Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-24
SURVEYING PARTIES
Are Seeking Best Route from Lagrange
to the Sea.

Houlton, Me, Nov. 23.-The visitor to
the headquarters Of Chief Engineer
Moses Burpee at the b. & A. station
here vii find a very busy man for the
edict has gone forth that the Bangor
x Aroostook is to build Il branch line
from Lagrange to the sea and upon
Nf. Burpee devolves the duty of find
ing the route to be followed. Mr.. Bur-
pee admitted that he has considera Bile
on his hands, but was willing to chat
bit with the Commercial representa-
tive relative to the proposed route.
There is very little that can say
at present" said Mr. Burpee. (which
has not already been said II the Com
mcrral, for it is al guess work as yet
Will say, however that we do not ex-
pect the new branch will he very diff
cult one to build. The grade seems
easy as a rule and although there are
some hills | guess we can get around
them all right.
Nor do [ anticipate that we shall
have TO do a great deal of bridging. We
will have to bridge near Hamplen and
again ut Winterport, but these will be
eve now have three engineering par
tics out with about dozen men each
party H. Hillard of Old Town, is in
charge OF Party No. l. and started at
| Lagrange working south. Party No. 2
is IN charge Of Warren Nickerson of
| Wiscasset, and started at the north
| line of Bangor and will work south. r.
| H. lockwood of Watervile, is in
charge of Party No. 3, which is start
| ing at Stockton Springs and working
north to meet NickersOn. Mr.. billiard
will close where Mr.. Nickerson begins.
This will be the preliminary survey
and then we shall probably have a lit
tie clearer idea of the route than we
have moss. | imagine that the line will
be about - mile in length"
Hon. Albert A. Burleigh first president
Of the bangor & Aroostook. is generally
conceded to possess more intimate knowl-
edge concerning the county of Arootook
and its railroad development than any
other MAN in the county. ana ii is the
opinion of Mr.. Burlegh that tn" contem-
plCtcd branch VIII prove OF inCStimabe
benefit tn this section.
IT is my honest opinion" said Mr.. Bur
leigh TO the Commercial that in 10
years We will double the area of land an
der cultivation providing We can get ia
cilities for getting to market with our
notatOes. The Bangor q AroOStOOk has
done wonders, hut it could do much more
with its present track. Give us another
outlet and We will aStoniSh tn" country
| Tn" market for our potat0oS aud other
rr"tGcts is Increasing every year and it
is difficult to set limit upon The wealth
| OF TINS county II we are gwen fun ia
cilitics.
"If the rev branch does not prove
sufficient WHY we will have to double
track and | would Inc at all SIrnrjSpI
it il is found necessary to double track
from Brownvillc down within five years.
right back and load again. Now they are
often gone for two or three weeks.
The lumber industry will also benefit
| in many ways. ! think that when tn"
new branch is running that the freight
rates to Stockton Springs will probably
b. about the same that they now arc to
Bangor. Then the l"mb' rmen will find
that they can afford to saw ana ship
great deal of rough lumber that they AZ"
now Obliged to burn, as they cannot af-
ford to ray the freight upon il
THE now branch VIII confer incstima-
bic benefit upon Bangor Think Of what
it means to that city to have The as;licui-
tural products of this great country
doubled and thy surely will be when
market fl .'iiiti"S are atOrd"d.'
chief F,nciuc"r Burpec was in the city
the last of the week for few hours. He
has entire charge of the survey being
made ana the other officials Of the road
are laying back until it is finished.
President Cram of the Bangor & Aroos-
| took. said. Monday. he knew bat very
lit tie of what was going on IN II" survey
being made. II have seen Mr.. Burpcc but
a few moments, recently" said Mr. Cram
and he simply told me in brief thai
there were three parties in the I'D"
The survey is being left entirely in tn"
hands Of Engineer Burpec and until thar
is completed there is little for anyone elsr
to do about the matter connected with the
road. President Cram is attending strict
! ly to his routine work. which was allowed
to get hehind for couple Of months while
| he was engineering the rreliminaries of
! the new corporation and getting the ship
| ready to be launched He says now he is
done with the new project while the sur
! vey is being made and until such time
for his part of the work.