Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-23
The New Railroad Project.

A recent communication from Vas
| salborQ correspondent concerning the
proposed railroad from Pennington to
Augusta, probably errs in an important
particular when it recftes the terms of
charter said to exist fer road be-
tween the points named.
This charter. your correspondent
says, describes roadway running
through a valley (evidently that Of
Bond Brook ito the north end of
Water street" 1 hardly think the
| charter itself will bear out this sta4es
ment but, should 1t actually do SO.
feel sure that the most cursory exam
nation of ''the north end OF Water
street" would show the impracticabil-
ity Of such a route. To be cheaply con-
structed and probably operated the
contemplated road must make direct
and easy connections with these differ
eEt lines of traffic already existing in
Augusta-the Maine Central, the Au-
gusta, Hallbwell & Gardiner Electric
Read and the Kennebec & Boston
steamers. Now, should the city be
entered by way of Bond Brook. there
will be a difference Of grade between
the Maine Central tracks and that Of
the Pennington and Augusta. amount
ing to certainly not less than 20 feet
probably mcre-nor Is any possible
point of junction between the two at
tainable at grade without constructing
viaduct across the wide depression
existing between the lower slopes of
Cushnoc Heights and the Maine Gen.
trail at or near PARROTS warehouse.
This would cost thousands Of dollars:
and. even were it built, there would
still be no room on the half-precipi,-
Gus hillside near PARROTS for station,
freight-houses and all the other build
ings absolutely necessary at a term
mus. Moreover, the electric road
would be left far below and out of the
way. Then again there would be no
connection whatever with the Kenne-
bee and Boston boats. which have
bsrths. almost half mile distant. To
sum up. the Bond Brook line would
fail in every single one Of the require
mems previously mentiOned-it would
be costly, clumsy and connectionless.
II there were no better entrance into
the city from the west than this the
whole scheme might as well be aban-
doned.
But there is another approach to Au-
gusta that not only meets every test
which the other cannot but possesses a
number of advantages peculiar to it.
self. This Is the line, surveyed several
years ago by Mr.. Danforth of Gardiner.
down the valley of Kennedy Brook, by
lakewood and Brett's Gully to the Ken
nebec river. Here we have a gentle
descent to Underwater devoid of natural
obstacles; plenty of unoccupied, level
land for station. yards, car-barns.
round houses and repair shops; juno
ton at grade with the Electric rail-
road, afrording quick connections into
the city and with Hallowell and Gar
diner; another junction. also at grade.
with the Maine Central just below the
trotting park; and. finally, debouch
upon deep water close inshore which
will permit freight to be transferred
directly from car to boat and vice
versa, to say nothing of the immense
saving in handling obtained by the
facility of discharging coal upon trains
from the very schOoners which bring II
up river. Furthermore, this line. pass
ing near the State muster-field, would
run in a nearly straight course 20
Hammond's Grove and the summer
village there.
These are some of the advantages Of
the Kennedy Brook line. The list of
disadvantages is a very short one.for
there are none.
In view of the facts, can anyone
doubt where the Pennington road