Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-12-10
STREET RAILWAYS,
Marvellous Growth of system
in Maine Since 1880.
Then PortIand's Horse Railroad Had
6 3-4 Miles Of Track.
Now There are 283 Miles Of Electric Road in
Whole State.

me growth of the street railway svs-
'"ir IN the State of Maine has been
marvellous. Twenty years ago there
we're nut ll3t miles of street railroad
track IN the whole State. The Portland
faiiroad Company had ca miles of
track in Portland at that time and the
Lewiston and Auburn horse railroad
mad five miles. During the following
SIX years these companies added to
their mileage and in 1887 had almost is
miles Of track i'll operation IN lSSS
the Biddeford and Saco companv built
-: miles of track and the WateryiIl,
and Fairfield Street Railway con
siructed $50 miles. In 1889 the Ban
Gor Street Railway with 3.lS miles of
track. end the FryehurG horse railroad
with three miles, Were built
ThEt year electricity as motive
n"""r was first used in Maine. and
the i;angor road mas the credit Of intro
oucinS it in the state. The Frycburg
lin" has always used horses as its
motive power. and is the only road in
Main" that now does 80.
In 1880 the Augusta. Halloween and
Gardiner Street Railway was built.
ana some of III" other roads built ,X-
tensions ot several miles So that thu
street mileage Was Increased to a.
miles. During the following two years
no new roads We're built but th. total
mileage WAS Increased by additions to
the Bangor. the Lewiston ana Auburn
and the Watervillc and Fairfield lines.
In 1898 the Rockland, Thomaston ana
Camden road was built ANA 50 was the
housam River Railroad. That year
tn" total mileage III Tn. State was
i6.lt miles. The Bath Street Railway
was built in 1891. and in 1>g5 was con-
structed the Calais street Railway and
the SkoWhegan and Norridgcwock
line. Al the close Of 1895 the mileage
was ?S.S9 miles.
There We're four ncW street railways
built in 1>s6 the principal one being th,.
Bangor. Orono and Old Town hallway
comprising l3 81 miles of track. Tho
others We're the Norway ana Paris.
Portland and Cape Elizabeth and the
Somerset Traction Companies. The
building of these roads and the adj
ditiorS to the other lines then in exist
.rcc jumped the total street railway
mileage Of the State To 13n 10 miles.
In 1S.- the EanG"r. Orono and Old
Town road had ! 30 miles added. the
brunswick ana Tupsham road was
built. The Portland and Cape Elizabeth,
the Portland and the Somerset TraC-
ton roads We're extended and the total
mileage increased to l45 miles. In
1898 the Bangor. Hampden and Win
terport Railway and the Portsmouth.
Kittery and York lines We're built and
the other additions made Swelled the
total mileage to l6S..2 miles.
The Lewiston. Brunswick and Bath
Street Railway Company was organ
lied in 1899 and built from Bath to
brunswick and from Topsham to Lew
iston. also from the latter city to
Sabattus The Benton and Fairfield
Railway. the Penobscot Central and
the Portland and Yarmouth lines were
built and - miles Of track was added
to the street railway system of Maine.
In 1900 the Sanford and Cape Porpoise
and the WestbrOok. Windham ana
EapIes roads We're built. additions
were made to the others and at the be
ginning of the present year there We're
26a miles of street railway track III
ou.ration in Maine
This year the ToguS extension uf the
Augusta, Hallowell and Gardiner road.
and th. Atlantic Shore lin" We're con
srructed, adding about ls miles 10 the
mileage. Of the street railways OF the
state. making 2S5 miles now in opera
.ion.