Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-03-25
kennebec Boston Steame. Service.

nebec river steamboat connection
with Boston town and the incon-
venience and loss to the people of
the Kennebec valley can hardly be
estimated. Long and loud have been
the complaints and lamentations
from all sections at the situation.
Bath, the door to so many of Names
famous seaside resorts and the hum
dreds of inland resorts, to which
thousands were accustomed to travel
part way via the water route, per-
haps felt the, loss as much if not a
little more than some other places.
but the loss was really a mutual one,
affecting in some degree every in
dividual within ordinary travel to or
from the river.
For these reasons the Kennebec
Journal urges on all it's readers and
especially on the people Of the Ken
nebec valley, prompt action in ac-
cordance with the idea expressed in
the following article from the Bath
Times of Tuesday, March %, which
seems to US admirably to meet the
situation.
The resumption OF this steamboat
service has been and is 8 matter of
exceedingly great importance to our
people. Interview after interview.
year after year, with the steamboat
people have failed to bring any
definite assurance that the service
would be resumed and this years
conferences bring no better results.
1t is therefore a business proposition
for the business men and other citi-
| zens to take hold of the matter and
protect their own and the interests
of the Kennebec valley and the
State, now so utterly disregarded by
some parties. Read what the Times
says:
NJ. 4. Haraden, agent for the Eastern
olcdHIUOdt 1AitcS, Ill.,. udo dlLISCu uoAAo
from Boston and says that ne can offer
little encouragement so far as the re-
sumption of steamboat connections be-
tween Boston and kennebec river ports
is concerned. This is a matter to which
the Times called the attention OF Bath
people a week or more ago. The Bath
Chamber Of Commerce has voted to
take UP the matter with other cities
along the kennebec, and see if anything
can be accomplished.
vn mo 1faI
not to restore service to the Kennebec
division. it might be wisdom on the part
of the business men along the river to
joiI: efforts and see what can be done in
property along the Kennebec and the
steamer City Of Rockland which is best
adapted to this route.
Should n satisfactory price he ar
ranged it might be possible to form a
Maine corporation and proceed to pur.
chase the equipment and boat and oper-
ate the line under home management,
divorced from all working agreements
with the railroads and as an independ-
ent corporation. Under this plan it
could set its own rates for passengers
and freight and get back to the basis
the line was on, in the days when it paid
good dividends and was a big asset to
the communities along the river. There
are without doubt many big firms along
the Kennebec who would take stock in
such an enterprise. and If the line was
divorced from all connections with other
divisions OF the company and the rail-
roads, it Is more than probable that a
large amount OF stock could be placed
in smaller lots among the merchants
and traders who receive and ship
freight. II they were stockholders in
the company and the boat carried
freight at rates as low, or lower, than
the railroad charges. there is no ques-
ton but that a goodly amount Of their
shipments would come and go by boat.
Going a step farther, the company
might attempt the purchase of the
wharf property of the Boothbay divi-
sion. and two boats for that line, and
operate this in connection with the Ken
nebec division. BY SO doing they would
take over what everyone knows is
paying proposition and encourage ship
ments to and from Boston by boat
Such an ARRANGEMENT "A this Maine