Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-08-21
THE ELECTRIC ROAD.
., ANS OF THE PROMOTERS OUT
LINED BY MR.. DORR.
,r no EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO
.,,vu ROAD ATTRACTIVE AND PRE-
SERVE ISLANDS BEAUTY.

- IN the Mt. Desert Transit Co., which
.s-oroses to build an electric road from
r,,swortb to Bar Harbor, in an open LETT
-. rep,ving 10 some Of the directors to
,hs road, outlines the plans OF the COM
AMY in more detail than has heretofore
been given. He says:
n view of the discussion Of the railway
,...;o, n. BAR Harbor which has been lately
,n,ng on in the prcss and out Of IL, and Of the
sN,a.nnrebeusion with regard 10 II which evil
sl sxists in the minds Of number Of the
..r,r,.r residents here, l feel that some clear
Statement with regard TO II IL needed.
:. Ma. heen the intention Of the directors Of
.ss Mt Desert Transit Co. TO make such
statement at the earliest moment possible as
soon MS its preliminary surveys Tor route
should be completed and the practical posi-
hili,y could be shown Of constructing and OPP
.,atipg such line - planned BY them. But
their desire TO obtain not only well ensi-
rs,red route from the raiircad-engineerin
roint Of view but one that would give the
he's, service to Bar Harbor with the least pos
chile injury, II any, to residential property or
N the beauty Of the ialAnd and the pleasant
rsss Of It's walks and drives, has led 10 pro-
Ioused study Of the ground and unexpected
sslsv: many routes have been surveyed to
90. ,he best, and the thickness Of the woods
has made the work OF obtaining these Diff
cul, and slow. This work Is now practically
counlete however and the transit company
intends to place the results Of II before the
public by map and statement ~ soon % 1t IL
possible to do so.
The pains taken by it's engineers TO avoid
d;sagurement to the island or injury to its
future interests rs . summer resort Will then
be seen ane people win be able to pass intel
,irep, Judgment upon the success attained.
The utmost care has been taken to avoid all
valuable property and summer residences.
present or to come, while serving their con-
y.nience. The road will scarcely be seen In
deed At any point after construction 10 COM
ple.e II built along the line now planned by
MS and in the way intended. Its few road
crossings within driving distance Of Bar Har-
Dor have been carefully studied out with ref
erenee to neither crossing roads at grsde nor
dis6guring them; no viaducts arc necessary
nor entertainments higher than can be easily
and quickly screened from view by planting;
and plans have already been prepared espec-
tally, with the most careful thought, for OBJ
waiting at the railroads cost any injury to
the landscape, and 70 all other interests OF
summer residents, that might result from en-
cheering necessity In obtaining entrance
to Bar Harbor-
The real point Mt issue, however, Is not the
measure OF success we may have attained in
doing this but whether railroad connection.
of some kind, with the mainland is not GER
tain in the near future; and whether, II the
line planned by the transit company Is not
built, some other would not soon succeed 1t
under the management OF those less inter
esied in preserving the beauty and attraction
of the island and In giving weight 10 the in
teresss OF its summer residents, or less able
to consider them.
Mt. Desert Island Is an island In name only
so far as road communication Is concerned,
and It would be childish to suppose that a
territory Of It's extent and interest, with sew
enty odd miles OF the most beautiful coast
upon the whole Atlantic. and near as IL Is to
great eeutres of population, can be kept per-
manently isolated from direct connection
with the general railroad system of the
country. 1t is as inevitable that such devel-
opment should come rs 1t Is that stream
damned up should overflow its dam. The de-
within until IL comes: but II the road should
then be built by those who have not got at
heart the interests OF the island as summer
home, who do not understand these interests
or are not able to give them weight by build
ing for the future, great and irreparable in
Jury to the island win have been done. Such
lines are like river valleys In their perma-
nenee when formed. II a good line Is adopted
now, its benefit to the island in the future
VIII be incalculable; II a bad line is taken or
poor methods Of construction are adopted, 1t
VIII do irreparable harm to the interests Of
the existing property holders on the island
and 10 The pleasure aud convenience OF those
who may come to live here in the future.
The character Of the present line between
Bangor and the Ferry, built by . promoter,
SHOWS what comes from leaving the develop
ment OF a railroad system to those who have
no interest in the region served, and it also
SHOWS the permanence which q bad line and
III construction obtain when once line is
nniit' III planned and i'll constructed, this
me mas had the one great merit Of giving a
oeaatifui approach to Bar Harbor in the
summer time, when the weather is pleasant
ana the boat service is direct and good. But
It's eject is to place the island at its nearest
point eight miles OFF from shore, and other
polnts upon it-equaily near by iand-tweive
miles or more beyond. Anyone who looks at
the matter reasonably can see that 1t is i'm
possible that this condition should continue,
III the presence of the rapidly growing rail-
way systelA of the country, when good and
rapid land communication is possible and the
service by water can only be maintained at a
constant loss and great expense to the rail-
way company that gives 1t.
IRIS seems SO obvious and the importance
.. looking ahead and trying to provide for the
enange which it win bring SO clear that /
cannot understand how any one can fail to
recognize the necessity. in Directing to the
soiution of the problem which we offer, OF
showing some other to exist which would be
better than it,
IL better than our own can be shown, /
.eei shat speak with knowledge in saying
mat all those who are interested in the
transit company will gladly cooperate in
prihging 1t about instead OF the one they
oHeti out II none better can be found, then
opposition to it is unwise and harmful. For
no one having know }ed 0a ~ the N, tier at all