The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-15

Some Novel Features of the Plan.
AT the Preble house last evening were
two gentlemen who deserve to be called
the most courageous men in Maine.
They not only have nd the audacity to
conceive of building railroad right in
the midst of these hard times; but are
actually going to succeed, according to
all present indications. They are Messrs.
George H. Crosby of Albion and w. p. F.
Fogg of Waterville; and are at the
present time on their way to Pennsyl-
vania to perfect some details in regard to
the new road which is the Wiscasset and
Burnham line an undertaking already
somewhat familiar to readers of the
PRESS. Mr.. Crosby, who has been for
many years interested in the Crosby
Steam Gauge and ValveWorks of Boston,
determined several years ago to retire to
Albion, the home of his boyhood, and
there enjoy his ample fortune. When
once established there he began to look
about for some way to benefit the COM
munities in that portion of Kennebec
county. A railroad had long been de-
sired; and Mr.. Crosby saw that this
might be obtained through the old Wis
casset and Quebec charter granted first
in 1854 and made famous through the
labors of the untiring William Atkin-
son. Mr.. Crosby associated with himself
Mr.. W. P. f. Fogg who was long the law
partner of Hon. P. H. Stubs of Strong
and who was actively concerned in the
construction ofsthe seventy-fve miles of
narrow gauge railroad that is now doing
SO much for Franklin county.
Speaking to the PRESS last evening,
Messrs. Crosby and Fogg said: We be-
gan last July the project of building a
two foot gauge road from Wiscasset,
through Alma, Whitefeld, Windsor,
China, Albion, Benton, and Unity
Plantation to Burnham. We have also
charterato build branch from our
main stem, starting from Weekss Mills
in China and going through East and
North Vassalboro, W1nslow and Oakland
to the Somerset railroad. The main line,
from Wiscasset to Burnham will be fifty
two miles long; and we shall buifs it
during 1894. The final surveys and esti-
mates are now being completed. There
will be no grades over. one and a half per
cent and the curves will be only such as
are permitted on the best modern con-
struction. The line follows series of
valleys stretching from the Sheepscot to
5hre Fifteen-mile stream; and runs
through country SO finely adapted to
building that the cost will not be over
$4,000 mile. For this amount a mile
not only will good narrow gauge road
be built and equipped, but all culverts.
bridge abutments etc, will be made of
standard gauge width so that very soon
the road can be made standard at little
additional COST
The road is financed in a way some
what unique.in the historyof railroading.
The cost of the main Hne, which is to
be built in 1894, will be $500, 000. The
communities along thesline give $3.50. COO;
Mr.. Crosby gives 100000; and the re-
naming $4,000 is taken by Messrs. A. F.
Gerald of Fairfield, &c. Libby of Water
vile, Mr.. Fogg and others. This $500, 600
of paid up stock is to build the line, and
not dollar Of mortgage is to be placed
upon it. The work is to be done by
native help hired from the towns along
the line, under the supervision of Mr..
Crosby and Mr.. Fogg, no contracts being
let or secti ons of over three or four
mi .es in length. The absence of
mortgage has been made condition of
every subscrition, as the projectors of
the road declare that they intend to
keep it in their own hands.
Mr.. VIM. H.Dyer of Strong, who has
built nearly all the narrow gauge rolling
stock in use in Maine, has been engaged
as superintendent of car construction;
and the repair and construction shops
will be begun at Wiscasset as soon as
the weather will permit in the spring.
Mr.. Crosby is enthusiastic over the
approaching realization of his plans; and
he and Mr.. Fogg believe that their line
will develop Wiscasset as port from
whence line of ocean steamers will at
no distant day run to Europe. A line of
coastwise steamers to Portland and Bos-
ton is expected to go on at once.
Mr. Crosby comes to Portland quite
frequently, as he is one of the principal
business hackers of the Kelley Institute
at Morrill's Corner, which he is
makingaaone of the best in the country.
Personally he is an interesting gentle
man, having had wide experience of
men and affairs which dates from the
days when as an adventurous boy in
British man-of-wa he witnessed the
operations of the Crimean war;, AS an
inventor he is one of the most successful
III New England, and his royalties Yield
large annual revenue.