Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-04-16

and allow your brethren and fellow citi-
zens to the west of you to share in the
same good fortune, by aiding them in OBJ
tanning a railroad.
Fifth. The reduction in cost OF living
and in travelling expenses. 1t makes no
difference to the consumer whether the
cost of transportation of flour and corn
from the West has been lessened by direct
arrangements by the B. & A. with other
roads, or whether it has come about by
competition with the B. & A., the result
is the same, and every intelligent person
will know that the reduced cost would
not have been effected if the B. & A. had
not been built. If flour is put down at
the great central town in Aroostook
county at as low a cost as in Bangor or
Old Town, the county may thank the b.
g. A. for it. Now let us do little arith-
metic. The interest ON the railroad bonds
at z per cent amounts to about $40, OoO,
annually. OF this amount the wild lands
pay S6000 That leaves sl4, 900 to be paid
by the people of the county. The increase
in valuation of the county last year was
over $4,000, 600, and this was mainly
along the line of the railroad. The In
terest on 50, 100000 at 4 x per cent Is
800, 900. That would be considered a
pretty good investment Again, there are
about l. 900 voters in the county. The
railroad tax would amount to one dollar
apiece Hasn't the railroad been the
means of saving that amount to each
voter either in reduced cost of living or
in travelling expenses? There are at
present 500 inhabitants in tho county.
We will assume that the building of the
railroad has saved in one way or another
25 cents or one-fourth of dollar a year
for each inhabitan5. One-fourth of st. 900
in IA, 600, and that would pay the railroad
tax. All who understand the matter
agree that the principal will never have
to be paid, also that by the end of five
years the road will be paying per cent
dividends. The interest on 1928, 900 at
y Per cent. is SO, 260. Deduct one-third
of this, which the wild lands would pay.
and there remains S6S40 to be paid ty
| the people, or about so cents for each
voter or about IL cents for each person.
| Sixth. The low cost of material and
| the appliances at hand. The cost of every
thing connected with the construction
| of railroad never was so low as at the
present time, and it would be the part of
wisdom to take advantage of these low
prices. Aside from this fact, the best rail
road contractor in this country has his
engineers and all his magnificent outfit
right here, ready to go to work at once.
| Should the county vote adversely, the
whole equipment would be removed to
other parts Of the country land could only
| be brought back at great expense.
Finally. Should the county vote
against the proposition, any further rail
road building in Aroostook county would
be indefinitely postponed. The extension
of the road from Caribou to Van Buren,
is provided for in the proposition and the
building of the road from Caribou to that
point would undoubtedly Immediately fol-
low the construction of the Ashland
branch. During the greatest depression
the country ever knew. the great wave of
disaster and ruin hardly touched the Dor
der of Aroostook county and business was
made more than usually good here last
year by the extension of the B. q A.
northward from Houlton.
BY the outlay of little over 5000, 900
the county of AroostOOk can probably Sc
cure the outlay of S1,0S0, 600 within her
borders, one of the most magnificent rail
road systems in this country will be en-
sured, Aroostook will become the most i'm
portant county in the State, and Aroos-
took s wide awake citizens will retain the
prestige they obtained when they gave
the "Burleigh Scheme" such emphatic
endorsement