Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-25
SHEEPSC0T WATERS
will Undoubtedly Furnish
Power for Many Industries,
It Plans Being Considered by Leading
Capitalists Are Carried Out.
They Are Still Viewing the Location-wiscas-
set Visited. Yesterday.

Wiscasset, July 24.-(SpeclaD. After
listening to the tales Of woe regarding the
Wiscasset q Quebec Railroad, evidently
related by persons who have never been
over the line, or know but little of this
railway enterprise which the people of
Wiscassct and towns along the road have
started Oh wheels. One would be sur
prised to find such an excellent road bed,
with fast-running trains, passing through
good aud productive farming and vii
lage section OF the State
The first sod of this fine narrow guage
road was turned at Wiscasset In June,
1894 amid the roar Of cannon and general
jubilee of the citizens Of this seaport town,
all OF whom felt that the towns CONNER
ciai interests had new lease of life. The
project, thus so happily inaugurated, has
been pushed forward with zeail by mel
possessed of pluck, enterprise, push and
business ability.
The State board of railroad commits
sioners has just inspected five additional
miles which were opened, today, for con-
tinued operation, making 33 miles now
open. The proposition Is to continue
through to Albion this fall, which when
completed will make IS miles of the Wis
casset & Quebec stretching across por-
ton of Maine not heretofore supplied with
railroad communication. A journal man
went over the road, today, in the special
train which was provided a company made
up of about 25 capitalists and business
men, and found everything in the prime
of condition and by far surprising all ex-
pectations and excelling in every particu
lar the accounts of the road published
The company has in operation three
locomotives four passenger coaches, two
baggage cars and 80 freight cars. All the
rolling stock is excellent and the neatly
upholstered seats of the passenger cars are
as comfortable as could be wished.
In 1894 the roadbed was finished for 81
miles. and before the dawn of the present
year, % miles of the road were operated
Neat, attractive and oommodious stations
have been built at the following places
Wiscasset, Sheepscot, sAlna Center, Alma
Head Tide, Whitefield, Preble, North
Whtefield, Cooper's Mills, Maxcy's Mills,
Windsor, Weeks Mills, Newalls Corner,
and one will very soon be erected at
Palermo Today, Wednesday, July "a, a
double train service goes into effect which
will give everybody along the road an ex.
cellent service. Trains will be run to con-
meet with the Maine Central going east
and west, furnishing through travel and
avoiding stop overs" BY the new SER
vice people up the line will get their mails
over five hours earlier than heretofore.
The territory served by this railroad is
as large as the whole state of Rhode Is
land. 1t extends through fertile hny
producing section, nearly all of which
product was marketed at Belfast by team
before the road was built The Wiscassei
& Quebec can make 20 trips to market
where the farmer with his team could
make but one. The producer, buyer and
seller are all benefited by the building of
this narrow gusge The road reaches
| China, section which produces more ap-
pies than any other in the State. Branch
Mills, which the road has just reached
has been supply ing the National Home at
Togus with 1900 bushels of potatoes a
month, which the Wiscasset * Quebec
has aided in marketing. Pulp material is
plentiful and sites for saw mills numer-
Gus.
The towns along the line are building
up and evidences of thrift are apparent
Why, this line accommodates three times
as large population as any other narrow
guage road in the State. Provisions which
were hauled many miles by team are now
delivered by rail in much less time and at
| small expense. Tillers of the soil who pre-
vious to the building of the road, Travelled
from 10 to IS miles for market, now have
the Wiscasset & Quebec extending across
| their farms
| From present indications 1t would seem
that this narrow guage road has q great
| future. The road is being extended and
/ the business of the line daily increasing
| There Is very>strong probability that
| the 3 miles already surveyed from Weeks
| Mills to Waterville will be built
Already a movement Is on foot to ex-
tend the Kennebec Central, narrow guage
| from Togus TO Cooper's Mills, a distance
! of six miles Both of these proposed
branches will be very easy of construction.
| By building the line from Wateryille to
| Weeks Mills, the road will connect with
Vassalboro which will be tho largest
town on the line. and in which is located
the Sampson WOODEN mill, which in itself,
some say will furnish business enough to
run narrow guage road.
| II the proposed extension of the kenne-
| bee Central is consummsted, the Soldiers
Home will be supplied with all kinds Of
| farm produce at a low price and in quick
time A leading point favoring the con-
| struction of the line to Waterville will be
the low rate of coal transportation, for
coal can then be landed in Waterville at
| nearly the same cost,it is claimed, as is re-
outred to now land it in Portland. At
present six months stock must be
stored. while If the short line is built it
will not be necessary to keep over cart
load.
Another feature will be the quick ser
vice provided for people desiring to reach
the Islands AT present Waterville people
travel go miles by rail and IS by steamer,
while after the building of this branch the
Wtscasset & Quebec will take them 43
miles by rail, landing them at the sea
shore. A good many Of Augusta and
Gardiner people will probably go to the Is
lands over the Wiscasset u Quebec road If
the Kennebeo Central is extended, as it