The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-03-02
NORTHERN MAINE SEAPORT R. R.
Hearing on Proposed Location Held In Ban
ROr Feb. 23d.~

NORTHERN MAINE SEAPORT r. r.
Hearing on Proposed Location Held In Ban
gor Feb. 23d.N~
A meeting was held at the Bangor House,
Bangor, Thursday morning, Feb. 23nd, be-
fore the State board Of railroad commission
ers on the petition of the Northern Maine
Seaport Railroad Co. for the location OF its
proposed route from IA point of connection
with the Bangor l. ArOOstOOk railroad at
South Lagrange to tide water at Stockton
Springs and to point OF connection with
the Maine Central railroad at Belfast.
Pres. F. W. Cram Of the Northern Maine
Seaport railroad was heard, and Newell
Randall, chairman, and E. E. Dow, and
Thomas II. Wentworth, Esq, of the board
of selectmen of the town of Bradford ap-
peared in the interests of its citizens, petit
tioning for q change in the proposed route
of the road, so that it would take in that
town. The hearing was adjourned and
another hearing will be held in Augusta, at
which time other petitioners living near the
proposed route of the road from Stockton
Springs to Belfast will be heard. Besides
those mentioned above there were present
at the hearing, Col. Joseph b. Peaks, chair
man, and Hon. Parker SpoffOrd and Benja-
min F. Chadbourn of the board of railroad
commissioners, F. Ii. Appleton, Esq, Judge
Louis c. Stearns, Hon. r. F. DuntOn of
Belfast, DR.. E. Hopkins, of Searsport, Hon.
b. b. Thatcher of Bangor, and Moses Bur-
bee, chief engineer OF the Bangor & Aroos-
took railroad. The engineers plan showing
the proposed location of the new road was
shown and the different points OF location
were thoroughly discussed.
Only one town presented a petition for a
change in the location, and that was the
town of Bradford, whose citizens ask for a
change in direction OF the proposed route !,
from South Lagrang. so that the road will
come nearer Bradford Center and provide
facilities for the people of that thriving
community to send out their agricultural
products. The case was ably presented on
the part of the town by Mr.. Randall.
MIR. Burbee said the proposed route had
been laid out after considering all the
various phases of railroad construction
which would be met with and with the aim
of having the shortest feasible route from
South Lagrange to Stockton. he Thought
the change of location asked for by the
citizens of Bradford would lengthen the
route by about half mile and also increase
the grade.
MIR. Cram said the proposed road was to
be built with the idea of furnishing an out
let to the great amout OF freight which is
annually sent out from northern Maine
and which cannot be satisfactorily handled
by the present railroad facilities. The
route as shown on the plan was considered
the most feasible with regard to length,
grade, and the difficulties of railroad con-
struction which must necessarily be en-
countered. To change the route would in,
volve difficulties of increased grade and
lengthen the road and seriously affect its
construction. The position of the Brad
ford petitioners had beer considered when
the plans for the road were made and it
was not found feasible to lay the route as
desired by the petitioners.
At the meeting to be held in Augusta this
week the various crossings which the road
mill nIyo mil hn Tvvn
roads will be crossed, the Penobscot Cen
trail electric road, near Six Mile Falls and
the Maine Central railroad in HermOn,
short distance west of the Bangor line
The Route Proposed.
The Northern Maine Seaport railroad, as
at present planned, starts at point OF con-
necton with the Bangor 4 AtoOstook rail
road at Lagrange ana runs y general
southwesterly direction to tide water at
Stockton and from there to point of june
ton with the Maine Central railroad at Bel
fast
The road crosses Dead stream and its
branches in the northwest corner of the
town of Alton, cuts the town of Bradford
about mile from its southeast corner, and
crosses the main road from Hudson to Old
Town at a point about one mile east OF Hud
son post office.
The line then swerves to the east and
skirts the northwest shore of Pushaw pond
at point opposite Mays Ledge. 1t enters
the towr of Glenburn, crossing the town
line short distance to the east of the coun-
ty road, and crossing the county road runs
almost parallel and about une-fourth of a
mile to the westward of that highway, pass
ing about a half mile to the westward of
Glenburn post Office.
Crossing kenduskeag stream it runs to
the westward, crossing the Bangor town
line about mile from Six Nile Falls and
quarter of a mile to the west of the stream
L he line then crosses the tracks of the Pc
HUDscut Contra! electric road about an
eighth uf a mile south of the town line,
crosses [ Mon rect Il half mile west of the
junction OF that street with the Davis road,
and enters the to"no OF lennon, crossing the
Fuller road short distance from the town
line The road cuts Hammond street at the
sylvester farm, half mile vest of the Ban
sur line, and about four mics from POPS
Corner. The new road interSectS the right
of way of the Maine CentralR. +. about a half
mile south OF Hammond street, convenient
brook making the passage OF the new road
under the Maine Central tracks much easier
than would otherwise be the case.
The road cuts the l1ampden line near the
Odlin road and crosses the Colebrook road
and Souadabscook stream about one mile
south Of the line. 1t then passes half a
mile to the westward of Arey Corner and
crosses the Ninterport town line about two
miles from the Penobscot yiver, and runs
about mile and a half to the westward of
v Interpret post Office. The road will skirt
the suburbs of Frankfort and the main line
Will pass quarter OF a mile from the Mt.
Waldo granite quarries. The route follows
the shore to Marsh river and passes through
the town Of Prospect ami then swerves
toward the river following the county road
to Mill Cove
Running through Standpoint it passes
about half mile from the beach and con-
tnues to a point about a mile from Stockton
Springs. Here the road branches, a line
running down the shore of Cape Jellison to
Squaw Point at the mouth of Stockton har-
Dor, while the main line continues on to
junction with the Maine Central railroad at
Belfast.