The Republican journal., 1902-12-04
ROCkLAND AS A TERMINAL FOR THE
CANADIAN PACIFIC.

The important announcement that
plans are completed by the Grand Trunk
railway to build trans-continental
road through Ontario from the Pacific
to the Atlantic, with the eastern termi-
nal at Portland involving ar expendi-
ture of 500, 900, 600, and that work will
be commenced as soon as the necessary
legislation is passed by the Canadian
parliament, again revives the story of
the Canadian Pacitic's plan to obtain an
eastern terminal at Rockland's water
front for its $500 miles of railway.
The announcement is made by Chas.
NJ Hays, second vice president of the
the line would probably be in full oper-
alton within five years and that steam
ship lines on the Pacific would come as
a necessary adjunct
In 1895 Congressman Littlefeld and
C. f. " eeks of Rockland, while in Of
tawa, held d conference with an official
of the Canadian Pacific company. who
We're then agitating for an ocean terni-
nal in Maine. The Canadian Pacific.
which is Canada's most important sys-
TEN, touching at Vancouver, B. c., on
the Pacific ana across the east passing
through Maine across from Lowell to
VanceborO, thence to st. John, n. b.,
and tapping, through the Inter Colonial.
the important provincial trade, reaches
Greenville junction on one branch, at
the foot of MooSehead Lake. AS the
crow flies to Rockland, the great rail
way is separated from Rockland only
by distance OF IS miles.
Here there is one of the best protect
ed and available harbors on the Allan
tic sea- board with sufficient depth of
water protected by a breakwater nearly
mile long to be found anywhere.
Mr.. Weeks, speaking of the matter
yesterday said: SHOULD we be so fortu-
nate as to have the Canadian Pacific
touch Rockland for an ocean port the
city would treble in size in five years.
While at Ottawa with Charles E. Lit
tlefeld in 1895, this matter was gone
over with an official of the Canadian
Pacific who remarked that were Rock
lands advantages properly laid before
Sir William Van Horn, the president,
he had no doubt but that something
would come of it.
1T would save haul of 4S7 miles to
Halifax. This would be the coal port
for the Provinces.
There would be big grain elevators,
warehouses and car shops here in all
likelihood. The harbor is the most APP
proachable on the coast. There are
three courses ocean going ships would
steer by to reach it. Mount Desert
Rock light, Matinicus and Monhegan.
WiscaSset was at once considered, but
abandoned because of the difficulty that
would be met in entrance or departure.
Castine at that time. through Mr..
DevereauX, was at the fore to be the
Canadian Pacific terminus and the only
serious drawback was in bridging the
d PenobScot. That, of course, would be
eliminated with Rockland as the ocean
port. A railroad contractor at that
time announces his willingness to build
the road from Greenfield junction to
Rockland for $4,000 mile-about one
and oue.half million dollars.
''Since the Rockland harbor has been
dredged at great expense and the best
breakwater has been completed, stand
ing on the shore at the land end of the
breakwater one can throw a stone to
point where there is 30 feet of water
and three quarters of the way out to
the end of the breakwater there are
nearly so feet.
'"The practicability of Rockland as a
water terminal has long been apparent
to the Canadian Pacific officials" Mr.
Weeks remarked; and have no doubt
but that the Grand Trunks announce
ment to parallel the Canadian Pacific
from the Atlantic to the Pacific will
cause speedy revival of the project to
tap the ocean in Maine through Rock
land. Rockland was much interested
in the scheme at the time. l think
Rockland's Board of Trade should pre-.
pare figures and lay Rockland's advan-
tages as an ocean port before the Ca
madam Pacific people.-Rockland Star