Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-05

200 foot span.
Early in 1895 branch road will be built
from Weeks Mills in China, then west by
China pond through the villages of South
China, Etst and North Vassalboro, down
the Sebasticook river valley to Winslow,
opposite Waterville on the Kennebec.
| ILese sister towns are the seat of great
manufacturing plants and are the fastest
growing places in that part of the State.
This branch will be about l3 l-2 miles, so
thar by the end of 1895 the w. & @. will
operate S3 l-2 miles Of road, and within q
few years thereafter will probably increase
the mi esge to over 100 miles.
The Kennebec Central Railroad running
fr Jm G trdiner to the great Eastern Branch
tiome for Di,abled Volunteer Soldiers at
rogus is to be extended l2 miles to connect
sirh the w & @.
A preliminary survey has heen run from
Windsor. northeast through East Palermo.
Montvi''e Knox, Monroe, Winterport and
Hamp1en to Bangor distance of As miles,
for use in time. it is hoped, when this
branch may be built. Before this, how =.
ever, the Winslow branch will be extended
across the Kennebec and Messalonskee
tivers to Oakland. where it will connect
ith the Somerset R,ilroad, and the main
road will be built 22 miles from GuilfOrd TO
| Onaway on the Canadian Pacific, though
ti is latter extension will not be made as
friendly relations with the Bangor & Aroos-
took are preserved.
The Wiscass,t & Quebec main line " hich
is to be built this year taps a rich and oil
country, about so or 60 miles, which has
10 railroad commu. cation. Along its line
are rich farming section and a rapidly
growing summer resort region. while in
h, neighboring belt of towns, Somerile,
j. fferson. Washington, Liberty, Palermo,
Mont, lille and Freedom ARE heavily woode
marketable timber, which has never been
cut, as the country has had no outlet, which
trouble is now to be remedied.
A coal traffic of many thouslnl Is of tons
is assured the road from the start, besides
the trs light and passenger business to be
expected to and from the country towns.
Another important factor will be steamer
connection at Wiscasset. Bids have been
received already from different companies,
and the following steamboat lines will be
rut on either this coming fall or in the
spring of 1895, from Wiscasset to Boston,
to Portland and to Bangor and eastern
ports, which lines will run all winter as
well as in the summer season. Then the
Eastern Steamboat Company expects to run
a boat from Wiscasset to Bath, Boothbay
Harbor and the Kennetec summer resorts
during the summer, as well as the present
service to Boothbay Harbor.
An important adjunct to the road is the
Sheepscot Land and Power Company which
has been organized by Messrs. Crosby,
Fogg and Smith. This company will builJ
stone dams across the Sheepscot and will
| rua
rhe river falls l3S feet in five miles, so
that great power can be developed. 1t IS
Ieep, fast running stream, with large vol
ume and even flow of water the year
around. 1t is expected to build up several
thriving towns.
One of the best features of the new roads
future is that Wiscasset is its terminus
This town was one of the chief ports on the
Atlantic coast previous to the war of 1912,
md has to this day the best natural harbor
in the country. Owing to the presence of
not springs along the bottom of the lower
Sheepscot river, or Wiscasset harbor, th'
water has never been known to freeze over,
although the mercury has dropped to nearly
30 degrees below.
The Great Eastern or any other large
shin in the world could reach Wiscass.t
xithout a pilot or tug at any stsge OF the
tide at any time of the year. The entrance
to the harbor is the Wiiest on the coast,
nine miles from Seguin to Bantam Rock,
and there is no bar. The course is north
nv east straishtawa ay for 10 miles and then
little more to the east for the same dis
tapca with water never less than Elk faith
oms deep and the minimum, except Ill
few places, really 10 fathoms. The river
rms between high rocks, with the water
inst as deep inshore as in the channel.
The w. & Q. Company is strongly organ
iged, with Mr.. Crosby at the head as presi-
dent and general manager. AMI the follow
ing directors W. Fred p. Fogg; A. +.
Gerald of Fai,feld, one of the most promi-
nent business men in the State and the head
of nesrly all the electric roads in Maine;
I. C. Libby, president of the Waterville
Trust Company, and widely known as 1.-The
cattle king of Maine" for he handles more
livestock than any ether individual in New
Encland Henry Ingalls,. president of the
First National Bank of Wiscasset, for
MANY wears prominent in the management
of the Knox & Lincoln Railroak, and man
of very large means Hon. A. X. e. Smith
of Whit, field, an ex-S.ate senator. and at
one time member of the governors coun-
ell, a man who is ''hustler, well OF and
With great iatiuence; Capt. Richard 7.
Rundlett of Wiscasset. the Democratic
lsa,er of Lincoln county, thorough busi
ness man, very well off and president of the
Maine Navigation Company, which owns
much shipping property: DR.. c. w. Abb
gbott, ore of Waterville's leading physicians,
and who is well to do, public spirited and
en,erpri.ing, and DIR. A. NJ. Card of Alma,
who has the distinction of having q medical
practice in the country of over $4,000 q
year, aud is noted as 'pssher."
The whole sec opd floor of the Rundlett
block. tie largest in town, has been taken
for ffices, and the work is being pushed.
Contracts have been made with the Came
gle, Phipps Company of Pittsburg for $500
tons of 50 pound rs lie, the standard for 2
foot gauge roads. and with people along the
way for l75 200 ties, to be delivered on the
line. These are now being delivered.
Contracts are be ing negotiated for the roll
ing stock and construction.
Machiae shops are being put up and as
soan as the snow gees the work of building
freight cars will be started. The services
. TCoufinuoj an 0l M 90 I