New-York tribune., 1901-08-28
TO INVADE NEW FORESTS.
LINE OF RAILROAD WILL BE BUILT
TO TAP NAMES NORTHERN
RESOURCES.

Bangor Ne. Aug q CSpecia).-A movement OF
vast importance affecting the lumber industry
OF Msine is announced IN the petition Of the Ban
gor and Aroostook Railroad Company 20 the state
Railroad Commissioners for approval Of location
and authority 20 build and operate extension or
the Bangor and Aroostook system from Ashland,
IN Aroostook County, 10 Fort Kent on the St John
River a distance Of about fifty miles. The Ban
tyor and Aroostook now has 3l7 miles Of tracks.
comprised in the main line and several branches
The new railroad will through the Fish River
country and its construction will be followed by
the erection OF many steam sawTnills. There is,
is estimated not less tEan l50ooOoGO feet OF
large spruce standing within easy distance OF the
Fish River waters ana the country is not well
adapted the pulp industry, account OF the
lack OF large powers, It is expected that the
railroad viii be the means OF creating fourishing
saWmill villages.
The new railroad while an extension OF the Ban
gor and Aroostook is 10 be built and operated by
a corporation known as the Fish River Railroad
Company, composed Of prominent in the Ban
gor and Aroostook Company. The capital stock
has been subscribed and the Railroad Comm's-
soners viii give a hearing the petition at Ban
gor on August 81 There is doubt Of favorable
action. and the work of construction will begin at
II win be the first step IN vast plan for
the development Of Names northern forest re-
fcurces. the accomplishment OF which will effect n
revolution in the lumber industry Of the State.
Never before in the history Of Penobscot lumber
ing has a log drive been attended with such diff
cuIties and hampered by so many obstacles as have
beset the great branch drive this year and
while the logs will arrive too late 10 be Of much
benefit TO the sawmils. their navigation from
head waters to Pea Cove boom VIII nearly
three times much the contractor gets for the
work Nothing like Ehis has been known be
fore. and the disastrous experience Of the con-
tractor is the subject OF discussion all along the
river.
Some OF The conditions that delayed the big drive
were Unforeseen. and may not occur again in ten
delay occasloned by the sorting of logs for pulp
that Il viii not be surprising II in future
much higher price than heretofore must be paid
for bringing down the drive.
The lumber market is now beginning TO show
some life, and Bangor manufacturers have re-
ceiked orders in the last two weeks than
they had in the two months previous. There has
vet been decided advance in prices. but pre-
Vailing values would be accepted without much
complaint business continue brisk from
now To the close of the rivers. Not much time
remains for saving and shipping spruce on Maine
Tiyers this year and il any volume of business
is to be done, II must he done In hurry. Several
of the larger mills at Bangor viii be run until
u. for the remainder 0f the season. in order TO
make up FOR the loss of long summer days. when
everybody idle because there were no logs
Considerable lumber was shipped last week to
Boston and other New-England points 10 MI yard
orders. but The Newly Ork trade is slack as yet
Freights remain 81 - a thousand TO Boston and
York 8 80 has been paid in few instances. the
preVailing being s % Il is confidently eK-
pected that NeW-York rates viii go as high as IS
and IS 30 this fall and others in proportion.