Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-11-08
NAMES RAILWAYS.
PROGRESS MADE DURING THE
PAST YEAR.
THE BANGOR & AROOSTOOK-THE KING
OF RAILWAY PR0JECTS-OTHER
NEW ROADS.

ne ulh p llib htE W no htCfl- WIN tue
Maine railroads nowadays has his hands
full The past eighteen months have
witnessed an increase of Maine railroad
mileage of nearly 225 miles compared
with former total of 1924 miles.
Thus, on Jan. /, 1895, We shall have APP
proximately 1874 miles OF railroad in
operation in Maine with fifty or more
miles additional under contract as well
as various possibilities more or less well
defined.
The activity in railroad building in
Maine has been surprising and ii il sig
niticant as well. 1t means the opening
up OF new regions, the development of
new industries, the infusion OF new set
tiers. the connection of our grand re-
sources with the markets.
In short, the thoughtful man cannot
but see in all this something OF that
sprightliness of business that Eastern
money was creating in the West a few
years ago Maine people are now putting
their money into home enterprises and
are inviting capital from abroad. II pres
ent indications go for anything new era
is upon us.
OF course the king among the railroad
projects has been the construction of the
Bangor & Aroostook road, that mighty
undertaking concealed during its progress
in the depths OF the Maine forest. 1t was
race by men and money against time in
railroad building. Manager Cram and
his hosts won the race and no piece of
road in American history, with similar
obstacles opposing, was more rapidly got
/ in shape mile by mile, to receive trains.
The section from Brownville junction
to Houlton was constructed in 1893 and
trains were run before New Years,
although most OF the finishing touches
have been put on this year. This section
measures 50 80 miles. This year the road
has been extended from Houlton north to
Caribou and Fort Fairfield. This section
Is still under construction and IS being
forced wit h all the rapidity hat character
zed last seasons operations.
Manager Cram says the rails are down
TO Presque Isle now and that the road
viii be completed to Caribou and Fort
Fairfield by Jan. !, %. y the work is
50 far along We have indicated the road, +
on he map, a. ttAtill)Itt lUtiudIiiE the
Fort Fairfield branch the section from
.louIton viii measure ,iXty-siN mile, I
approx natelX.
Later u he road viii be extended t Van /
Buren,, forming connections for The PROV
inces.
TIE ASHLAND AND MAsARDIs BRANCH
has been projected for the purpose of
opening up a fertile farming section and I
lumber tracts. The promoters of the +
4 F.af la.-T1
VIII be constructed. Certainly nothing +
viii be done until the mort heru plans have /
been put into execution.
The b. q \. road is now the second "
great system in Maine with r6mlticatlons
extending into sections that assure prof 7
liable business. The project has been
we'll conceived and admirably financed /
and in every Way reflects credit upon he I
bright Maine men VINO have engl-
neered IT,
The W iscasse, q Quebec railroad is an
OF her rapidly developing youth whose T
ambitions are indicated on the chart.
This is narrow gauge road with excel
lent prospects OF broadening to standard I
in the future.
This season the road will be put in run
ming operation from Nlscasset to W eek S
Mills, tapping five or six stations. Next
season will see it through to Burnham
and. in all proba biity, to Pittstield, where
connection will be effected with the Sc
basticook Il Moosehead Lake road from
Pittsiield to Hsrtland.
This road is standard gauge but the
plan is to acquire it, change the gauge
and merge il with the W. & q. system.
The promoters futher plans 10 TX to the
extension from Hartland to Guliford on
the Bangor & Aroostook and from there
to Onawa on the Canadian Pacific. Thus
Will direct line TO the sea at W iscasset,
be provided.
TIL l. II n