The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-05-21
For the REPORTER.
Is It Wise?


Is 1t for the best financial, progressive
or business interest of Skowhegan to
force the Skowhegan & Norridgewock
Railway & Power Company TO discon-
tinue operating their road by requiring
them to pay part of the expense of
building the new proposed bridge across
the North Channel which the voters of
Skowhegan will have an opportunity TO
express themselves on at the special
town meeting called May 23fd.
The situation of the Electric Road
Company Is such that they could not
pay one dollar towards building the new
bridge without putting their hands into
their pockets to do so, or by taking it
from the repairs necessary to keep the
road in a safe condition 10 operate. The
road has been In operation most nine
years aud necessarily to continue oper-
ating 1t much longer 1t will require the
renewal of a larger part of the ties
which the company contemplate doing
and have already begun; besides this tie
trestle at the foot of Lindsey hill must
soon be rebuilt and numerous other re-
pairs made to the road, line and rolling
stock, to meet the public's requirements.
The present company that own the road
have operated 1t most six years and have
never received one cent from the earn
ings for interest or principal, or for any
other purpose, or In any other way on
the SIC, 900 they have invested except the
benefit it has been to business In general
in Skowhegan and Norridgewock; there
fore they have virtually donated each
year, from business standpoint per
cent on 500, 900, or 81 900 to the business
interest of these towns and largely to
SkoWhegan.
Now IL Skowhegan is satisfied that the
road is not of sufficient benefit to the
business of Skowhegan, which governs
the prosperity of the whole town, to
permit the road to cross the new bridge
without paying for doing so, and that it
would not be reverse to prosperity,
why vote to require the company to
assist In building the bridge, which will
afford them reasonable opportunity to
discontinue operating the road, take it
up and dispose of 1t as they have hereto
fore contemplated but refrained from
ing due to public expression; but if
the road is of sufficient benefit to permit
of crossing the bridge without paying
for doing SO and was given little more
liberal patronage 1t could be made a
convenience OF much greater benefit to
Skowhegan and Norridgewock than it
now is.
Ii we recall the time this road was
built most nine years ago we will re-
member it was in the very height of our
last period of hard times, and Skowhe-
gan was about the only town in this
State that was showing any material
activity of progress and expansion in
this line, and building the road at that
time did undoubtedly greatly assist in
reviving business in Skowhegan much
earlier than would have been possible if
we had remained inactive and allowed
better times to return in the usual way.
Therefore, in consideration of this aud
the business the road has brought and
will bring TO Skowhegan il permitted to
continue crossing the bridges, Show
hogan is and will be we'll compen-
stated for the amount they have assisted
o do assist the road.
Now relative to building the new
bridge, it is thought by the majority of
the voters of Skowhegan that it is nee
essary to build new bridge as propos
ed, which is not true, while it is true
that the railroad commissioners con-
demned the present bridge in its present
co ldition and recommended building a
new one, it is by no means necessary To
do so, as the old bridge can be repaired
and painted and greatly improved in ap
pearance for very small expense COM
pared with what il would cost to build a
new bridge and serve the public many
years longer. Yet if the tax payers are
willing to pay the additional expense for
a new bridge and have little more con-
venience, as we'll MS to beautify the town
it should not be criticised; but if we
build new bridge and do not build it
sufficient to permit of crossing with
electric cars, whether the present cleo
ric cars cross it or not, we certainly are
doing a great injury to the future pros
perty and growth of our town. If we
don't feel generous enough to provide
for the future generation as should be,
we had better repair the old bridge and
let them make their own provisions.
G. j. ABBEY.
SkoWhepan MAY IS 1903