Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-25
The Athens kowhegan
Electric Road Is Assured.
NoIk Will Undoubtedly Be
:, Started In The Spring.
People Interested and the Line
Should Be i Success.


favorable outlook and said that Their
was no possible doubt that as soon a
the ground was settled in the sprin
work would begin on the new line. MI
Oliver said that Engineer John Jone
Of Lewiston had completed the surve
and had reported to the committee o
the town most favorable conditions
Mr., Jones said that he had not made
survey in the State of Maine where tn
ground was SO favorable for an electrl
line as he found it to be betWeel
Skowhegan and Athens over the pro
posed road of the Athens-Skowhega
line. He had said before going ont
the ground that if he found no NOR
than twenty per cent. grade he wo"l
be satisfied but he now reports nv
per cent. grade. Mr.. Jones as yet ha
not made a complete report of the con
ditions that he found over this pro
posed line hut lie assured the com
r?ittec that he found nothing unfavor
a.l... There will be a special tow
". citing in Athens on January ?, ia
at 5tl1ich Mr. Jones will give full
F,ort of his survey which he has r'
.,nt'v completed.
Not only the town of Athens 70"
,'orn, lilo and Madison are fully aroi
pG - What an electric road from SknW
an to Athens would mean o|r
ttr ,o,rtc proposed by Engineer JoHts
Tho original rlan of the road was
60 IRON, Sl:owheean up Madison Ave
nae 0v-~ +he Somerset Traction Coz
na,i>'e line. branching at Cole BrIu
oI- ,5il. from, Skowhcsan village q
guias- direct 70 East Madison over tt
East Madison road. This would t"F
IN Fast Madison Pond establishing"
ei,aner resort at this place and II
"a. line would continue to the Low
us and to- the main Athens road o.
rrct to Athens village. Engineer Jon
reports since making his survey th
it would be better to make a lit ,
change in the route o. the line. n
Jones does not state definitely the @
act route that he would propose J.
according to his survey there is lit
doubt but that the line will come fro
Athens down the Athens road di.
lance Of ABOUT four miles and tn
turn and go direct to the Lower Mil
East Madison ana then strike I
edge of the pond at East Madison. 70
lowing this for about a mile. Then
will cut across country and come o
near what is known 2s the MolunkI
road on the SkOwhegan and Athe'
stage line and down North stree
Skowhegan and up Water street ar
over some of the other principe
streets. Mr.. Jones has suggested ar
other way to get into Skowhegan b.
the committee has not made this wa
public. Tie power for this line will
generated at Skowhegan with an au>
iliary station at Athens.
Mr.. Oliver was asked Thursday whc
would be- the main advantage to thu
line and he said: 1.-The enormous an
cunt of freight that would necessary
come from Athens and sUrroundir
places to Skowhegan." He said thf
the committee had made an indivir
ual canvass and every person VIII
owned timber land within radir
of 10 or - miles from Athens had as
sued the committee that he would shi
thousands OF dollars worth each yea
Each man asked the committee no
much freight they could handle and ~
fore the committee got through wit
the canvass the question was asked
the individuals. "How much freight wi
you handler" instead of the cOmmitt'
asking the individuals how niue
fright they would send. Farmer
living along this proposed line an
those living at quite a distance fro
the lice have declared that if this lir
is started they will plant more pots
toes and one man has gone so far a
to plough up 40 acres to put into pc
tatoes in the spring feeling assure
that this new electric line will be bui'
in the spring.
Mr.. oliver said that capitalists az
becoming interested in the project ar
the committee expect to realize in
short time financial benefits fro
these capitalists. Mr.. Oliver was ask
ed in regard to steam road runnin
from Skowhegan to Athens and he re
piled by saying that the advantage e
an electric line over steam lire wa
that the cost Of building would be yer
much less for the reason that Ian
over which the electric line is to III
will for the most part be granted free
ly by the owners OF the land. whereof
II steam line were to take the sam
course, which could be easily done $
far as the grade is concerned, ever
land owner would demand land dam
ages. Another advantage of an electri
line over a steam line is that freigh
may be picked up anywhere on tn
line.
Everybody in this part of the count
seems to be aroused to the highest in
terest in this project.
Miss Annie Bergman, stenogra
pher in the office of Vickery & Hill
Augusta. came home Thursday to pas
Christmas.
DR.. George Otis Smith will speak be
fore the Young Mems Christian Asso
citation Sunday afternoon.
Maurice Merrill, who is a student i,
Harvard Law School. arrived HON
Thursday night and will visit his par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. j. P. Merrill. fo
two weeks.
Folsom Merrill of Rowdoin Colleg
is at home with his parents. Hon. an,
Mrs. E. N. Merrill for his vacation
Miss Lizzie Haynes was in Lewisto,
Thursday visiting friends.
Walter Merrill of the University o
Maine will pass his Christmas vaca
ton with his sister, Miss Grace Merrill
at the home Of E. N. Merrill.
Miss, Josie Mcntry of Leominste,
a, -nl