Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-17
RAILROAD TALK.
Future Of the Narrow Guage Route
Doubtful.
Yet kugus.a's Railroad Future Looks as
Bright as Others.

1t would appear from some OF the re- |
ports that are set about by our neigh
bors, the capitalists of Gardiner. that |
once from that city to Pennington, but |
there is still some doubt about the |
matter. so the Augusta capitalists say.
Just at present the matter is at a
standstill regarding the future of the
Franklin & Kennebec Railroad until
the true actions of the Maine Central
Railroad are brought to light. The re-
ported purchase of the Sandy River
Railroad by the Maine Central, and
their reported intention of changing it
into broad guage road puts differ
ent light upon the idea of building the
proposed narrow guage road across TO
Pennington. In order to have a road
across there that would pay, it was
planned to have narrow guage road
that through line might be had, to
run to Rangeley lakes. With the plans
of the promoters of this road, they
would have had a great line since the
steam roads could not have competed
in the trip to the Rangeleys with the
steamboat companies and through
line of narrow guage.
1t is well known that the travel of
the region has been drawn toward the
Portland & Rumford Falls Railroad by
the way of Bemis, leaving the Sandy
River road in bad condition, with
less patrons than before. All would
have been changed if the plans of the
Augusta brains had been let alone. The
people would have boarded a boat at
Boston tonight and tomorrow have
been transported from Augusta to the
lakes in through train of parlor ears.
Should the report be true that the
Maine Central has purchased the
changed into broad guage road, there
will never be any narrow guage road
lead in that direction from Augusta.
But the good people of Gardiner
should not bank too many plans on
that idea, for there is still the alter
native of building a broad guage road.
No, the Gardiner men will not build
the road across the route proposed. AT
least, not for few years. For. you
see, Augusta still has the charter, and
that will not be surrendered on the
mere reports that are circulated, pos
sibly not in case the reports are true.
This report will affect Waterville in
her scramble for the prize in the same
way that it does Augusta, for mar
row guage would do her little more
good than Augusta. Waterville will
have to plan on broad guage if she
wants to stay in, the race. She has a
charter and that is more of a basis of
her plans than Gardiner possesses.
Meanwhile all will look with interest
to see what action will be taken by the
Maine Central in regard to the Sandy
River Railroad. 1t may mean that
Augusta is to be the railroad center
Should the narrow guage road be shut
off. the promoters may take it into
their heads to build a broad guage
road. Who knows? Certainly they
have the confidence in the route
they decide to do this, there may be
other changes. Waterville would not
want the Wiscasset & Quebec in the
form Of a narrow guage road if she
could not have her pet scheme, the
road through to Pennington, thus
making through line of narrow guage
property. In that case the Wiscasset
& Quebec would like to connect with
the Franklin & kennebec to Farming
ton, thus giving that section of the
country a sea port to draw from. A
the same time the line of the Wiscas-
set & Quebec would be made broad
guage as has been contemplated, and
run to Augusta. where it would con
meet with the Franklin & Kennebes
and also with road for which there is
a charter to Oakland, connecting will
the Somerset Railroad, which can be
made to connect with the Canadian
Pacific as they already have the char
ter Then with so many lines Augusta
will build that road across to Lewis
ton, and there you have Augusta the
railroad center of the State and a
billing" point.
Certainly Augusta has the right C
plan on these roads as much as hei
neighbors, for she has something that
the others have not, the charters for all
the proposed lines.
They may not all come this year
but the business men say they are
coming in time. If one comes the
others will follow, SO which will be
first? The Augusta capitalists are moi
making so great a fuss over their
works in the line of inducements they
are to offer. but at the same time they
are at work slowly and quietly. and
some morning the Journal will have