Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-04-07
BAIGOR AND ARO0S1OOK
RAILROAD.
ffs Yets d IFsostsak County q III
diy, Iprii 20. 1891,
la Aid q ths Buiidieg Ct this Direct
Line Through the osrdsa Of Maize

| Ga MordAy the ZOE day O. April me r1t
ixsrs Of A.oosssek county viii be called
upon 70 say by thsis ballots vhsshe1 skey
| wish 10 svAiI themselves Of the opportunity
nov nads possible TO secess direct lie q
rxilsosd Communication With the outside
markets. We ssy s.difeet line for il has
been demonstrated By figures AID measure
msnfs that the proposed lice Of the Bargol
ard Asoostook Rd1osd Co., 10 The shortest
lise that can be bail. TO accommodate the
business Of the County sid II actually
shorter than line running from Bancroft
norshwsfd through Hcuiten to Northern
A,oossock. Tns question to be submitted
60 the people of Afoosseok county 10 briefly
this:
ssShali the couasy Of Aroostook Aid ting
construction Of . railroad through the
ecunty by subscribing for the preferred
sock Of the Bangor and Afoossook Rail-
road Co. 10 N amount not 10 exceed
$500, DOOR
The Proposition.
Upon this proposition il would seem that
there could be but one opinion and that the
cousty should BY practically unanimous
vote record Its desire I, avail itsaif Of
this opportunity. Evan considering the
$500. 900 asked for - an outright
giss 90 the company there is yet every
reason in practical busiaess point
of view Why the outlay would be q coed
Investment for this county. II has been
mathemstically demonstrated that even il
the new company charge the same rate OF
freight par mile as Is Tow paid, and reckon,
ing upon the presen. business OF the county
there would be an actual saving to the
cyunty each year OF S200, 600 which Is
eight times the amount Of the interest upon
the $500 900 In case wa gave it outright
But sny cne at all acquainted with Aroos-
took couusy can see mat the present vol
ume Of freigh. exported from the county
IL drawn from comparatively small part
of the territory capable of even aaricul-
tursl development and thst the industrial
development in many sections not SO we'll
calcuisted for agriculture will with proper
transportation facilities very soon double
the present amount Of exports. Take
potatoes. The vast amount Of potatoes
now shipped from Aroossook and which 10
bringing millions annually into the pockets
of cur farmers il now all drawn from that
comparatively small portion Of the county
within easy reach Of the four shipping points
of Houlton, Psesque Isle, Caribou and
Fort Fairfield. Many good farming towns
slresdy settled to . great extent are SO
situated 80 to be unable to avail themselves
of this lucrative industry on account of
their distance from the railroad. Mouth
cello, Bridqewster, Blaine, Mars Hill, and
portions of Esston are practically excluded
from the business OF raising large qusnti-
ties of potatoes and yet they are among the
best farming towns in the county add could
profitsbly engage in this branch Of ag;icul-
tuTe if they were provided with railroad
facilities. The same is true Of the
Beautiful Farming Section upon the
Upper ArOoItOOk
including Ashland, Masardis and Oxbow,
and in the other direction Nashville. Shen-
den and Portage Lake. In the western
part Of the county also, is region of ex-
ceptionsl fertility only waiting to have its
grand agricultural resources developed by
a railroad running through that section
Sherman, Crystal, Island Falls, Benedicta
Jersey and in fact all that immense tract
of fertile land in western Aroostook is now
practically Rhut out from the great mar
ksts aud an embargo laid upon its pros
perity and development.
With the building Of the proposed road
these sections would be provided with an
outlet for surplus products ard in very
few years tie value of the agricultural
exports Of Aroestook county would be more
than doubled. What arguments can be
sdduced in opposition to the acceptance Of
the proposed plan? In all the thickly set
tied towns from Caribou to Houlton aud in
the towns in western Aroostook the senti-
ms Mt appears to be practically unanimous.
In what section havs we any reason to look
for opposition? Shall it come from Ash
land and the towns on the upper Aroos stock
Some have endesvored to foster the impres-
sion that there was no intention on the part
Of the company to build the branch line
from Dyer Brook to Ashland and thence
through 70 Fort Kent. We are assured
however by Mr.. Burleigh and By other
members of the company that i. is their
to push this line as soon az posi-
bic after the main line 10 built and we know
thst Mr.. Cram is enthusiastically ia favor
of the whole system outlined for the devel-
opment Of the resources Of this great coun.
tV