Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-08

sumo TIE eutkfo pTOOuct anu tue uXkt4at9
surplus amounts to many tons for which,
owing to the sharp competition among buy
ers, the highest price that the market will
afford il usually paid. 1t must be borne In
mind that the figures in regard to the ship.
menis of agricultural p,oaucts from Aroos-
took really embrace the business of hut 4
comparatively email portion Of the county,
- some of the finest sections already
opened TO cultivation are yet too far
from railroad stations to engage in the
business Of raising any bu. concen-
trated products for expectation. On msu,
of the most fertile fields Of the csunty no
potatoes are raised for shipment, and from
other fertile sections rome are shipped
except At times when an unusually high
p,ic. tsmp,s an oecssioral farper TO haul
few loads over the long road to the pesres'
station. IT, then, the comparatively .msll
area that is now contributing to the sun
total of the agricultural exports from the
county hiss been able to swell the fgures to
SO grand an aggregate. what nigh. b, the
possibilities OF Aroos.ook in this direction
were
Adequate Transpoit.t,on Facilities
afforded to develop her agricultural
resources? There are single towns in the
AYoostook Valley from which nearly .
aafter Of = million bushels of potatoes
(raised in the town. will be shipped this
year either in bulk or in the form Of starch,
while there are other towns of equal nat.
ural capabilities f:om which. on account of
their distance from railroad station, no
shipments will be made.
la addition to the grand agricultural
possibilities of Aroostook the indus
trisl resources of the county are also
immense and are yet but partially
developed. The principal manufactured ex.
port from the county at present, aside from
starch. consists of cedar shingles, immense
quantities Of which are now saved atdiffer-
ent points and hauled TO the several rail
road stations for shipment. One mill turns
out nearly million shingles every week,
aud the aggregate shipments from the coun-
ty amount to many millions yearly. Not
only do the forests of Aroostook furnish ce-
dar 10 feed all these mills, but many others
might also be abundautly stocked and would
be built aud operated were means Of trans.
portstiou furnished TO their localities. In
addition to the amount of cedar furnished
to mills located within the county, large
quantities are now cut each year in Aroos
took forests and foAted into New
Brunswick to be there manufactured.
Parties operating single mills at Frederic.
ton ascend the St. John river many miles
above Fort Kent and cut Aroostook cedar
to feed their saws. The business of manu-
featuring long lumber in Aroostook for
shipment to outside markets has attained to
comparatively small imp ortance on account
of this very lack of direct railroad trans
portation which is hindering the develop
ment of Aroostook in every reepect. But
with the present inadequate means of trans
poriation over long and circuitous route
enough has already been done in this indus
try to demonstrate its entire practicabiliiy
as profitable business when shorter and
more direct liues Of railroad are built to the
county. +. W. Tiicomb of Houlton,
Sharp s Ketchum at their mills at Hodgdon
and A. X Gould & Co. of Presque Isle are
now making the manufacture of long
lumber for shipment to outside markets
their principal business and are making it a
success at the present rate Of freights.
Perry Bros. of Pre.que Isle, are now
engaged in building mill Of larger capac ty
than any yet erected to be devoted TO this
special industry. With direct means OF
! transportation and with wise legislation this
business, now in its infancy, might be
increased to immense proportions and thus
add much TO the manufacturing Importance
of the county. More than
One Hundred Milton Feet Of Lomber
ere annually cut in the county and float ID
to New Brunswick 10 be there manufactured
and retured to American ports free Of duty.
Were this great amount of lumber manu-
featured in our own county what a
vast addition would be made to the wealth
of the county aud of the State
and what an immense business it would
furnish to direct line of railroad over our
own soil. This is y matter in which the
entire State is financially interested and in
no way can the prosperity Of the good
State of Maine be more materially increased
than by the development of the agricultural
and industrial resources Of the great north
eastern county. An opportunity would Then
be afforded for her sons to make for them
selves homes and fortunes within her own
borders and many sections now covered
with their original forest growth would b.
changed TO fruitful fields and fertile mead.
OWs