The Republican journal., 1905-02-02
NEWS OF THE B. 4 A.
And its Proposed Deep Water Terminal.
Sears Island Bought.


When asked Friday as to the truth of q
report that Sears Island had been bought
or leased by coal company President Cram
| of the Northern Maine Seaport railroad
said that the island had been bought by the
Bangor Investment Company and had not
been sold or leased to any coal company.
The Bangor Investment Co. is an allied
| corporation with the Bangor & ArOOsto0k,
Northern Maine Seaport railroad and the
Aroostook Construction Co., and was organ
lied for the purpose of taking over land
| along the line of the proposed new road.
The report that the island was to be utilized
for coal pockets was not denied and may
therefore be accepted as correct.
While we doubt if the location of the Bel
fast terminus of the Northern Maine Sea-
port Railway is definitely decided upon,
Judge Stearns is quoted as saying: The route
to Stockton Springs is to be in as straight
line as possible; from there it passes
through the rear part of Searsport proper,
and, after crossing the "shore road" three
OF four times, it reaches the station which is
Bridge. From this station long railroad
brids e it is to be built diagonally to connect
with the NJ. c. T. r. track at a point oppO-
site what is known as Robbinstown, where
the M. c. R. R. track swerves around
curve just below the Upper Bridge. This
new bridge is to be for the most part a pile
bridge, but the "draw' and some other
portions will be of steel. In conversation
with citizens at the railroad meeting in this
city both General Manager Houghton and
Judge Stearns conveyed the impression that
SO far as possible the wishes of our people
will be regarded as to the location of the
Belfast station.
1t is learned from the chief engineer in
charge of the preliminary surveys and plans
for the Northern Seaport railroad that the
plans and profile drawings of the route to
be covered by the road will be completed
this week and will be ready the first Of next
week for the inspection and approval of the
board of railroad commissioners. Following
the inspection and approval of the plans
and drawings by the railroad commission
erS an active canvass will be made to learn
the sentiment of the people living along the
proposed right of way of the new road and
to acquire this right of way at terms reason
able and just to the land owners and the
railroad.
That the building of this road means
much to the people living along the route
cannot be doubted for a moment by any
person who is familiar with the prosperous
conditions that have been brought about by
the development of the Maine railroads and
particularly the development of the country
traversed by the lines of the Bangor &
Aroostook and its Greenville and Fish Riv-
q branches In consideration nf tho
advantages accruing from the construction
of the new road, the people across whose
lands the road will pass should be reason
able in their demands. ExtOrtionate de-
mands for land damages may stay the con-
structiOn of the road, turn it away from the
route proposed, or stop its construction, and
this would be calamity which would long
be felt by the people of PiScataquiS, Pen0b-
scot and Waldo counties whose towns and
villages will be developed by the new line.
A contract has been made with j; F:
Spellman OF Bangor, the well known wharf
builder. for the building of 200 feet of
wharf at Stockton. Mr.. Spellman is already
getting his material together i'll preparation
to begin work. This 200 feet of wharf will
of course be only small item of the great
amount of wharfage to be constructed when
the road is once in operation, but whenever
the work is begun there must be some place
ready for the assembling of the great
amount of ties, rails, frogs, and other ma
terial necessary to the construction of a
railroad, and the wharf at Stockton will
Just meet the needs of the contractor who
will do the work.
A. E. Trites, who has done much CON
structiOn work for the Bangor & ArOostOOk
railroad, has been looking over the pro-
posed route of the new road with view of
making bids for the contract for its con-
struction. Mr.. Trites will look out for any
heavy cuts or fills which may be necessary
along the proposed route.
George M. Houghton, for the past year
general manager of the Bangor & Aroos-
took railroad, has resigned that position to
act as assistant to President Cram of the
Northern Seaport railroad The position
left vacant by Mr.. Houghton's resignation
will not be filled at present. W. NJ. Brown,
superintendent of the Bangor Il Aroostook,
has been appointed general superintendent
of that road.
Mr.. Houghton has been connected with
the Bangor & ArOostook road since the
early days of its operation and is a thorough
railroad man. In MIR. Houghton President
Cram will have an able assistant looking
after the great amount of work and innum-
cradle important details incident to con-
structiOn.-BangOr Commercial.
Hugh Chaplin of Bangor, counsel Of the
Bangor & AroostoUk railroad and for its al
lied interests, is at Augusta looking after
the interests of the company in legislative
way. Mr.. Chaplin told the Bangor News
| correspondent Tuesday that the company
had purchased the David Sears island, situ-
ated at Stockton Springs off Point Jellison,
which island will eventually become the
| most important area of the proposed termi-
| nus of the Bangor & AroostoOk.
"There are 96O acres on the island, which
| is situated most adyantageouSly at the
mouth of the harbor. There is a depth of
| from to 4 fathoms Of water all about the
island. Sears island will be connected by the
mainland, which is a short distance away,
| with a roadway over which a branch line
| will be built. The island will be eventual
ly girded about by wharves and there will
| be located several building for railroad
purposes
"All about the island on the mainland will
be wharyes also which will permit OF the
loading and unloading of deep draught
steamers. The company owns all the
shore privileges in that vicinity and by the
purchase of Sears island, which, l believe,
was once owned by the late Francis Cobb,
father of governor Cobb, the last and
most important feature of the enterprise
is cOnsummated. This island is ideally
adapted for railroad terminus. Its highest
elevation is 1870 feet and nature has prOvid-
ed plateaus around the islands shore for
tracks, wharves and buildings which will
make the terminal the most convenient in
New England.
"The rumor that the Lagrange extension
will pass near the center of Bangor with a
station at MaplewoOd park is absurd. We
| ha MoiDa tho tSE ri g