Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-07

MORE BUSINESS FOR MAINE.
Proposed Railroad to Connect through 10
New York Via Bangor & Aroostook.

Montreal, Que, May 6.-Messrs. Ma
COIN d Ross, railway contractors. have.
secured the charter of the Restigo,iche
& Western Railway. d line projected TO
connect With the Baie Des Chaleurs at
Campbelltown. n. b.. and run to ST
Leonards on the st. John river. a dis
lance of 40 miles.
opposite St. Leonard on the American
side is van Buren,, and here the Cana
Glan road Will make connection With
the bangor & Aroostook road, which
is entirely within a few miles of the
Maine side of the river st. John
III Is expected that this route will
foim portion of a direct through line
from the Bale Des Chaleurs ana Gastpe
TO Boston and New York
NO announcement in railway news
could be made to Maine people with
more interest than this one. The pro-
lection of this Restigouche & Western
Railway has been matter for dis
eussion for years. and at times it's ac-
tual realization seemed about to be
accomplished. The road has been
recognized as one of the important flu
lures connections of the northeastern
United States. The country to the
north of Campbelltown, n. B., which is
on the shores of the famous Chaleurs
bay, teens with wealth in the rough.
1t is kingdom of vast lumber re-
sources and with fishing interests which
have become noted throughout the
world for their extent
The Restigouche & Western would,
If built, said a well known Bangor
man on Thursday, mean to the State
of Maine an annual volume of trade
which cannot now be hastily estimated.
The great lumber and fish outputs from
the Bale des Chaleurs region now have
to pass out via Montreal to the west
and north, or over the Intercolonial,
eastward, through the st. Croix
region to the coast. In either case the
detour is long and the delay protracted.
The new line would give a nearly
straight railroad from New
York and Boston to Portland,
Bangor Aroostook county and
Campbelltown, which would then be
within two days and a half from the
American metropolis and within even
easier reach of the principal ports of
the north Atlantic seacost. From
From CampbeIltown to Van Buren,. or
to st. Leonards, just over the river is
a straight run of something less than
50 miles thus the new line would feed
the Bangor & Aroostook with a steady
stream of freight, all of which nov;
goes elsewhere and most of which
passes westward many miles to Mon
treal and comes into the United States
through other avenues.
THE benefit to the IL. & ~. could not
be estimated, and the benefit to the en-
tire State would he great, inevitably
There would thus be a through connec-
ton between the center Of the United
States, the chief market Of the Chaleurs
region. and that greater country which
larger than many of our states put to-
gether, is filled with wonderful re-
sources ready for operating upon.
The Gaspe fisheries alone would send
US trade of thousands upon thous
ands of tons annually in transporta-
ton, while the lumber business would
be something enormous. The new road
will mean a new boom for northern
Maine
Malcolm q Ross, contractors,a are well
known in Maine as builders of the
Canadian Pacific through this state.
They are extensive operators and that
they have secured the charter seems to
indicate the actual opening of the work
of construction at no far distant day
Bangor Commercial.