The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-09-06

it has built up in this State system
of railroad, which at the end of the
twenty years contract in 1911, will be
source of revenue forever to the
10000 to start with for in that year
this whole railroad system will CONF
mence paying in to the State treasures
the full amount of it's legal tax.
But what has the State received ia
the meantime. The valuation of the
county of Aroostook in 1890, before
the projecting of this road, was $10,-
OOo, 900. In 1904 it was 26,5S0,391.00,
an increase of $16.59o,Ss1.0o, trace
able almost entirely to the building OF
this road. The mere fact that it was
to be built ran the valuation up more
than seven millions between 1890 and
1892.
But this is not all. The road is not
confined to Aroostook County but ex-
tends into Penobscot and Piscataquis.
In the same period the valuation OF
Piscataquis county increased about
100000. 90, and that of Penob-
scot about $4,000, 100000, making to-
tai increase in these three counties or
$4,000, 100000. A large portion OF
the increase in Penobscot and Piscata-
quis is directly traceable to the building
of this road.
The whole town of Millinocket has
grown up where, before this road was
built, the forest primeval covered the
earth. and this is in Penobscot Coun-
ty. More than 15.0O0,O00.00 expend-
ed upon the building of this road was
obtained from outside of the State, and
more than $20,00O,000 of capital from
outside the State has been invested in
private enterprises which have grown
up upon the line of this new road. Up
on all this great increase in valuation
the State has collected the State tax
through all these years and will go on
rnl1ecfinr, in the future.
There Is another thing worth not
ing. The increase in population in
Aroostook County attributable to the
building of this road has been far be-
yond that IN any other portion of the
State. Had 1t not been for this in
crease the State in the last apportion-
ment would have lost one of its rep
resentatives in Congress. 1t Is dl-
rectly as result of the building of this
road that we now have four members
in the House of Representatives in
stead of three
Someone may say that this road
would have been built any way; but if
he does, he little appreciates what 1t is
to project and build a railroad. The
experience of Maine in this direction
has shown that as a rule the building
of roads results in loss to the original
stockholders, perhaps the second set
Of stockholders. and that only por-
ton of the investment can be saved
The Bangor & Aroostook Railroad
has been an exception to this rule
1t is true. that up to the time that
this road was projected and built the
history of railroading in Maine was
not such as to make it easy to obtain
the funds necessary for such work.
The building Of the Knox Lin
coin by the aid Of the towns along it's
stock subscribed By the towns through
which it ran, and later the building of
the Washington County road, to say
nothing Of the earlier enterprises
have all shown the great hazard at
tending such enterprises.
The aid which the State granted to
the road in the way of exemption Of
taxes which was only foregoing the
| possibility of taxing road which
| might never exist without the aid.
seems little indeed for the whole State
to do In securing such great advan-
tages for the country of Aroostook and
| for the State as whole.
The history Of the Washington
| County road, built later on. empha-
sizes the risk which the county of
Aroostook took in the building OF the
Bangor & Aroostook road. The coun-
| the building OF the Washington Coun-
ty road, and the State extended the
| same aid to them as to the Bangor q
Aroostook, but even with all this ald.
| the road was not seIf-Sustalning, anu
the county Of Washington was the
| loser by the venture. so far as the d.
rect investment was concerned: but
does any one believe that the county
Of Washington to-day would have the
| Washington County Railroad removed
from its soil. If thereby it could be re-
inbursed for what it contributed tow
ard it's building?
The same business reasons present.
| ed above apply with equal force to the
case of the Somerset railroad, whose
| lin is now in process of construction
north to Moosehead Lake. The State
has seen in this extension the means
of opening up the great north country
| of the upper Kennebec. Astounding IN
watr-powers and other natural re-
sources.
This then is the business truth of
the matter that the Democracy has
| made an issue between parties in the
campaign; that they have set forth IN
| big type as an example of Republican
| favoritism and graft. This charge IS
an insult to the business sagacity OF
the State: a petty and despicable trick
| to deceive the hasty judgment OF those
| poorly informed in the matter in dues-
| ton Such chicanery must injure It's
| instigators alone. This method OF at
| lacking State institutions, State poii"
| cies and State expenditures. mas char-
l.-1rN A1 i'm nj +