The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-22

no new railway, it is believed that the
farms in the section of the town in
question will be abandoned no young
men moving in to take the places of the
old settlers. In Mr.. Cushman's opinion,
the building of the road would increase
the valuation of the town from 5000, 900
to 1925, ooo The new road, in the opinion
of the people, would give business to
mills at Bryant's Pond, which are now
not profitable.
. Dir. Bisbee asked If the article In
reference to the new road on which the
town acted was not drawn by outside
parties.
MIR. Littlefield said it was and was well
drawn, for he did it himself.
Mr.. Alden Chase, resident Of Bryant's
Pond, corroborated what Mr.. Cushman
had said about the outlying portions OF
the town of Woodstock
Mr.. J. l.. Barker, treasurer of the town
of Woodstock, spoke in the same vein as
bn6 TWO previous Witnesses.
Mr.. Otis Dudley, one of the selectmen
Of the town of Woodstock also spoke brief
ly.
Mr.. Ansel Dudley, a merchant OF
Woodstock, thought that the new road
would help business, benefit mills and
increase the valuation of property,
especially in the village. In reply to
questions by Mr.. Bisbee, Mr.. Dudley said
that before the village OF Rumford Falls
was built, Bryant's Pond got trade from
And over and Rumford. They hoped to
get trade through the new road.
"Wen, ? said Mr.. Littleield, ''you don't
expect to enter into competition with
the brick blocks in Rumford Fallss"
''No SIR
II thought not"
Mr.. J. Fl. Mart, one Of the selectmen Of
Runford thought that the new road
would greatly benefit the upper section
of the town, and make possible the opera
ton of corn canning factory there.
They once had such factory which dis
tributed $4,000 or &c. 900 year. The new
road would make another factory almost
sure thing. He thought the road would
bring other industries, but couldn't tell
what. The people in his part of the town
were greatly interested. He had pretty
good assurances that H. G. Baxter and
Brother would operate a factory again If
the road was built.
In answer to Gov. Cleaves, the witness
said that the development of Rumford
Falls and the building of the railway had
increased the valuation of the town from
$3.50, 200 to sl,000,oOO The Andover
branch would be practically parallel
line to the new Rangeley lakes road, be-
ing about five miles from it,
But in reply to Mr. Littlefeld, he said
the two lines were separated by a range
of hills making it impracticable to trans
port freight across country from the one
line to the other.
Mr.. John A. Decker, a selectman Of
Rumford, and superintendent of the
Rumford Falls Paper company, said the
merchants of the town were almost
unanimous in favor of the new road.
Mr.. Cleaves objected to this line of
| testimony.
Mr.. Decker thought that another rail-
road would not only help those already in
business here, but would bring Others
The promoters of this road had brought
all the leading manufacturers here, ex-
cept small wooden mill employing eight
or ten hands The railroad was not built
until the paper company came and the
sulphite and electro chemical companies
came because the paper mill was here
Mr.. Emery and Mr.. Schenck were the
prime movers in the paper company. Mr..
Decker had been told by a gentleman
who contemplated the establishments of a
| large industry that he would not do SO as
long as there was only one outlet from
| Rumford I alls. The new road would
help the paper company get its road. The
existing Rangeley Lakes road had
practically shut them out by the rates
they charged. The industries he had
mentioned were the principal ones in the
town.
| In answer to Mr.. Cleaves the witness
said that Mr.. Chisholm. Mr.. Fletcher and
Mr.. Brown had started the power com
pany and without the power company the
mills wouldn't be here.
$50 you admit that Mr.. Chisholm
| started one Industry"
81 don't call that a manufacturing in
dustry."
The witness stated that the rates on the
| Rangeley Lakes road were SO high that
| the paper company had made an arrange
! ment with Blanchard and Twitchell to
furnish them lumber.
Gov. Cleaves asked many questions and
put them so fast that the witness said he
would not answer five or six at once.
This lead to considerable sparring be-
tween counsel and witness during a series
OF question as to the location of timber
lands and kindred questions.
George E. Brown and W. G. Brooks
selectmen of Milton Plantation told why