Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-09-12
Location of Norway and Western.
APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONERS AS
FILED By THE COMPANY.

The hearing on the petition for loca-
tion of the Norway and Western Rail-
road was opened at the Office of the COM
pany in Norway Wednesday morning,
after the arrival of the forenoon train.
Commissioners Peaks and SpoffOrd were
in attendance, Mr.. Chadbourne not being
present. There were quite number Of
citizens and interested parties in the
room.
After the papers in the case had been
examined, Chairman Peaks asked re-
garding the representation of the parties
present. j. A. Farrar of Boston ap-
peared as counsel for the road, and Mr..
Rand, the promoter, and the engineers
of the road were also present. Mr..
Peaks asked if anybody appeared to OPP
pose the location. In response to this,
E. Z. Witt, Fred Grover and Ii. p. Brown,
citizens of Norway, stated that they ap-
peared to object to certain part of the
location in Norway.
c. Z. Holt, in behalf of II. r. Virgin,
attorney for Don C. Seitz, asked for a
continuance of the hearing until night or
the next day, as Mr.. Virgin was unable
to be present at this time. Mr.. Peaks
replied that they were unable to grant
the continuance, as the commissioners
had to leave on the afternoon train, but
that he had Just talked with Mr.. Virgin
by telephone, and had arranged that no
final action should be taken on the mat
ter until Mr.. Virgin had had an oppor-
tunity to appear before them in Port
land that night.
An objection was made by another
Norway man on the ground that he did
not consider his land damage sufficient.
The amount of damage had been adjust
ed on the supposition that it was to be
an electric road, but he understood that
the road could be operated by either
steam or electricity. II it was steam
road he thought his land damage should
be larger. To this Mr.. Peaks responded
that the charter was granted for steam
road, though the road had the privilege
of using electricity if it wished, but the
railroad commissioners had nothing
whatever to do with the matter OF land
damage. That was matter which could
be settled by the county commissioners,
and the rights of land owners were fully
protected.
The objection of Norway citizens to a
portion of the location was then taken
up, and Mr.. Witt stated that the part
objected to was on the lake road, where
the space between the lake and the bank
is narrow, and where the railroad lOca-
ton actually occupies portion OF the
highway. He asked that the commits
sionels should take q view of the place,
which was within mile and half. The
commissioners stated in reply to this
that the town of Norway had voted at 4
legal meeting to allow the railroad to
run in the highway at that point, and
that the commissioners would not go be-
hind the action of the town, which was
perfectly legal. This point being settled
BY the action of the town, view of the
place would be superhuOus.
Some time was spent looking over the
maps and plans, and then the commits
sioners and interested parties went out
to view the location through the grove
belonging to Don c. Seitz in the upper
end of Norway village which is the spe-
cial bone of contention in this location.
Some time was spent in informal con-
sideration of possible change of loca-
ton to skirt the grove, rather than 60
through it as now planned, which was
advocated by Mr.. Holt and friends of
Mr.. Seitz, and opposed by the road on
the ground of the greater difficulty and
expense of building.
After the full hearing the commits
sioners approved the location as filed by
the railroad company. The route, as
before stated, is from the Grand Trunk
Railway station at Norway, westerly
through the towns of Norway, Water
ford, Albany and Stoneham, to point
in East Stoneham near the post ot1ce;
also from a point on the aforesaid line,
known as Rice's Junction, sOuthwesterly
in the town of Waterford, to con-
venient point in the village of South
Waterford. The total length of the
road will be about 81 miles.
The organization of the Norway and
Western Railroad Company was per-
fected Tuesday by the choice of the
following officers:
Pres.-walace Wilson, Boston.
Clerk-H. l.. Bartlett, Norway.
Treas.-Wm G. Rand, Boston.
Directors-Chas. T. Birchard, Boston; n. l..
Burnham, Albany; Jonathan Bartlett. East
StOneham; w. II. Kilgore. North Waterford;
Wallare Wilson, Boston; John p. Conkling,
New York; VIM. q. Rand. Boston.
The board of directors chose officers as
follows:
Pres-Chas. T. Birchard, Boston.
V. Pres.-L. ii. Buruham. Albany.
Sec-JOnathan Bartlett. East Stoneham.
Johns Letter.