The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-08-10
Press Association Excursion.

TN HhIll ! UidblHE - - p fAtH Hfhf
during the summer at n time and place
usually agreed upon at the previous win
ter meeting. In January last the route
agreed upon Was that of the new Wash
ington County Railroad, the time aud
details being left with Il committee OF
which G. w. Robbins OF III Old Town
Enterprise was the chairman, and the
trip WAS made the week beginning Mon
day, July 3lst.
The prrsonel of the party WAS as fol-
lows: Edward Nj. Barton, librarian OF
Antiquarian Society, guest Of the asso-
citation. Worcester, Mass.
II. f. Bowditch, kennebec Journal,
Augusta.
R. M. Campbell and wife, Enterprise,
Ellsworth.
G. Nj. Donham aud wife, Maine Reg
lister, Portland.
X. NJ. Dunbar and wife, Damariscotta.
Lston =. Evans and wife, Observer,
Dover.
Chas. F. Flint and wife, kennebec
journal, Augusta.
Arthur f. Forbes, Oxford Democrat,
South Paris.
Miss Furnish, Maehias Republican
Maehias.
Chas. b. Haskell and wife, Advertiser
Pittsfeld.
Louis O. Haskell and wife, Advertiser
Pittsied.
Geo. d. Loring and wife, Portland
Ernest w. Morrell aud wife. Repor-
ter journal, Gardiner.
II. X. Morrell, wife and son, Master
Arch Hiram Morrell, Gardiner.
Lucius II Murch, Belfast.
Geo. w. Norton and wife, Evening
Express, Portland.
Jesse II. Ogier and wife, Herald
Camden.
Howard Owen, Maine Farmer, Angus
Ia.
Chas. A. Pilsbury, wife and daughter
Miss Marjorie d. Pilsbury, Journal
Belfast.
M. n. Rich and wife, Board of Trade
Journal, Portland.
C. w. Robbins and wife, Enterprise
Cd Town.
Miss Grace Gatchell.
EIiphalet Rowell, Hallowell.
Joseph Q. smith and wife, REPORTER
Skowhegan.
Fred'k NJ. Thompson, Courier-Tele
gram, Portland.
Mrs. Thompson.
CHARLES +. Williams, Portland.
Nine years ago the Association mad,
their annual trip to the towns eompris
ing western and central Washington
County, East Machias being the turthrst
town east visited, and Maehias being
headquarters. This trip included d
long blackboard ride from the station OF
the Bar Harbor branch of the Maine
Central called Franklin Road To Cherry
field, to Harrington. Columbia Falls
etc, to Machias. To say this ride wa.
not enjoyed, would be saying what i,
not the fact, and yet, the larger party
OF 1899 were It eonciled To the iact tina
they could make the trip by rail
/ There is much in the way OF sentimen
connected with loeomoton by horse
power; there is, it may be, something
less OF romance about water transport
alton with steam for the motive power
in the railroad method the get there
theory is the predominating one. Sen
timent or pleasure may be a minimum
quantity or even Il minus quantity but
speed and certainty are facts which
reconcile us to a sacrifice of sentiment
In 1890 we left SkoMhegan ut moor
and did not reach Machias until evening
of the next day. This year we left here
at $50 p. M, and took tea in Machias
The morning papers of Boston anc
Portland reach Machias at O'Clock p
M, aud Calais and Eastport at S35
and the Bangor morning papers reacf
Z a 4 nd iui r,
at His One takes the train ut East
port Or Calais at 40 a. m., and arrives
in Boston al o. 90 p. m, or at $50 pm
and arrives in Boston at 7.25 the mex
morning. Thus by the absence from hi,
business of but one day, and the use o
sleepers man can have day in Boston
and be back to attend To his business al
home the morning of the second day
This new arrangement does not etftc
Calais ANA EtstpOrt to the same eXteu
as Machias and the towns further WEES
as the former has for years enjoyed the
benefit of the Canadian Pacific, formerly
the New Brunswick railroad and East
port the benefit of the Internationa
steam ship line from Boston to st. John
but the roundabout course of the G.. =
K. and the uncertainty of water carriage
even on well established and safe
steamship line, have the effect To drive
all business men to the use of the Wash
ington County road.
fhe passenger business thus far ha:
largely exceeded the expectations of the
most sanguine friends of the road. The
train service is excellent, the car accom-
modations adequate and the road bed fol
one so recently constructed rides eXcep
tionally well. The general manager anC
mhny Of those under him were formerly
officials and employees of the Maine
Central and the modern appointments
and thorough methods of that model Of
railroads are apparent on this new
and important feeder of that road
The freight business on the road i,
also much IN excess of the expectations
of the projectors of the W. {. K. The
outgoing freight is confined largely tC
establishments at PASSPORT and Other
points along the line. The packing
sardine business is immense at Eastport
and vicinity and it is considerable in
other parts in Washington County
giving employment to large number
of people. The catching of the fish
the making of tin boxes and wooder
cases, the packing of the fish and thciI
shipment is the leading industry of tn,
place and, when the packing business is
good, business is brisk. To give some
thing of an idea of the extent of thi.
business we mention as one item OF
freight on the w. c. r, 40 cars of tin to
be worked up into Sardne boxes.
Observing these immense packing
plants recalled to our mind the remarks