The independent-reporter., 1910-09-22
ATHENS-SKOWHEGAN
CAR LINE AGAIN
Special Townmeeting
Will Be Called
The People of Skowhegan Thorough
ly Enthused In the Matter.

That the people of Skowhegan are
thoroughly enthused in the matter of
having an electric car line from
Skowhegan to Athens was shown
Wednesday evening at public meet
ing when a unanimous vote was cast
by over 100 of the best representative
citizens to hold a special town meet
ing and appropriate for this proposed
line $4,000. There is no doubt but
that there will be a town meeting
within a short time and the money
raised.
The meeting was full of interest
and the matter of building the line
was discussed from various points of
view Harvey D. Eaton, Esq, of Wa
terville, presented the subject, outlin-
ing the plans and going over the diff
ferent advantages. He reiterated the
fact that this country opened up to
an electric line would bring many
thousand dollars worth of business
to Skowhegan In year that other
wise does not come. The line would
tend to create greater amount of
business and he said that Engineer
Dunn of the Maine Central Railroad
Co. with other of the officials stated
after going over this country that
without doubt If a line was built
from Skowhegan to Athens 1000 to
1900 carloads of freight would come
to Skowhegan each year. The Brigh-
ton Lumber Co. now haul their lum-
Der to Mainstream over a rough and
hard road and they have said If this
line was put through to Skowhegan
where they have $50 car loads of
lumber they would have 600 car loads
more that would go over this line.
There are IL saw mills that this pro-
posed line would take in. There are
thousands of acres of timber within
few miles radius of this line that
would be shipped to Skowhegan If
the line was built. 1t would have a
tendency to benefit the business men
of Skowhegan, the lumbermen and
would benefit every individual.
Mr.. Eaton said that the town of
Athens had already raised $4,000 and
that he felt confident the Maine Cen
tral would Eve like amount
and the people of Athens
wanted to see Skowhegan give Sl5,-
600. His plan was that the town
should hold a special town meeting
and raise that sum and take com
mon stock in the railroad. He reck-
oned that if they raised the money for
| five years it would mean 80 cents
more on a thousand dollars each year
| for that five years and he believed
that the town would receive more
than enough benefit to offset the
amount. The estimated cost of the
road is $150,000.
James Harmon, an old resident of
Skowhegan, said at the meeting that
the town of Skowhegan could not af-
ford to let this project go by He
went back into history little and
said that before the Somerset rail-
road was built the people up through
Madison, North Anson, Solon and
Bingham tried to interest the people
of Skowhegan to help them connect
with this town with railroad. They
were deaf to the towns pleas, con-
seoueptly the Somerset railway was
built. damaging Skowhegan to a
great extent This ought to be a
lesson to this town said Mr.. Harmon
These people are bound to have con-
nection with some larger place and
they will have it and 1t Is up to Skow-
hogan to have the people come to this
town for If they did not they would
go somewhere and it might
mean that a car line would be
built from Shawmut to Canaan
and then up through to Athens which
would mean that the business would
&C to Wateryille, again cutting out
Skowhegan.
Roy L. Marston gave some good
ideas on the subject and emphasized
the fact that road should be built.
II would mean a great deal to Show
hogan and the town would be we'll
repaid for the money expended.
A petition has already been signed
by fourteen of the representative cit
liens here to call special town
meeting and the matter is now in the
hands of the selectmen to determine
the date.