Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-14
RAILROAD "REMINISCENCES
The Augusta. Farmingion Project Recalls
Them 10 NJ. Bradbury.

Nothing Of public interest occurs Or
is proposed that escapes the attention
of Hon. James w. Bradbury and
despite his advanced age his enthu-
siasm for anything promising welfare
to the town is as keen as ever. He is
deeply interested in the proposition 20
connect Augusta and Pennington by
rail, although the scheme is by no
reporter asked him yesterday to re-
count some of the history and reminis-
cence connected with railroad projects
in which Augusta has been interested.
The conversation started from a query
why originally some such road as is
now proposed was not built instead Of
the parallel lines between Portland and
Waterville. Mr.. Bradbury then re-
called the following facts which doubt
less will be of interest to many of the
Journal readers:
In 1896 a charter was granted to the
kennebec & Portland railroad from Port
land to Augusta, and for what became
the Boston Il Maine from Portland
through Gorham and Alfred to Dover,
N. II.
In 1887 was attorney for the petition
ers and a charter was granted to the p.
S. q y. road through Saco and Biddetord
to Portsmouth and this road was built
and in operation In 1871, the first of any
importance in the State
In 1916, the Atlantic and ST. Lawrence
from Portland to Montreal, was char
tor n1a. ,l.-a.. ~
bee from Auburn to Watervile connect
ing with the road from Portland, and the
Penobscot & kennebec from Watervllle to
Bangor. These would constitute q con-
tinuation from Portland TO Bangor,
avoiding Augusta. In July, 1876 with I'M
posing and interesting ceremony. the
building of the Atlantic and St Lawrence
was commenced
Interest in railroads spread and IN
creased. r. -. Rice afterwards iudgel
then my partner III The law. was editor
of the Age. We feared the threat of the
parallel road ten miles west would be
built and cut off the trade of the towns
west of Augusta. and tried 10 convince
our citizens 10 raise the means and COM
mence before they began with the line
ana encourage also road from Augusta
TO Pennington. He wrote articles In the
Age. i called a public meeting and urged
the Importance of immediate action.
was met with the answer that there was
not the least danger, for nobody would
nave the folly 10 put money into that
1odd "nere there was MOI sheep track.
me lnlliierence was so great that the
committees We raised could only get
some 33S. go
IN January 1915, a pubic notice was CIV
en- OF meeting in Pennington of the cit
.NcHs oI RANKIN county 70 consider the
.niP"i lance OF securing fdilroad faclH-
ties and inviting the friends of the two
proposed lines TO present their claims as
20 "hich they should ala. | saw the no.
Ice- we ndd no board OF trade and !
Mett 70 fdtnInStoh with ten Greenleaf
white IN sielsh through the drifts of
Il snow storm, 10 advocate the claims of
our Ahe. The next day the meeting was
heh- III was very nun meeting OF the
citizehs OF the county. The friends of the
NaterVilie line had been there before and
hau excited a good deal OF interest and
expected TO OBTAIN pretty large subscrip-
lions Inc forenoon was given TO the
general subject. In the afternoon the
clalhs or the two lines were discussed.
met there as the advocates of the Wa
terville line, Gen. W. Il. s Moore of Ban
gor. President Chapcn of Watervilfe. Mr..
L: henson OF winthrop. and Mr.. Basal
OF Portland Rev w. A. Drew happened
To he IN town ana said few words for
Augusta. We had warm debate for
many hours. They urged every consider
alton in their favor. l urged that what
they needed was road extending from
TIDE water into the heart of their county
that that was their need and had been
thought of in Augusta. That our town
was the large kennebec river town and
1t would be more able and likely to build
than the other line. That they had al
ways been associated and done their bus
mess with us and had recently BEEN a
part of our county. and it would be the
bad policy TO break up these associations.
repeating in every form their arguments