The Somerset reporter., 1903-04-02
Early Maine RaiIroading.

Hon j. b. Peaks OF Dover, one of the
Maine railroad commissioners, gave an
address before the State Board of Trade
at their semi-annual meeting held at Au-
burn, Thursday upon "The Growth and
history of Railroadlng in Maine" That
much relating to the earlier periods and
to the date of opening up Somerset ter
ritory, we summarize.
Railroading In Maine commenced In
1887, when cars were first hauled over
the old "Veazie Road so-called, from
Bangor to Old Town. The track was
made of wooden rails, strapped with iron.
The shackles used to connect the engine
and cars were made of sole leather, or
betting, riveted together with copper
rivets.
The locomotive was of peculiar type,
and weighed including the tender, about
%, 900 pounds, or trifle over II tons.
This locomotive was built 10 England by
Robert Stevenson & Co., in 1885, and was
brought to Bangor on sailing vessel.
Il made its first trip over the Bangor,
Old Town and Milford railroad on Au.
gust 10, 1887.
The road was owned by Samuel Yeazle
"hp' WIN all MS ptSuihliiitss VIII al
ways be kindly remembered by eitiz ms
of Bangor as man of wealth and in.
fluence.
It is said that Mr., Coe, probably an
ancestor Of Thomas u. Coe, now resi-.
dent of Bangor, who was then an ex-
Iensve lumber dealer, for a long time
afterwards, run six-ox team In opposi-
ton and 10 competition with this rail-
road, on account Of excessive rates
charged
There are no existing records of the
speed OF the train upon the road, but
il is well authenticated that the service
| of the OK team WAS fully equal to that
Of the railroad, especially during the
heavy SHOWS of the first winter.
think Mr.. Stacy was the first con-
ductor on this road, but was soon after
succeeded by Mr.. Nathan T. Swan, now
respected citizen of Bangor. Mr.. Swan
remained with the road during all the
time of its existence. He was "charac
ter" in railroading in those early days,
and 1t is said that when his train was
heavily loaded, he would call the pass
engers out Of the car to push 1t over the
heavy grades.
Since then Mr.. Swan has been conduc-
tor upon the European & North Ameri-
can railway, upon the Bangor & Piscat-
aquis and the Bangor & Aroostook sys
TEN, until within few years his advanc-
ing age compelled him to resign. He is
the oldest railroad conductor in Maine,
and have no doubt the oldest in Amer
! lea.
! The first railroad constructed in this
State, which gave any connection with
another state was the Portsmouth, Saeo
| & Portland, chartered in 1887 aud con.
structed in 1912, from Portsmouth to
Portland, 50.76 miles.
In 1S49 the Somerset & Kennebec rail
road WAS chartered to build a road from
ASkowhegan to Augusta. The road WAS
opened to Kendall's mills in May, 1865,
completed to Skowhegan in 1856
Ga Nov. 27, 1850, the Penobscot and
Kennebec r. X. Co. was organic I'd under
its charter. AT that time the Andros-
coggin & Kennebec r. Il. had been con-
structed as a broad gauge railroad, to
Watervlle, while the Somerset & Ken
nebec was a narrow gauge connecting at
Augusta with the Portland &c Kennebec.
1t was then that the contest arose as
to which gauge should be used on the
Penobscot & Kennebec railroad and was
continued for several years. The friends
of the broad gauge or back route sue
ceeded In constructin@in 1852 and 1858
a railroad from VAUDEVILLE to Fairfield,
then Kendall's Mills, about three miles
which from an expression of Hon. Wy
man B. s. Moor was called, "Moor's
Battery"
About this time provisional contract
was made with WYman B. S. Moore for
the construction of railroad from Ban
gor to Fairfield, there to connect with
the road built by Moore from Waterville
to Fairfield, and with the Androscoggin
& Kennebec railroad from Waterville to
Danville~Junction.
During the summer of 1857, by rum
ing at what was then deemed high rate
of speed the trains on the broad gauge
line or back route, were able to reach
Fairfield and leave for Bangor before the
arrival of the train on the other line,
sufficiently often to secure nearly all of
the through travel from Portland to
Bangor and beyond.
Thereupon the narrow gauge interest
procured the passage at the legislative
session In 1868 Of an act intended to COM
pei, under penalty, the train first arriv-
ing at Fairfield from theswest or south,
to wait 20 minutes for the other train,
| huu eSLhDilSucu DOdEu VI TdIlf Ohu COu-
missioners with power "when parties
operating connecting railroads fail to
agree on the terms and times of connec-
ton, crossing or junction, or rates, for
through business, to establish terms,
times and rates" By an act approved
March II, 1862, the two corporations
we're consolidated under the name of the
Maine Central Railroad Co.
| The Somerset railway running from
Oakland to Bingham was commenced in
| 1874, and was constructed in sections in
different years, and reached Bingham in
| 1890.
The Bangor & Aroostook r. r is given
| considerable attention and the latter part
| Of the address Ia devoted to electric
street railways which have been built
recently.
a Great Sensation
! There was big sensation in Leesvlle,
| Ind when w H. Brown of that place