city affect the value of the store
and wharf property between their tracks
and the water front.
AS the matter stands today although the
80 days have expired, the railroad campany
feel that Camden village Is very much in
terested that the line be built, and appre-
ciate the fact that one great need to double
Camden's population within few years Is
railroad communication connecting with the
old Knox 81 Lincoln, affordlng easy facilities
for travel TO the west where their summer
business comes from.
The railroad company also desire to open
up that business, believing that Camden Is
one OF the most attractive spots and unsur-
passed in its natural facilities to become a
fashionable summer resort by any point in
New England 1t Is probable that some ar
rangement will be made by which the road
will be extended from point on the line OF
the LIMERICK railroad at Rockland, to run
near Tolman's Pond, leaving Rockport to
the east ana reaching Camden village at a
convenient point for passenger travel and
freight traffic.
The people Of Camden village have shown
great deal of enterprise In this matter and
are very earnest in their desire for the pro-
posed extension, while the Penobscot Shore
Line Company is disposed to make any
reasonable concession they can to secure thr
extension to Camden. They had no inten
ti0n Of building other than through ROck-
port village until the Roekport people them
selves indicated that they didn't want it by
their lack OF interest and utter disregard Of
the advantages which would be afforded the
village by the construction OF the line
through the place, declining to give any
material aid. The advantages to ROckport
village with their large lime industry OF
through railroad connection could hardly be
0verestimated, but their business people do
not seem TO take this view Of the situation.
lt Is so late now that nothing can be done
this winter, and the company Is simply walt
Ing for Camden to raise the $4,000 which
they expect to do between now and the time
we could commence the work Of building the
line In the spring.
Boston & Maine.
1t can be officially denied that the Bosten
u Maine people intend to put out new bond
on account of the Central Massachusetts
road in the spring. The extension fr0m
Bondville to Sprlngf Id is something that
has been talked about ever since the road
was built, and while it Is likely to be built,
no definite action looking to that end has
been taken. The road Is getting good aud
steadily increasing business, but there Is no
necessity for increasing its fixed charges at
present
The Road Must Come to Time.
BosToN, December 23-The railroad CON-
mlssiOners this morning gave a hearing In
regard to the Boston E Maine grade crossings
AZ Lowell. An order was issued In Septsm-
ber directing the road to cease switching
over the crossings la question on November
10Th. This time was afterward extended
month until December 18th. A petition was
hled by the railroad for further extension
of time, and It was upon this that the short
hearing was held this morning. G. b.
Richardson appeared for the railroad and
Charles Allen, Col. Bennett and other citl-
Zens for the city. The commissioners, iD
their decision, said that while they did not
charge the road with bad faith, IL certainly
had not acted with the diligence which the
condition Of things demanded. To insist on
Immediate compliance with the order would
cause much Inconvenience to the people of
the city as the road had not made prepara-
tiOns for a change. They would neither
grant nor refuse to grant the extension OF
time, but, IL the road showed that 1t had be-
gun in earnest to do what was necessary
they would not call upon the attorney gen
eral to enforce this order. Otherwise they
would begin action.
a Years Good Record.
The New York Tribune says editorially:
The State of Maine made good record
during the past year In the matter of railway
casualties. Only single passenger was
killed, and the passengers who suffered in
jury number no more than four. The mum
- IL Ill