Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-08-01
THE SHORE LINE.
Washington County's Rousing Vote in
Favor of the Road.

FdNOf Oh tne NOau.
On Monday the voters of Washington
county voted on the question of $500, 900
subscription by the county, to aid in the
building Of the long talkedof Shore Line
railroad. AS predicted, the result of the
vote was a rousing majority in favor of
the subscription.
The exact figures Of the vote are not yet
obtainable, but it is thought that the to-
tai vote of the county is about 6,000 out
of which less than 1000 are opposed.
Eastport gave 532 votes for and only one
against; Cherryfeld 347 for and one
| against, and Machias 474 for and one
against.
The only opposition worthy the name
was met in the towns in the extreme
north end of the county, which, while al
ready reaping the benefits of railroads
themselves, selfishly do not wish the low
er end of the county to reap like benefits.
Milbridge alone of the southern towns
showed any strength of opposition, the
vote here being 116 for to 81 against.
Before asking the county commission
ers to call this election of 1895, the presi-
dent and directors of the Washington
county railroad negotiated with various
parties, in order to make certain that the
road could be built. They finally secured
this agreement:
PORTLAND, Me-, July 8, 1894.
To the President and Directors of Wash
ington Co K K co..
GENTLEMEN: We will undertake the
building Of the Washington county rail-
road, and will enter into a contract for
the construction of said railroad, if the
county will vote to su bscribe for 5000 900
of preferred stock as per ena bling act, and
you will secure additional subscriptions
for 100000 of said stock.
Yours respectfully,
GEORGE P WEscoTr,
JAMES MITCHELL.
Mr. Wescott is well known as q capital
ist, and is perfectly able to carry out all
his promises Mr. Mitchell is a man of
means, and is one Of the best known and
most reliable railroad contractors in
Maine.
The officers of the road are in position
to assure the people that all requirements
as to additional stock will be met, and
they will be prepared to enter Immediate
y
Under these circumstances construction
is likely to be commenced this year.
The assurance is offered that the bonded
Indebtedness on the road shall not exceed
$4,000 per mile, and with this limit the
prophecy is confidently made that the
| 300 900 worth of preferred stock held by
the county will speedily receive dividends
! nj tc r,uJ, ha in ON m
amount of aid voted by the county.
1t is known. of course, that the county
pays only as the road is built, and before
any money is turned in the county COM
missioners viii arrange that satisfactory
security is given to assure the completion
of he entire road.
The route Of the proposed road has
already been outlined many times in the
papers. 1t will start from Calais, run
through Robbinston, Dennysville, Ma
chias, Cherryfeld and other coast towns
to Franklin Road or Ellsworth on the
Bar Harbor branch. 1t will be about 100
miles long, and besides giving many busy
coast towns rail connections it will open
the valuable timber tracts and develop
summer resorts.
Last winter Messrs. Wescott and
Mitchell obtained control of the Calais &
Princeton short line, proposing to extend
it to the Maine Central's Nanceboro divl-
sion, should the Shore Line not material
ize, thus giving Calais a more direct out
let. Now that the Shore Line is practi-
cally assured, it is stated that The Prince
ton road will be made part of that great
system.