The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-03-28
n. M. SEAPORT R. R.

n. M. SEAPORT R.R.
315,455 Tons of Freight Moved on B. & A.
Seaport Extension in 1906, and 400 per
Cent Increase Expected in 1907.
| The aggregate of freight moved on
the Northern Maine Seaport r. R. in
1906 was $50, 900, TAI lbs, or about 3l5,-
455 tons, slightly more than that moved
on the Bangor & Aroostook as whole
In 1896, 10 years before 300, 900 tons.
| The larger items were coal, 145, 5000
tons, and long lumber, $4,000 tons.
Adding laths, shocks, ETC., the total of
all lumber was 1Ol, 900 tons. There
were 5000 tons granite and 5000 tons
fertilizer, which may be termed leading
items, while sulphur brick and general
commodities make up the total as
, stated.
A basis of comparison from which to
determine the prospective increase in
tratflc is available only for the months
i of January 1906 and 1907. In the for
, mer there was total of but 9,267, 1873
lbs, or about 1854 tons, and in the lat
ter total OF 55,S0s,S57 lbs, or 27,9O4
tons. This is entirely apart from the
traffic interchange with the Maine
Central, now made at Northern Maine
junction, on the Seaport division OF
the Bangor Il Aroostook, which inter
change with that company, as a whole,
Increased 1rcm S5,l75 tons in January
1906 to 80, GA tons ill January 1907, and
has since, Ill general terms, shown
still larger increase. The chief gains
to and from the harbor, January 1907
over January 1906, have been in coal,
long lumber and potatoes, although
gains in cement, fertilizer, ETC.. form
considerable items. II is not unfair to
estimate quadrupled tonnage, to and
/ from the harbor, for the year 1907 over
that OF the year 1906, not a 20 to % per
cent increase in the all rail business,
although the severity of the weather in
January 1907 prevented normal traffic
movement, which was not the case in
January 1906.
The construction of the two large
pulp and paper mills by the Great
Northern Paper Co. as East Millinoc-
ket of the second double band saw mill
by the st. John Lumber Co. at Van
Buren,, of the single band saw mills at
Milo and at Islands Falls, together with
several smaller mills, and the fact that
appreciabiy more fertilizer than ever
before is being shipped into Aroostook
County, gives evidence of the
traffic producing energy resources
OF Northern Maine and of the sturdi-
ness and resolution of its people. When
it is considered that along with the in
crease of population there has come in
creasing ability per capita to turn the
products of forest and field to account
for the enrichment of the State, that
means are being discovered for the
profitable utilization of much which
has heretofore been treated as of little
or no value, and that hundreds of
acres as rich as any SO far opened are
yet To- be opened, the mission of the B.
u A. and the advantages derived from
its building are apparent. At once,
too, the necessity for the construction
OF the ocean spur and terminal is ex-
planned, as is the necessity for double
tracking that section of it north of Her
mon to be contaminated this year, and
upon which work has been, or is about
to be commenced.
AS has already been noted the double
tracking will be continued north even
OF SO. Lagrange Jet, the northerly end
OF the Seaport H. K. spur to, or near
to, Seboeis, but instead of following the
present main line via Milo, Brownville,
etc, where there are heavy grades, it
is located through the town of Medford
and so on in nOrtherly course, some
30 odd miles, avoiding all grades of mo-
ment.
The intention of the company is not
to divert more than one passenger
train each way daily from the Brown
vile route, and it is probable that con-
nection will be made with that to and
from Brownvile and Milo. The plan,
moreover, will be to route most north
bound freights via the present line, and
thus leave the Medford line as clear as
may be for the heavier south-bound
traffic. 1t takes the proceeds of many
car loads of Northern Names coarse
products for purchase of fewer car
loads of the inward supply freight, and
accordingly empty cars in northward
trains constitute a liberal proportion of
their loads.
The relation the proposed Allagash
extension is to bear the Seaport R.
r. and Medford extension is readily
grasped upon glance at the map. The
three sections of construction will
form, when completed, the most direct
line possible through and from the
heart of the as yet unopened by rail
timber belt of the Allagasb, intercept
ing every tributary of it and intercept
ing the St. John in Maine as we'll, up
to the New England rail line to the
ocean, and SO to the markets of the
world.-Bangor News.
In the matter of export of apples
New York led all ports for the week