Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-01
AUGUSTA TO LEWISTON.
Hon. n. M. Heath interviewed On
Proposed Electric Line.
Hearing Before Commissioners. November g.
Roads Bright Prospects.

Heath said that the hearing on the
| question of granting the franchise OF
the proposed road from Augusta To
| Lewiston will come up before the rail
road commissioners at 10 o'clock Thurs
| day, Nov. s, at the State House
Mr. Heath said: This hearing has
| been delayed to await the report of
| our engineer. That report is so satis-
| factory that the hearing. delayed at
our request will now be had. The
| building or nearly - miles Of rail
road is thing not to be lightly under
taken and we have proceeded slowly
to make sure of our ground.
|, The proposed incorporators are AL
bert II. Shaw of the NJ. G. Shaw Lum-
Der Co.. +. J. Lawrence Of the firm of
Lawrence, Newhall & Co.. Amos f.
Gerald, j. Hugh Peters & Son. bank
ers in New York, +. Burton Hart. Jr.
of New York. NJ. |. Mason of Bruins
wick formerly of New York; and my
self All have had long experience
in street railroading. and whatever
they undertake can be carried through
The road will start at the junction
of Western avenue and State street
and go out over Western avenue. fol-
lowing the highway TO the Forks and
so on TO Fast Winthrop. The line
will pass through the villages Of Bail
eyville. Winthrop. North Monmouth
and Monmouth Center. running
through the town of Wales and con-
meet with the Lewiston road at Sabat-
tus The service into the city Of Lew
iston will be through service without
change.
The engineering difficulties that
threatened us between East Winthrop
and Winthrop and between North
Monmouth and Monmouth Center have
been overcome. The route will pass
along and by so many lakes and
ponds and through such farming
country that it will undoubtedly be
the most enjoyable ride in Maine.
We propose to give the usual fire.
quent and cheap service. The road
will be built with a heavy rail, thor
ouShly tied. we'll ballaSted and BE- in
every way equal in construction and
equipment to the road between Lewis
ton and Bath. and that means the
best. In the matter of grades ii must
be superior 10 that road. as 1t is the
right of the public to demand that the
rate Of speed on so long a road shall
be greater than ii would be on
thickly settled street.
II can conceive Of no road that can
be built that can do more to keep the
trade of Augusta than this outlet TO
western Kennebec. one half of this
county is now cut off from the other
half This road by running across the
county supplies the one link needed TO
thoroughly tie the county together.
ITO be successfully built and oper-
ated. will require the most careful
preparations as to details and the
cordial support and cooperation of the
public We have every reason OF be-
lieve that all the municipalities will
grant US all the necessary rights.
Thus far l am unable 10 learn OF
any opposition from the Maine Central
Railroad. Our road may take away
from them a small amount of travel
between Winthrop, Monmouth and
Lewiston. This loss. we believe. to be
small compared with the increased
travel they would get from passengers
going over our line TO take their last
trains our estimates of our own earn
jngs show that our road will be fl
nancial benefit to the Maine Central.
Some OF the newspapers speak CT
TINS road as an extension OF the Lew
iston, Bath and Brunswick road. This
is not So The managers are the same
This however. is purely independ-
ont corporation. The high grade OF
construction and service on the Lewis
ton and Bath road should be a sufii-
Gent guarantee Of the road and ser
vice the public will get if the franchise
is granted.
Il can conceive of nothing that can
stop the building of the road. II the
franchises are granted. unless ne cities
and towns fail to grant US the priNil-
ages we need and land owners whose
lands We cross are unreasonable in as
sassing land damages. We think we
can fairly estimate the earnings ana
operating expenses. But unreasonable
restrictions by the municipalities or eX-
cessive land damages would prevent
the building of the road. we anticl-
nate no difficulty in this direction. for
thus far we have found that the peo-
ple have always been ready to wei
come street railroads as great pun
lie benefit, increasing the value OF
nroperty wherever built.