Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-06

with no interests in common. and eac,
WIFI its own steam railroad for an out.
let; IL tAey DO not care for winter travel
nut are content with the summer
movement to single lake and that toe
far away to compete in attraction
from the Augusta end, with Cobbos-
see; II they seek only the patronage OF
a farming community, where there are
few waterpowers. small and incapable
of much development. and which can
not build thriving villages: then l can
see how they can do it. But if on the
other hand they are after business
summer and winter. through string
of thriving villages. by the side of nu-
merous water powers, which will no,
only afford them power il they need it.
hut will surely increase the population
and their own business, then | cannot
understand why they choose the Sid
ney side.
Between Waterville and Augusta
there are six or seven villages already
tributary to either the one or the other
of these cities, and which are sure to
furnish in winter as we'll as summer a
large patronage to an electric road.
In other words the business is there,
land only wants facilities to be doubled
and trebled; it does not need to be Gre
ated.
Winslow is the chief feeder Of Water
willie North Vassalboro keeps the
road alive with teams all the year
East Vassalboro, South China, which
is near the line as once proposed. and
Riverside and Browns Corner, which
lie on the road. are all ready to furnish
their share. Hence for miles, all the
way into Augusta. there is almost a
continuous village not helped at all by
the trains of the Maine Central.
Where Snow Pond would attract peo-
pie on the Sidney side. there are three
lakes in a bunch on the other route
China Three Mile and Weber Ponds
the last regarded by many as the most
beautiful in the county. surrounded
by high hills, and affording bass and
pickerel fishing unsurpassed by any of
the Belgrade lakes. And they lie al
most midway between the terminals
proposed.
To cross the Kennebec at WateIville
will cost something it is true. and it is
significant that the travel over the
present large bridge is already crowd
ing its capacity; but where the tide
runs is the place to set the net. and
better an expensive bridge in a crowd
ed thoroughfare of villages than IS
miles of railroad through a section re-
markable more for it's beauty and
loneliness than it's business promise.
The steam roads already in opera
ton along or near the line present no
obstacle. Their trains are not the ones
either in frequency or cost to attract
the crowds which patronize the cleo
tries Frequent service and low fares
create even from nothing such streams
of trave! as run increasingly between
Augusta and Gardiner. and between
Waterville and Oakland and Fairfield.
In conclusion. misquoting slightly.
1--WE can't see why they do it if they
do"
The story is worth recalling Of the
two fishermen. The unlucky one
asked the stranger who had big
string what was the reason. The re-
ply was. I'm fishing for fish. you are
fishing for fun If the promoters
aforesaid are building railroads for fun
they have a good location on the Sidney
side if for business it looks otherwise
to
Yours respectfully,
WINSLOW.