Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-05-22
New 3. & A. Line in Northern Aroostook.
CBangor Commercially

Bangor Commercially
People outside OF Aroostook county.
but interested in the development Of
Maine and in the railroad enterprises
which are now in progress In that great
county and are destined 10 do so much
for its future development-are greatly
interested in the hearing recently held
there relating to the extension Of the
Bangor & Aroostook Railroad from
Caribou to Van Buren, and the two
routes propose for the same.
This whole subject is most clearly
presented to Commercial readers to-
day. In the first place We reproduce
portion of the map of the proposed
routes from the very accurate larger
map of the engineers who have made
the surveys for the Bangor * Aroos-
took road. This shows the route as
made by the engineers Of the survey
of 1882. and also the proposed route To
the westward of that first surveyed, or
that through New Sweden. Stockholm
and other townships 10 the st. John
river at Van Buren,. Then we have the
very minute report Of the hearing at
Caribou on Wednesday before the
State railroad commissioners. with the
statements of the several parties and
localities interested, from the Com
merciars special representative.
study of this map and careful read
ing Of the story OF our special reporter
gives clear understanding Of the
whole subject. The survey Of 1892 is
through townships where there is but
little business, where the land is poor.
from which much Of the growth has
been burnt off, and where the planta-
tions are sparsely populated. There
ar" also local conditions Of railroad
construction which make this route
expensive and impracticahle. The
length of this old route between the
two points is - miles
on the other hand the new route
passes through an older, more densely
populated and more highly improved
section of the county. The town of
Woodland has about 1000 population,
and the town Of New Sweden. one of
the most prosperous in northern AroOs-
took. has some of the finest firms and
most enterprising. pushing business
men in the county. There are besides.
on this route. townships Of valuable
timber. and the entire line. although
six miles longer than by the route Of
1892, is more practicable as to grade,
offers far more sites for business and
accommodates vastly larger number
Of inhabitants. At the Caribou meet
ing on Wednesday Or. Hanson. who
spoke in behalf of the new route. said
he represented 300 voters and more
than 20o0 inhabitants in pleading for
the DTpnnSa1 line ri Woodland Now
Sweden and Stockholm.
Now in addition to the points favor
ing the new location. there are legal
questions involved which We're ably
presented to the railroad commission
ers. a portion Of the money voted by
the county in aid of the road is still
available. to the amount of $4,000 per
mile. which the Bangor & Aroostook
Company claim can be paid to it even
though they change the route from
that surveyed III 1892. We do not as
sumo to interpret the law or argue
legal points, but we believe ii was the
honest intention of the people of Aroos-
took county to loan its credit for the
building of a railroad which should be
built over the most practicable ana
available route that would best CON
vene the largest number of the inhabi-
tants of the county and do the most
for the development of it's business in
terestS. This would seem to be COM
mon sense. and common sense is some
times better than the best law. This
view of the matter at all points. fayors
the new location which the Bangor &
Aroostook company now asks the rail
road commissioners to approve
The chief opposition to the new route
as appears from statements made at
sitiOn of Caribou to the routa which is
to accommodate New Sweden and the
other prosperous and populous town.
ships along the new route. Caribou
does not want New Sweden to have
rail connection, because as town it
wants the little benefit which will come
to itself. from New Sweden people
who bring their products by team ten
or dozen miles, to ship them from
caribou, and who must then bait their
horses and get dinner at Caribou and
purchase few goods of Caribou store
Keepers. The opposition is narrow and
unworthy. 1t is a selfish plea which is
undeserving a moments serious con-
slderation. 1t is such a spirit as would
trlg all progress and development. un-
less such as can be so twisted as TO
benefit a particular locality.
1t is decided that IA railroad is 10 hc
hnilt this season from Caribou To Van