Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-19
RAILROAD CHAT.
Continued from page H.

Carrabassett to Greenville than from
bingham to Greerville. measuring
across country in both distances. Blu,
if il should be desired for any reason
10 leave the Somerset out of the scheme
this route could be adopted. The trans
fer station could then be at Greenville
instead of Oakland and the little two
by-four cars could hustle the freight
straight to the sea from the Wiids of
Maine. The missing link in this route
will be furnished by the Wiscasset,
Waterville & Pennington Road. But
the distance by this route is some 80
miles longer. roughly estimated, than
by the other already described. How
ever. this, too, is a feasible route TO the
sea for the G. +.
The great object of the Canadian Pa
citic. if it interests itself or has inter-
ested itself in the little railroads OF the
State, will be to reach a harbor nearer
than ST. John. To reach that port
means haul clear across the state and
the passing meanwhile of the harbor
of at Wiscasset. To cut out this haul
is prize enough for considerable think
ing and work. 1t is this that has set
others to thinking as well.
Now then the bulk of the freight of
the c. +. comes out of the West like
the gay lover in the ancient story. To
80 to Greenville with il means about
half of the present haul across the
State But there is a way of cutting
off this half as well as the last half.
There is little railroad in operation
between Pennington and Rangeley.
1t is farther to be sure from Rangeley
to the nearest point on the c. L. than
from Bingham or Carrabassett TO
,ireenvlle. But there is the great {.
p going in i half circle up the western
border of the State and nearly across
it's northern part and hauling its
freight around this half circle TO st.
John for water shipment.
BY cutting across from RangeleE To
the nearest point on the {. T. nearly
the whole of the half circle is taken
out. With the W., w. & f. Road COM
pleted YOU may have nearly a direct
route to Wisscasset and 4 compare
lively short route as we'll. Using the
narrow guage in its present condition
the point of transfer would De tie
junction with the c. P.
tul rs diItduN ltu W lti tNIA ~
gal and technical questions settled by
the construction of the narrow guage
it would be comparatively easy TO
widen out the road a foot or So
strengthen its construction and send
q y. trains straight down through
Pennington. Oakland and WaterVille
20 the sea at Wiscasset.
There you have Your port at me
southern instead of the northern coast
of the State and 50 much nearer the
markets at Boston or New York and
as near as sailing point for European
port In this route the little narrow
auage figures prominently and once
more the theory that the c. 2. is back
ing the construction seems plausible.
These schemes are only what some
who have been watching railroad mat
tare have seen and may have gone no
farther. But they seem plausible. The
KEY TO the whole situation seems To be
the tapping Of the great harbor at Us
oassct. This can be done. as has been
shown. in various ways The sale Of
the Somerset is looked upon by some.
therefore, more than merely trans
fer of a block of stock from one party
to another Just what part this road
is playing or will play in the scheme
if there is a scheme. is doubtful. The
purchase can be considered Very
clever stroke. looked at in the various