Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-01-20
CAsTINE HARBoR.


/ "A Famous AnchOrage-lts Industrial
Advantages.
Much has been said and written about
the superior advantages OF Castine harbor
and its location. In the early wars it
played an important part. Here naval
battles were fought, and many fortifica-
ton erected. The town was not without
garrison for one hundred years. 1t was
contended for and held by the English,
French, Dutch, Flemish pirates ana Ply
mouth colonist as vantage ground.
| Many ships have since been built here,
and sailed to foreign ports, and smaller
vessels to coastwise ports. In the sos
many fishing vessels we're built and owned
| here, and this was the fittmg-out port
for a great fishing feet owned in many
| places.
| In 1851, il has always since been said,
| one could walk from Brophy's wharf to
the old East India wharf, distant of one
mile, along our water front on the decks
of fishing vessels.
When the Canadian Pacific railway was
| built this harbor and its location were fully
appreciated and desired as an ocean termi-
nus loi tiS gram tlhuV Va thS uotNh"SSt
coming over that road. Fifteen of the
great millers of that region came under
contract to ship their foreign grain from
here. The dominion parliament, in grant
ing its subsidy to aid in building the
Canadian Pacific, stipulated that it should
not construct, lease or operate any road
leading to an Atlantic seaport other than
the seaports of the lower provinces.
The Canadian Pacific, however, did agree
to interchange business on equal terms
with the Castine Railway & Navigation
Co., which was formed for the purpose of
connecting the Canadian Pacific with this
harbor, and to make a shipping port for
interior eastern Maine.
Sufficient capital was arranged for to
build road from Old Town to Castine,
and for suita BILE terminals there, provided
the Bangor & Piscataquis railroad could
be purchased to complete the connection
with the Canadian Pacific. The Castine
Railway & Navigation Co. offered to pur-
chase that road from the city OF Bangor;
SO did the Maine Central and the Bangor
& Aroostook, which succeeded in its pur-
chase. Then the Canadian Pacific sug-
gested it's preference for an independent
road all the way from its road at Brown
vile junction to Castine.
Another arrangement was concluded for
the necessary capital, conditioned upon
local subscriptions of slOO. 900 along the
line of the independent route. The en-
tire route was surveyed and located; $751;
900 was voted by towns and subscribed by
individuals, of which SIS. 900 was raised
in Castine. No more could be raised.
Several towns refused to vote money. talk
ing the ground that if the road was going
to be built it would be built anyway, and
would not allow THAR tares RI no ro;aed
Castine was, however, by this effort ad-
vertised far and near not only the COM
mercial advantages of this harbor and its
location, but also its natural beauties were
thus given wide On biicity. Historians and
poets had sung it's praises many years.
Summer vacations were becoming univer-
sally fashionable, and Castine became 4
favorite summer resort, and its great land
locked harbor with its many islands. bays
and inlets has since been used for boat
sailing in the summer and an anchorage
for the many steam yachts which yisit the
eastern waters.
I 1t would seem that this harbor. which is
the last one ever to freeze on this coast.
with its long deepest water front, should
be used for something more than boat
sailing for pleasure,
For the past twenty wears changes have
been coming about in the coal business
ter advantage. Coal is carried to coast
points from New York in small vessels.