Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-23
AS the Result of the Cutting
Out Of Steamboat Service Be-
tween Gardiner and Augusta
|STREET RAILROAD HAS
LONG CONSIDERED PLAN
And Has Already Made Pre-
lminary Preparations in An
ticipation of the Change
About to Take Place

Speaking on the subject Of the pro-
posed discontinuance by the Eastern
Steamship Corporation Of it's steam
boat service between Augusta and
Gardiner and the making of the latter
port its northern terminus on the
kennebec river. which decision it is
believed the company will carry into
effect when the coming season opens
about the middle of the month of
April. question which naturally
arises is what will>the Augusta and
Hallowell people do in regard to their
freight which has heretofore during
the summer months been coming via
the steamers Of the Eastern Steam
ship Corporation to Gardiner and has
been forwarded to it's upriver destina-
tons on the transfer steamer City of
Augusta.
That question however is not so
serious as it might appear at a first
glance, for while at the present time
not enough is known of what will oe
done to warrant a statement of a
definite nature, there are at the same
time certain facts known in a general
way sufficient to warrant the belief
| that although the cities of Hallowell
and Augusta may lose the opportun-
ity of having their Boston freight
brought by boat the freight service
will be taken up by the Lewiston, Au-
gusta & Waterville Street Railway,
and not only that. it will be extended
to Waterville.
This project is not a new one on
the part of the street railroad COM
pany for it has been under considera-
| ton for a long time. even as far back
as when the discontinuance Of the up
river steamboat service was threat
ened some yors ago The continuance
of the service however set aside the
project of the street railroad company
70" the time being but it was not lost
sight OF. Now that the steamboat cor
poration has decided to carry out it's
intention it naturally follows that the
street railroad project will be revived.
AS one of the facts in support of the
belief that the Lewiston, Augusta &:
Waterville Street Railway will estab-
lish a freight business between Gardi-
ner and Waterville, connecting with
the Boston steamers at the first
named city, it may be stated that TIL,
street railroad company already has
seven freight cars in course of con-
struction and approaching completion
at the Laconia Car Works. Iaconi2.
\. H, five of them being fiat cars AMI
two power cars. the latter similar to
those Of the Atlantic express cars
now in use Of the street railroad COM
pany's lines.
1t is also known that the street
railroad company has long had in
mind the building of an extension
from it's line in Depot square, Gardi-
Eer. down between it's waiting room
and the Harrington coal Office, along
the rear of the stores and under the
trestle Of the Maine Central Railroad
to the steamboat wharf of the Eastern
Steamship Corporation. SO that the
cars Of the street railroad can he
loaded direct from the steamer.
Another matter which is known is
that the company has in view the
building of freight shed in Gardiner.
q location for which it is understood
that the company has an option on.
the same being located on the west
side Of the Causeway. so-called. A
spur tn * which could be used in
connection with the freight service is
already laid in Hallowell. and the
company has practically secured the
location for freight shed in Au-
gusta. This is located on the east
side Of the river and can be easily
reached by a short spur from the main
line. At the Waterville end of the
line the company has ample facilities
for the storage Of freight.
While Of course there are condi-
tional features in the foregoing there
is at present ample reason to believe
that the above plan will be carried
out and that with the coming Of the
steamboat season on the Kennebec
river there will also come increased
freight service on the Gardiner-Au-
gusta- Waterville line Of the lewiston
Augusta & Waterville Street Railway,
and a freight service that is destined
to be appreciated.