LETTERS OF 
 
 lion. William Atkinson 
 
 AND orilER CORRESPONDENTS RELATIVE TO THE 
 
 CARRABASSETT AND CANADIAN 
 
 RAILWAY, 
 
 iiiii!iMi:iiiiiMiiiiiiiiii!miiiiiiiiiiiiiHii!uiiimiiiiiiiiiiinMiiniiiiiiimiiiiimi!imiii 
 
 ADVOCATE JOB PRINT: 
 
 North Anson, Mainm. 
 U. S. A. 
 
 IS!"*. 
 
Ll) 
 
THE QUEBEC BRIDGE 
 
 FROM AN AMERICAN STANDPOINT. 
 
 [ Quebec Chronicle^ 
 
 The folloniug letter has been addressed 
 to a gei)tlemau in this city by the Hon. 
 William Atkinson, of North Anson, Maine, 
 who visited this city in December last. 
 It is very interesting, as illustrating how 
 keenly observant our neighbors are of the 
 progress of public works iu Canada. 
 
 To judge from the kindly and compli- 
 mentary words with which Mr. Atkinson 
 coucliideM his letter, the fishery dispute 
 lias not had so much iJifluenco on the 
 tniiids of .lie people of Maine, as wo have 
 been led to suppose. 
 
 His opinion on the bridge matter is of 
 great value, as being that of one of the 
 oldest lailway men and one of the ablest 
 legislators in Maine. 
 
 North Anson, Maine, U. S. A,, 
 
 March 21. 1887. 
 
 Dear Sir,— I am extremely gratified at 
 the deep interest your people are taking 
 in that all important factor in their future 
 growth, and prosperity and commercial 
 importance of your picturesque and his- 
 toric city— the proposed cantilever bridge 
 across liie St Lawrence nt Quebec. 
 
 The pliotogruph of the i)ridge sent me, 
 and the (iescriptive pamphlet, with pho- 
 tographs and explanations, by that emi- 
 nent engineer, Sir James Bruuless, of 
 London, pleased all who have examined 
 tliem, and give ua hopes of the (?frand re- 
 ality iu the near future. We believe the 
 construction of the cantilever bridge at 
 Quebec will greatly enhance the pros- 
 pects and value of the international high- 
 way from Wiscasaet, Maine, to Quebec; 
 and that the oertainty that this great 
 work will be completed will give a pow- 
 erful impetus to this great iuternational 
 line from the unsurpassed open deep-sea 
 harbor of Wisoasset to Quebec, will mate- 
 rially eiihancH the vhIup of the Quebec and 
 
 Lake St. Johu Railway, giving that im- 
 portant line unobstructed connection with 
 Atlantic ports for the vast amount of 
 lumber contiguous to its routo.and bring- 
 ing swarms of summer travel over to visit 
 a very paradise for sportsmen in quest of 
 npeckled trout and game, iu which that 
 region is known to abound. 
 
 The construction of the bridge will give 
 cheap and easy communication between 
 the great railways now terminating at 
 Quebec, representing a capital of more 
 than thiee hundred millioiis of dollars, 
 and enhance the importance of Quebec 
 commercially and socially and as a Mecca 
 for summer tourists, beyond conipatisou. 
 
 The importance of this great enterprise 
 (truly in the interest of commerce and 
 civilization) ui't alone to the good city of 
 Q'iel)ec, nod that portion of the Province 
 of which Quebec is the commercial cen- 
 ter and dittributing point, but to the 
 railways centering and to center there 
 3an hardly be overestnTiated. The peo- 
 ple of your city and Province, and the in- 
 telligent managements of the great rail- 
 ways terminating nt Quebec, no doulit 
 see that the construction of this bridge is 
 al)8olutely necessitous, and simply com- 
 plemental to the great iron and sfeel 
 structures that already span the St. [^aw- 
 rence, responsive to tlie demands of c "n- 
 nierco.nnd in the interest of an enlighten- 
 ed, progreMsive and Christian civilization. 
 The prescience and enterprise of your 
 people, supported by the great railroad 
 interests, I am sure are equal to this 
 great work. I have full faith in its speedy 
 completion, because commerce and inter- 
 communication demau<1 it; and I'ecause, 
 as I told you last December, it will pos- 
 sess elements and resources that will en- 
 sure its financial success. 
 
 The bridge is not a mere work of local 
 importance, but one of national necessity, 
 as you Oiiu easily see. Halifax has an 
 abiding interest in its construction; and 
 the more your people examine land dis- 
 cuss it, the stronger it will grow in its fi- 
 nancial, commercial and national aspects, 
 and the easier it will be to procure the 
 needful Qovernment aid. 
 
 The completion of this great work will 
 add another laurel to the brow of a vigor- 
 ous and progressive pe»>ple, who have iu 
 recent years and comparatively in an in- 
 frtnt stagp ot nationality', astoni-'hed the 
 
world, aud outdid tliemselves in the con- 
 ception and completion of great enterpri- 
 ses, iu the interests of commerce and civ- 
 ilization- works wliich in tbeir mnguitudo 
 and importance, and iu their far-roacbing 
 results, commercially and socially consid- 
 ered, have never been equalled in ancient 
 or modern times, by a people so young or 
 sparse in numbers, never snrpaBsed by 
 any people in similar fields of enterprisfs, 
 in any age of the world. 
 
 Very respectfully ynnrs, 
 
 Wm. Atkinson.* 
 
 The Union Advocate, of North Anson, 
 Maine, iu publishing the above letter 
 made the following editorial commenti: 
 
 The construction of the Cantilever 
 bridge across the St. Lawrence at Quebec 
 would be an earnest of the purpose of the 
 International and Quebec railroad t>) find 
 a connection by railroad direct across the 
 State of Maine to the Atlantic coast; and 
 add a million dollars to the value of the 
 Quebec and Wiscaisset railroad when 
 built. To ahow its importance to the 
 Quebec and Wiscasset line, Hon. James 
 D. Scott, manager of the Quebec and 
 Lake St. John Railway, is quoted as say- 
 ing in a letter addressed to Mr. Atkinson 
 that he had an orler for 1000 car loads 
 of lumber from the city of Providence, R. 
 L, wliicli he could not fill because he 
 could not cross the St. Lawrer.ce; thft 
 this one item of freight would have paid 
 the interest on a million of dollars— be- 
 sides the immense travel that would go 
 tiver this mad. 
 
 THE BRIDGE. 
 
 [ Quebec C/tronicle.'] 
 
 Letter of Hon. Wm. Atkinson, a<ldro88- 
 ed to a gentleman in this city. 
 
 North Anson. Mk., April 20, 1887. 
 
 Mv Dear Sir:— 1 soe by the Chronicle 
 that your people are full}' alive to the im- 
 portance, yea indispeusible necessity of 
 the bridge; and T notice with deei? inter- 
 est the intelligent and patriotic action of 
 the Quebec Board of Trade. 
 
 The cogent resolutions they adopted 
 elucidate the whole subject, and com- 
 mend its utility and importance to all in- 
 terested in thi« great oommeroial, nation- 
 al and international enterprise. 
 
 It was well and truly said at that inter- 
 esting and important meeting that "the 
 interprovincial system of Canadian rail- 
 ways would never be complete without 
 the construction of this bridge." Time, 
 developments aud the imperious demands 
 of commerce and intercommunication, to 
 say nothing of possible military necessi- 
 ties that may demand rapid communica- 
 tion between the British Isles and India, 
 on British soil, to maintain the integrity 
 of a great Empire, constantly menaced in 
 Afghanistan by the rapacity of the Rus- 
 sian Bear, have clearly demonstrated the 
 truth aud weight of the above quotation. 
 I have read with great interest, the able 
 and appropriate remarks of Mr. Doboll 
 and Mr. Owen Murphy, M. P. P., who, 
 with other able speakers, have evinced a 
 patriotism, in secular affairs, and a love 
 of their native or adopted city, worthy of 
 the ancient Athenians in the time of 
 Demosthenes. The honor or prosperity 
 of Quet)ec can never sutfer in tiie hands 
 of men like these, aud when tlie people 
 of the Dominion are imbued witii their 
 patriotic and far reachinq; ideas the cotn- 
 pletion of the oantilover bridge will b(( as- 
 sured. Ydu have my best wishes for 
 Bpoedy and complete success in tliis lau<l- 
 able undertaking, so deeply fraught with 
 the interests of commerct; and civilization 
 and with the future prosperity and well- 
 
9 
 
 being of yonr pictnro8(ine an<l bistorio 
 city. 
 
 I liopo 80011 to see, by the nuited and 
 Well directed eltorts of frieiida of the line, 
 file iuteruiitioiinl railway from Wincnsset. 
 to Quebec completed, witli free iugress to 
 Quebec over a steel oaiitilover bridge. I 
 also hope and expect 800U to aee a new 
 reciprocal commercial treaty entered into 
 between the groat Repuldic and our Do- 
 rniiiiou neighbor.^, ot kindred blood and 
 tongue, fliat siiall bo fair and just to both 
 countries, liberal and reciprocal in its 
 terms, putting tho fishery dispute, with 
 ail its disturbing aspects, at rest— a trea- 
 ty that shall make iis one people coai- 
 niercially and socially — ensure peaoG.coni- 
 niity and good wiU, and a treaty that 
 hIuiU negative that splendid utterance of 
 Cuwper's ; — 
 
 "Jvand;! inteMCcted by a narrow frith iilihor Cttcii 
 
 other, 
 Moiintaiin interposeil make enemies of nations; 
 Who luul else like kinJreil drops hecii iiiinirled 
 into one." 
 
 I have great faith that the Cabinets at 
 Washington and Loudon, aided by wise 
 and prudent actiofi at Ottawa, will lake 
 such action on the fishery dispute a^ to 
 
 sfatesmnnship of tiie age, guided by the 
 liglits and experience of tlie past, will re- 
 volt against war, and when diplomacy 
 fails will resort to ari)itration. 
 
 Pardon my digression, and excuse this 
 hasty and desultory scroll and believe me, 
 Yonrs very respectfully, 
 
 Wm, Atkinson. 
 
 OPINIONS OF THP: Pi':OPLE. 
 
 [ Quebec Chronicle^ 
 
 Noam Anson, Ma., Oct. 8, 18S8. 
 
 Dear Sir,— I take the liberty to en- 
 close to you a copy of the Engineer's re- 
 port of a reconnoissauoo of the Carrabas- 
 sett and Canadian Railway, made iu Au- 
 gust last, which will s[)eak for itself; — 
 
 Our desire is to connect the beautiful 
 Kennebec Valley n.id all of its thriving 
 towns and manufacturing villages, the 
 capital ot the State, Augusta, and the nn- 
 
 surpassst'd open deep sea harbor of Wis 
 make plain the provisions of the treaty of oasset, Maine, with the Quebec Central 
 1818, and as shall remove mauy of the Railway and the city of Quebec, and with 
 regtrictions upon commerce between the the Canadian Pacitio Railway and the 
 Dominion and the United States of Am- Northwest, l)y the shortest, cheape ,t, and 
 erica ; and now is a propitious time to most feasible line of railway that can be 
 
 do it 
 
 Trifling causes have led to wars ever 
 since the carrying away of Helen, de- 
 stroyed cotumerce, devastated homes, 
 slew thousands of men in the prime of life, 
 l)rought grief and sorrow to thousauils of 
 
 found lor that purpose. 
 
 After making a careful examination of 
 the line from North .A.usou to the Forks 
 of Kennebec, Moose River Bridge and 
 tlio boundary, also an equally careful ex- 
 amination of the Carrabassett Ac Canadian 
 
 happy homes and piled up mountains of line from North Anson up the Carrabas- 
 
 national debt for posterity to pay. The sett and Dead River valleys to the boiin- 
 
 great Anglo Saxon family, inoontestibly dary south of Megantio Lake, thence to 
 
 the greatest people on earth, capable of the track of the C. P. li. at the foot of 
 
 being the arbiters and lawgivers of the said lake; the engineer found that dis- 
 
 world ought to be wise enough to settle tance, grades, economy of construo'ion, 
 
 their disputes by peaceful methods, and 
 to remember what followed the rupture 
 of the treaty ot Amitnis, and the needless 
 l)lood that was spilt over the right of 
 
 and maiutainance and cost of operation, 
 all clearly indicated that the Oarraliussott 
 & Canadian line has a great pre-eminenoo 
 over the line up the Kennebec valley, for 
 
 Hoarcli, and not resort to proclamatious the purposes above named, 
 
 of noo-intercoursc, the next step t) w.ar, We are satisfied, hero iu the Kunnebeo 
 
 over a few codfish. valley, that the time has arrived, and that 
 
 Such a spectacle would be degradiuif the demands of oommorse and iuter-oom- 
 
 to the civilization and Christianity of the muuicntion require the InDiieA'udc, con- 
 
 iiinoteenth century — the good sense of the atruotion of this lino of railway from Wis- 
 
 people, thfi commercial and tinnncial iu- oasset harbor to Canada, 
 
 tercsts of tin; two c luntrics, and tin* So favor ibly was the British (iovoru- 
 
meint impressfid with the nnpfiriority of 
 WiacasBet harbor ver any other ou the 
 Atlantic coant, that the British Adniiraity 
 hail a hydrographic and typographic sur- 
 vey made ct that harbor and its approach- 
 ■ es prior to the American Revohitiou of 
 177(5, with a 'iew of making it a naval 
 and military stronghold on this continent; 
 copies of that survey can undoubtedly be 
 found at the British Admiralty Ottice, 
 Loudon. The United States Coast Sur- 
 vey found it to be the best harl)()r on the 
 coast of Maine. It is one and five-eighths 
 miles wide at its entrance and for ease 
 aiid safety of ingress and egress, for ships 
 of any burden and at all seasons of the 
 year, it has no ecjual on the Atlantic 
 coast. It has a depth of 50 feet at low wa- 
 ter with a maximnm rise and fall of fide 
 of ten feet, and it has oftm been s'lid 
 by (j|d ship-maaters, acipiainted with the 
 harbor, fhut the '"Great Eastern" could 
 come in there (it dead low water and 
 swing at her moorings wifh perfect safety, 
 and the harbor is so land-locked that 
 shipping is always secure from gales and 
 HforiHH. These facts, together with the 
 fact that it has never been obstructe 1 by 
 ice at any time withiif the memory of man 
 and its proximity to the great Canadian 
 Pacific Railway and to the Quebec Cen- 
 tral Railway and the city of Quebec, it 
 being only 143 miles from Wiscasset har- 
 bor to a junction with the Canada Pa- 
 cific Railway al the foot of Megan tic 
 lake, clearly point to the fact that the un- 
 surpassed open deep-sea harbor of Wis- 
 casset must be in the near future, Iho 
 point of ocenn embarkation for the great 
 commerce of the Canada Pacific Railway 
 and its Western connections, and for the 
 city and Province of Quebec in winter 
 time. 
 
 The demand for short and cheap lines 
 of land-transit for commerce to porta of 
 safety and excellence for great coinmer- 
 cial purposes, clearly points to this short 
 and direct Hue of railway for a safe and 
 profitable investment of capital, and I de- 
 voutly hope that your people will give 
 this whole project eorly and critical ex- 
 amination, and, if they will, I feel certain 
 that they will conclude to meet the Oar- 
 rabassett and Canadian lino at the boun- 
 dary south of Megantio lake. 
 
 You will see by a suitable map that this 
 liiie is the Romploinout of the great 
 
 0. P. R. and all its western couneo- 
 tions, for an ooeau outlet in winter time, 
 and when the cantilever bridge is built 
 across the river St. Lawrence at Quebec, 
 as it surely will be, it will also be the com- 
 plement of the "Boston and Quebec Air 
 Line" and .'t *\\\ boom your grand and 
 historic city beyond compare. 
 
 The engineer who made the reoonuois- 
 sauce was instructed to asoerloin, as ac- 
 curately as possible, the height above the 
 sea-level where each line would cross tho 
 boundary, and he found that the )^oint 
 where a line up the Kennebeo valley would 
 cross was 4B0 feet higher than the point 
 where the Carrabassett and Canadian 
 line will cross south of Megantic Lake. 
 
 A line was surveyed from Skowhegan, 
 Maine, in May, 1887, up the Keiinebeo 
 viilloy to a junction with the C. P. R. near 
 Moose River bridge, and tho engineer en- 
 countered a rise of 1,120 feet in the first 
 twelve miles al)ove the Forks of Kenne- 
 nebcc r'ver that could not be avoided. 
 
 The super-elevation of the boundary, 
 the immense grades to t)e surmounted, 
 a!i<l heavy work to be euoountercd on the 
 Kennebec line, together with tho fact 
 that this line nill increase the mileage 
 between the two objective points by 
 more than 80 miles on every round trip, 
 and taking into consideration the differ- 
 ence ill grades and consecpient tensile pow- 
 er required, the difference in distance 
 will closely approximate 100 miles. 
 
 These potent factors in the compara- 
 tive merits of these two lines for great 
 highways of commerce and inter-oom- 
 ninnicatioij for all time, between two 
 strong and enterprising people o'l kindred 
 blood and tongue, should be carefully 
 considered l)eforo money is expended on 
 either of them, for only one is needed, 
 and one must be built and will surely 
 
 pa.y- 
 
 Every step towards cheap transporta- 
 tion is a step towards national and indi- 
 viduil prosperity, and short and cheap 
 lines of transportation are important fac- 
 tors iu tho solution of that great problem 
 so long sought by philanthropists, "How 
 best to procure cheap bread for tlie toil- 
 ing millions." 
 
 Men of years and nndoratanding, hav- 
 ing the public interest at heart, iu loca- 
 ting great lines of inter-communication 
 that must be pathways of commerce and 
 
highways of nations for all time, sbouki 
 keep steadily in mind, bow can snob lines 
 be located and constructed so as to bear 
 lightest on commerce, produce the great- 
 est public good, and afford a fair return 
 for the capital invested. 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 Wm. Atkinson. 
 
 THE QUEBEC AND MEGANTIC 
 RAILROAD. 
 
 Mr. Atkinson further Writes Con- 
 cerning THE Great Enterprise. 
 
 The Union Advocate, of North Anson, 
 Maine, in publishing the above letter 
 made the following editorial comment: 
 
 We publish in this issue au able letter 
 from Wm. Atkiuson, of this village, to the 
 Quebec Moruiug Chronicle ou the subject 
 of the Carrabassett and Oauadian Rail- 
 way. This letter fittingly sets out the great 
 advantages of this route over any othor 
 contemplated line of intercommuni'^atiou 
 between the Canadian Pacific Bailwaj', 
 the Quebec Oeut'*al Railway, the city of 
 Quebec, and the Atlantic coast. The re- 
 port of engineer flancox' recouuoissauce 
 of the Carrabassett route shows it to be 
 not only the shortest, easiest grades,obeap- 
 est and most feasible route that can be 
 found for that purpose, but far superior 
 to the contemplated line up the Kenne- 
 bec valley to a junction with the Canada 
 Pacific at Moose River. Mr. Atkinson 
 points out the potent factors in the com- 
 parative merits of these two lines with 
 great clearness. Next Tuesday the Car- 
 rabassett corporators meet in Augusta to 
 organize ihe company. Let ns hope that 
 the project will be lituuched under favor- 
 able audpices and prosecuted with energy 
 and success. 
 
 \^Quebec Chronicle^ 
 
 Dear Sir,— I notice in your esteemed 
 paper ot the 13th iust., an article headed, 
 "The Lumber Trade," in which you say: 
 
 "Steamers nre now being loaded at 
 Halifax with spruce deals, which are be- 
 ing shipped in large quantities from Point 
 Levis, 700 miles by rail." 
 
 You further say: — "On this side of the 
 river,Quebeo merchants hold largo stocks 
 of deals, which could be turned into mon- 
 ey in the same way, had wo a bridge, 
 but for all practical purpc ses, Quebec, 
 instead of being the western terminus of 
 the Intercolonial railway, is as far away 
 from it as Toronto. In fact, a oar-load 
 of deals could be shipped more cheaply 
 from Toronto to HaUfax in winter than it 
 could from Quebec. How long is this 
 condition of things to last?" 
 
 Your question is a cogent and impor- 
 tant one, not only to the city and Prov- 
 ince of Quebec, and to the great railroad 
 interests centering there, representing 
 some hundreds of millions of capital, but 
 to the weal, dignity, and good faith of the 
 Dominion, as well; also to the consumers 
 of that article of prime necessity, lumber, 
 not Guly in the British Isles, but to all 
 New England. As I understand it, the 
 faith of the Dominion is pledged by the 
 Dominion Act, passed some twenty years 
 ago, to construct a railway from the city 
 of Halifax to Quebec, and such a line of 
 railway, long since comph^ted to Point 
 Levis, must necessarily include a bridge 
 to reach Quebec; and, if I have read your 
 paper aright Miese last years, the author> 
 ities at Ottawa take this view of the Gov- 
 ernment's obligation, and wilt at the com* 
 ing session, render the Bridge Company 
 such material aid as will insure the speedy 
 completion of this great and beneliceut 
 enterprise, ho ijeeply fraught with the 
 commercial interests of Quebec, and with 
 
6 
 
 tliR convoiiicnce niid iiBofiilnnm of tho 
 ■ railroads centering there, and to oom- 
 meroe and iuterootnmunioation generHlly. 
 The beuetits accruing from tbe comple- 
 tion of the proposed cantilever bridge 
 across the St. Lawrence at Que)>ec, will, 
 I am coutident, fully meet the most san- 
 guine expectations of its friends, and when 
 oonr.pleted, it will be a standing invitation 
 to »he Kennebec valley and to Maine, 
 mut'j, it is true, but grand, impressive 
 and stupeadoos in its massive strength, 
 and in the beauty and symmetry of its 
 ;t)roportions, asking them to complete a 
 line of railway from tbe unsurpassed, open 
 deep-sea harbor of Wiscasset, via Augus- 
 ta, North Anson and the beautiful Oarra- 
 bassett and Dead Biver valleys to the 
 boundary line south of Megantio Lake, 
 and inviting the rich and enterprising 
 owners of the Quebec Oeutral railway in 
 London, England, to meet us at that point, 
 to accomodate the vast commerce and 
 summer travel from Maine and New Eng- 
 land, and the commerce of Uie Canada 
 Pacific railway in winter time that must 
 and will seek an oceau embnrkatiou at 
 WiHoasset harbor. 
 
 This great enterprise in its entirety, 
 from Quebec to Wiscasset tnppiug the 
 great 0. P. B. at tbe foot of Megantic 
 Lake aud affording its vast future com- 
 merce and all its western cuiineotions 
 such a safe and commodious outlet in 
 winter time, affords better aud safer in- 
 vestment for capital on a large scale than 
 any similar enterprise ou this continent. 
 Tbe affirmative of this proposition must 
 be admitted by candid men who will ex- 
 amine it carefully in all its bearings. The 
 value of the property will be constantly 
 augmenting as the popalation and business 
 increases^and as tbe va-tt and fertile coun- 
 tries tributary to it are settled and devel- 
 oped, dependent as these communities 
 will be in winter time for a aafe aud con- 
 venient Atlantic port for their export and 
 import trade. I have been observant of 
 the zeal and nnited and well directed ef- 
 forts of yonr leading oitizeuB in this great 
 enterprise ao vital to yonr beautiful oity, 
 as chronicled from time to time in your 
 excellent paper, aud have never doubted 
 their altimate stteoess in their grand and 
 heroic straggle for tbe aggrandizement 
 of their oity and province and in tbe in- 
 terests of peace and commerce for all time; 
 
 and especially so when they obtained the 
 assurance of your Prime Minister, Sir 
 John McDonald, of his sympathy aud 
 support. 8ir John has demonslruted as 
 well as-auy man living, "that peace bath 
 its victories as well as war." His great 
 and successful efforts iu the aid of the 
 Dominion, and for the promotion of great 
 works for the benefit of commerce and 
 civilization, place him among the fore- 
 moat men of this age. The men who 
 have been foremost iu this great and be- 
 neficent enterprise, have, it may be, 
 been "building better than they know," 
 aud it will take future generations to fully 
 realize and appreciate tbe* importance of 
 their work. Build tbe bridge at Quebec, 
 and complete the railroad line, as above 
 described, to Wiscasset harbor, and you 
 will reach a good shipping port for your 
 lumber by only 250 miles of land transit 
 instead of 700 miles, a saving of 450 miles 
 which at low freight rates will amount to 
 a good profit to the shipper. If the road 
 in question were completed, the luoiber 
 in winter time from the Quebec and Lake 
 St. John railway would afford a large 
 item of freight; this together with the lo- 
 cal business on the line, tbe importations 
 from abroad, and the business from tbe 
 C P. B. would crowd one track to its ut- 
 most capacity. The summer traffic on 
 this line would be simply imniecse. Tbe 
 attractions offered by tbe city of Quebec 
 aud its picturesque surroundings — tbe 
 St. Lawrence, the Saguenay, and tbe 
 Montmorency, and tho unequalled attrac- 
 tions to sportsmen and to tbe disciples 
 of Isaac Waltou ou the Quebec and Lake 
 St. John's railway would all contribute to 
 the success of the line. Tbe completion 
 of this great line of communication would 
 save iu winter time to shippers from Que- 
 bec and vicinity annually a sum Buifioieut 
 to pay tbe interest on tbe cost of tbe can- 
 tilever bridge, and add largely to the 
 amounts and profits of your exportationa. 
 A saving of 450 miles of land transit 
 is an item worth the consideration of » 
 community like yours, largely engaged iu 
 exportation of bea^y products like lum- 
 ber, and a proportioaal saving would be 
 made on your imports from England, the 
 West Indies aud elsewhere. Hence tbe 
 inducement for your merchants and baa* 
 in ess men tn push tbe bridge and tbe 
 Quebec Central railway to tbe boundary. 
 
The nniqne position of the liue, the im- 
 portnnt ooDnef^tiona raclinting tbro'igb 
 Canada and to the great North-west, to the 
 Pacifio ooeaa atid by steamer to China 
 and Japan and the close proximity of 
 Wiecasset harbor to Canada and the great 
 local business to be developed along the 
 line, all point to the financial success of 
 this great enterprise. 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 Wm. Atkinson. 
 
 OPINIONS OF THE PEOPLE. 
 
 [ Quebec Chronicle.'] 
 
 North Anson, Me., Sept. 23d, 1889. 
 
 Dear Sir, — I notice in your paper of 
 the 5th instant, an article headed "The 
 Bridge" in which you mention the impor- 
 tance of an Air Line Railway from the 
 city of Jostou to Quebec via the B. & M. 
 Railway and its connections from Boston 
 to Sherbrooko, thence by tho Quel)eo 
 Central Railway from Sherbrooke to Que- 
 bec over the proposed cintilever bridge 
 to Lake St. John via the Quebec and 
 Lake St. John Railway, thus opening 
 that important lumbering, spurting, and 
 agricultural region to all New England 
 niid the outside world. I am rejoiced to 
 see that the attention of the public and 
 especially suoii men bb James T. Fnrber, 
 Esq., general manager of the Bo^iton & 
 Maine Railway and its systems of roads, 
 is directed to the importance of the speedy 
 oompletiou of the cantilever bridge at 
 Quebec to give the outside world railway 
 connection with Quebec and the region of 
 country to the north of it. The opinion 
 of such a man as Mr. Furber on the im- 
 portance and utility of this enterprise is 
 certainly of great value and must be en- 
 oouragiog to its friends. The bridge aa I 
 have often said is sure to be built, its feas- 
 ibility ba4 been nettled by actual survey, 
 its utility and great public importance 
 can no longer be ignored, and the good 
 faith of the Dominion is pledged by the 
 Dominion Act to build a railway from 
 Halifax to the city of Quebec and I am 
 sure that faith will be kept inviolata. 
 
 The utility and importance of the bridge 
 At Quebec, commercially and socially, not 
 only to Canada and the Dominion, but to 
 
 nil New England, would vastly exceed the 
 limits of tL is short epistle to discnas but 
 certain it is it would forr . another bond 
 of nnion between two great families of 
 the Anglo-Saxon racj that must have a 
 perpetual tendency to peace, commerce, 
 interoommunication, and international 
 good will, and will tend to negative that 
 splendid uttereuce of Cowper's, which is 
 as true in modern times as it was in the 
 barbarous agee of tho world: 
 
 "Lands intci-scctcd by a narrow frith al)hnr each 
 
 other. 
 Mountains intcrposeil malic enemies of nations. 
 Who lind else like kindred drops mingled into 
 
 one. 
 
 I notice also in tlie Chronicle of the 12th 
 instant, an article Ijeaded "The Short Line 
 through New Brunswick," in which the 
 writer s^ys: The comparative distances 
 from Moui^eal to Halifax would be as fol- 
 lows: — 
 
 Via Intercolonial Railway 850 miles. 
 
 Via State of Maine Short Liue, 
 Sherbrooke, iMattawamkeag 
 and St. John 758 " 
 
 Qiielieo, River du Loup, Edmund- 
 stone and Monctou, 760 " 
 
 From Montreal to the foot of Megantio 
 Lake, the proposed junction of the Car- 
 riibuHsett and Canadian Railway with the 
 Canadian Pacific is about 170 miles, sob- 
 trnotiug 170 from 758 the distance from 
 Montreal to Halifax via State of Maine 
 Short Line, we shall have 588 miles from 
 the proposed junction at tho foot of Me- 
 gantio Lake to Halifax, and if we sub- 
 tract 150 miles, the distance from the foot 
 of Megantio Lake to the open deep sea 
 harbor of Wisoasset, we shall have 438 
 miles advantage land transit, for the great 
 ocean bound commerce of the future in 
 winter time from Canada and all points 
 west in favor of Wisoasset over Halifax; 
 and the harbor of Wisoasset on the estu- 
 ary of Sheepsoot river and that of Booth- 
 bay, 12 miles below aie not surpassed by 
 anv cu this continent. 
 
 'fhe advantage of these open deep sea 
 harbors over Halifax for depots of the 
 great commerce of the future between 
 the British Isles, Canada, and the great 
 North-west, is too obvious to need argu- 
 ment, and their great natural advantages 
 are asserting themselves and must be rec- 
 ognized and utilized. 
 
8 
 
 Natnral conditious give marts of com- 
 merce and liuesof transit tbeir supremacy. 
 In the not distant future tbis proposed 
 line of land transit from ibe foot of Me- 
 gautic Lake to Wiscasset barbor will as- 
 sert its supremacy — not by reason of its 
 advocates, but by reason of its intrinsic 
 merits for a great patbway of commerce 
 and bigbway of nations for all time to 
 come; its easy grades, cbeap coufltruotion, 
 its important and extensive railway con- 
 nections wben it reaobes tbe G. P. B.,nud 
 its unsurpassed ocean termini at WiRcas- 
 set and Bootbbay harbors are factors 
 that will insure its success, and its lasting 
 utility and importance, and will make it a 
 safe and profitable investment for capital 
 on long time. 
 
 I have shown tbe importance of tbis 
 short and direct line for a winter outlet 
 for tbe city and Province of Quebec in 
 previous articles published in your paper. 
 I was recently informed by a Canadian 
 gentleman that parties iu Canada bad giv- 
 en notice of tbeir intention to ask the next 
 Parliament for an independent charter for 
 a railroad from Point Levis to the foot of 
 Megnntic Lake, they ought to extend 
 their request so as to meet the Carrabaa- 
 sett and Canadian line at the boundary. 
 
 In the near future tbe Quebec Central 
 or some other line from Quebec must of 
 Li^cessity meet tbe Carrabassett and Ca- 
 nadian line at the boundary. 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 Wm. Atkinson. 
 
 EDITORIAL COMMENT. 
 Wo print in this i.-tsue a letter from 
 Wm, Atkinson published iu tbe Quebec 
 Morning Chronicle, again discaseing tbe 
 merits of tbe Carrabassett and Canadian 
 Railway as a thoroughfare from Montreal 
 to tbe Atlantic seaboard at Wiscasset. He 
 shows that WiHca8<)et is 438 miles nearer 
 Montreal over the Carrahnssott lino than 
 it is to Halifax over tbe Maine Short Line, 
 via Mattawamkeag nnd St. John. A sav- 
 ing of 438 miles of lacd transit for the 
 immonso oommercA of Canaclji nnd the 
 Wf'st on every train that runs over the 
 road for all time to oomo, will ultimately 
 
 master the problem and make tbis ibe 
 popular line for tbe future commerce of 
 Canada and the great Nortb-west, to the 
 Atlantic and thence to Europe. Tbe in- 
 trinsic merits of tbis line over all other 
 lines that has or can be projected will 
 make itself felt in time and will be util- 
 ized, whatever else may be done. — Union 
 Advocate, (North Anson, Maine.) 
 
 LEWISTON BOARD OF TRADB:. 
 
 IN RESPONSE TO HON. WM. ATKINSON S AR- 
 GUMENT FOR THE CARRABASSETT & - 
 CANADIAN ROUTE. 
 
 The Lewiston Board of Trade and tbe 
 Auburn Board ot Trade held a joint meet- 
 ing at the rooms of the Lewiston Board, 
 and iistened to an address by the Hon. ^ 
 Wm. Atkinson of North Anson, upon the 
 subject of the proposed Quebe-J Central 
 and Cauauian Pacific Railroad outkt to 
 the sea across tbe State of Maine. Mr. 
 Atkinson spoke for about an hour and a 
 quarter and was liberally applauded. At 
 tbe conclusion of bis speech, remarks 
 were made by Messrs. Talbot, Barker, 
 and Garcelon. Mr. Atkinson was unan- 
 imously made an honorary member of 
 tbe Board of Trade and tbe matter that 
 be had presented was referred to a oom> 
 raittee on railroads, who have prepared 
 the following special report : 
 
 Report of the committee on railroads 
 to whom was referred tbe matter of the 
 Carrabassett and Canadian Railway pre- 
 senteii to tbe liewiston Board of Trade 
 on the evening of the 16tb iust , l)y H(Ui. 
 Wm. Atkinson of North Anson, Mo., in a 
 clear and comprehensive niannor in ifa' 
 commercial, financial, and social Bspeofs, 
 abowing with unansweraltle argumonta 
 its great utility and importance to the 
 lower Kennebec vallev, the unsurpassed 
 open deep sea harbors ot WiHcnsset nnd 
 Bootbtmy. and as a feeder to tllD Maino 
 Central, Boston & Maine, ond Soraersi't 
 
9 
 
 Bnilronds, also its importance to the mau- 
 ' iifacturing oitios of Lewiston aud Auburn, 
 and the towns in Franklin aud Somerset 
 counties ooniiguoua to its line. 
 
 From Doaps and reports of H. A. Ha.>- 
 cox, engineer, it appears that the Carra- 
 bassett <Si: Canadian railroad from the foot 
 ,. of Megantio Lake to the above named 
 harbors will be, when completed, the 
 complement of the great Canadian Pacif- 
 ic railway aud alt its western connections 
 including the cities of Miuneapolis and 
 Duluth aud must inevitably attract to it 
 an ocean bound commerce that would 
 make it pay from the start, aud will, in 
 the no distant future require a double 
 track to accommodate the great business 
 of the line. 
 
 Mr. Atkinson also stated that it was 434 
 miles nearer from the foot of Megantic 
 Lake to Wiscassot harbor than from that 
 point to the city of Halifax, He also 
 showed that the C. & C. Hue from its 
 unique position possessed great natural 
 advantages over a line up the Kennebec 
 valley via The Forks ni the Kennebec 
 and Moose River ; that it would save one 
 hundred miles on every round trip for the 
 great commerce of the future; would avoid 
 ♦he immense rise of 1120 feet in the first 
 12 miles from The Forks of the Keune- 
 beo river and would also avoid the super- 
 elevation of 420 feet above where the 
 0, & 0. line would cross the boundary 
 south of Megantic Lake, and showed by 
 Mr. Hancox's report that the 0. <t C. lino 
 was a much easier and cheaper line to 
 Construct aud maintaiu aud will devel- 
 op much more local business. 
 
 Mr. A. also stated that the proposed 
 cantilever bridge across the St. Lawrence 
 at Quebec is sure to be built in the not 
 distant future, which will give us an un- 
 broken and direct lino l)y rail from Bos- 
 ton, Portland, Lewiston, Auburn and 
 Farraington through the CHrral)a88elt and 
 Dead River valleys over the Quebec Cen- 
 tigil Railway to the historic city of Quebec, 
 thence by the Quebec it Lake St. John 
 Railway already constructed to the beau- 
 tiful Lake St. John, 190 miles north of 
 Quebec, the headwaters <^f the wonderful 
 Sagawan River. Other factn of interest 
 to posterity aud the great commerce of 
 the future too numerous to mention in 
 this report were clearly aud ably present- 
 ed. Thoreforo your committee having 
 
 carefully considered the matter referred 
 to them, respectfully submit the follow- 
 iug : 
 
 Jiesulved, That the Lewiston Board of 
 Tra le, ever miuiuul of the great public 
 welfare as well as that of our city, most 
 emphatically endorHO and recommend the 
 immediate construction of the Carral)aH 
 sett (fe Canadian Railway line, believing it 
 to be for the best interest of our beloved 
 State of Maine, her numerous railroads, 
 her manufacturing and couimeroial inter- 
 ests, our Canadian neighbors and the 
 great Northwest. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 A. B. NEAIiY, 
 
 0. I. Barkek, 
 A. Garcelon, 
 J. N. Wood, ', 
 
 Wm. H. NEWRLTi, I 
 
 V. Nazaire Payette, j 
 R. C. Reynolds, | 
 
 A. L, T.' liROT, ) 
 
 Committee 
 
 on 
 Railroads. 
 
 EDITORIAL COMMENT. 
 We print in this issue the doings of the 
 Lewiston and Auburn Boards of Trade 
 at a meeting held last week. Wm Atkin- 
 son, Esq., of this village had been invited 
 to address the Boards on the subject of 
 the Oarrabasselt Railroad. The meeting 
 was well atteuded and Mr. Atkinson has 
 awakened an interest in this important 
 enterprise. Well it may, for no city in 
 Maine is more interested in the construc- 
 tion of this railroad than Lewiston. That 
 city is situated in the central business 
 part of the State on almost an air line 
 from the Canadian Pacitio at Lake Me- 
 gantic, P. Q. to the opon deep sea har- 
 bors of the Atlantic coast, on the shorteht 
 poesible line — equal to a hundred miles 
 shorter on every round trip— and is the 
 natural distributing point for the traffic 
 over the road, to Portland aud Boston on 
 the west, and Bath, Wisoasset and Ban- 
 gor on the east. The rcFolutiou passed 
 at this meeting indicates that the business 
 men ot Lewiston see that the Carrabassett 
 A Canadian railroad as contemplated 
 
in 
 
 would bo of Rrnftt honnfit to tlmir oity. Ji.irbor, in oxtrnmoly doflirfiliio to tnp iUc 
 
 So it wouhl 1)0, but no loss benefit to tlio great Uomiuion nrtory of conmiorce mid 
 
 »Stuto nud to tbe f?reat commercial inter- travel at the foot of Megantic Lake, and 
 
 eats of the West aa well.— f/nton Advo- thus to bring Maine into near relationa 
 
 nafr, (North Ansoo, Me.) with four or five millions of Canadian 
 
 — people, 18 an enterprise so manifestly for 
 
 IMPORTANT RAILROAD ENTERPRISE. the intercfits of Maine as to re(]uiro no 
 elaborate argnment. DitFeront govern- 
 
 [Tl.fi followinjr m-ticic from the Daily Kcnne- nient si.rveya, both British and American, 
 Iiec Journal ol .Ian 18, 1889, waslioin II()n..lolm -^ ' ' 
 
 L. Sicvcns, piiliiical editur of that iiapor, at beginni'ig back more than a centnry, 
 
 l.rcscnt Mim^^.To^tholI. S. A. to > j;"";l['J!; i prove Wiscasset to have one of the deep- 
 lonuci'lv MiiiisicM- to the Ar^'Oiitinc Koinilthe, » ' 
 
 ami alHo to .Sweden and Norway.] est and finest liarborK iu North America. 
 
 The immense magnitude and rapidity To bring a branch of the Canadian Pacif- 
 
 with which railroad enterprisoii have been ic to that harbor will not only bo of groat 
 
 pushed forward in other States in the last advantage to Lincoln county, as wt^ll as 
 
 f(!W year.s Imve tended to overshadow and to the sections of country through wiiicli 
 
 cause us to overlook the importanua of it immediately passes to the cities and 
 
 thoso in our own midst. One of the most towns on the Knox and Lincoln road, as 
 
 uni((i)e, feasible, and attractive railroad well as to Tlath, IJrnnsviok, Portland and 
 
 undertakings ever brought to tlio atteii- to all the principal lines of the Maine 
 
 tion of the people of Maine, is the pro- Central, and it can also connect with the 
 
 posed lino from the Megantic Ijake in Franklin county road and givo easy ac- 
 
 Canada, down the bountiful valleys of o^as to Lewiston, Auburn and the Andros- 
 
 Dcad River and Carrabassett to North coggiu. valley. In the broadest and best 
 
 Anson, thence through tho counties of sense it would bo a road for the general 
 
 Somerset, Kennebec and Lincoln to the welfare of tlie State. 
 
 unrivalled harbor and old commercial Of the several routes proposed to bring 
 town of WiscasBet. No unprejudiced to Maine from the Canadian Pacific the 
 citizen of Maine who will give careful greatest possible ad vani-iges at the short- 
 consideration to all the readily accessible est distance and the least expeuse,the route 
 facts, who will examine the map, and from North Anson through the Carrabas- 
 read the recently published report of the Hett and Dead River valleys is clearly the 
 civil engineer, Henry A. Hanoox, can one entitled to tho preference, and that 
 fail to he struck with the importance of which would most certainly secure the at- 
 this route to the general interests of the tention and oidist the powerful financial en- 
 State aa well aa of the towns more imme- courgementof the Canadian PHoifio mana- 
 diately adjacent to the proposed road. gera. Mr. Haiicox in his clear and adinira- 
 
 It is well known to the public tliat the i,|f, report of the reconnoissance presents in 
 
 great Canadian Pacific is completed and the following terms the roa"ona in fav* 
 
 in operatiiui, and that tlio Eastern outlet „f the Carrabassett route : 
 
 of that continental highway is at Halifax. First, by its geographical position it is 
 
 It is nearlv aa well known that the dis- moat fnvorablv situated for reaching for 
 
 tan^eand winter obstruction from Quebec »'»' «""»» '""•»•• weatern busineaH .leatine.l 
 
 ,- ,.„ , • .1 . for the Atlantic seaboard, and no other 
 
 to Halifax are so great, making the coat ^.^^^^^ j^^^ ^^^^ ,,^.,,„ projecte.l or can be 
 
 of many kinds of freight ao heavy, that n constructed on any other route in Maine 
 much shorter route to a deep and capacious that will offer ao short and direct a line 
 
II 
 
 from the Canadian Panific Railway i.» her 
 navip,ftb!o harbors. 
 
 Secouf], ita general course from North 
 Amsou to the Megautio Lake is praotioally 
 aii air line that not only materially ahort- 
 (ihs the distance betwei-n these points but 
 Bupplements its otherwise favorable posi- 
 tion. Considering the fact that it passes 
 oblicjuely through a mountain range it is 
 rare that conditions combine to favor so 
 direct a route. When compared with the 
 l)ropo8ed extension of the Kennebec valley 
 it is, to use a geometrical expression, ap- 
 l)roximatoly the hypothenuse of a right 
 angle triangle formed by the intersection 
 of the Kennebec route at Moose river 
 with the Canadian Pacific as produced 
 eastward from Megautio Lake, and that 
 It is many miles shorter is shown from 
 the following approximate figures : 
 
 Distance from Megautic Lake to Moose 
 river forty-five miles. Moose River to 
 North Ausnu via Kennebec valley, seven- 
 ty- two mile'' Total distance from Me- 
 gautic to North Anson via Moose River 
 and Kennebec valleys, one hundred and 
 seventeen miles. Total distance from 
 Megantic Lake to North Anson via Oar- 
 rabassett and Dead River route, seventy- 
 live miles, di'i'ereuce in favor of Oarra- 
 buHsett and Dead Rivur route, forty two 
 miles. 
 
 Third, tiio grades would be lighter, 
 HJiorter, and much less in the aggregate 
 lift, while the; ■ general incline is an al- 
 tiiost oontinuouh descent in the direction 
 of the seabord. This will greatly facjli- 
 
 tftfe the transportation of the heavy 
 freight which is all destined to go that 
 way. " 
 
 The gist and main force of the argu- 
 ment for the route via the Dead River 
 and Carrabassett valleys to Wiacasset is 
 that it is the shortest and most prnctioa- 
 blo outlet of the great Pacific line to the 
 Atlaatic — that the distance via this route 
 from Quebec to Wiscasset is 250 miles, 
 while the distance from Quebec to Hali- 
 fax is 700 miles. To the financial mana- 
 gers of the great tuadiau Pacific whose 
 vast network of interest stretch to China 
 and Japan, as well as the rich domains of 
 the Southern Pacific, the shortest cut to 
 the Atlantic is of controlling importance. 
 The lessenmg of the distancje is the sav- 
 ing of just so much gold in the building, 
 running expenses, and freight cost of 
 their road. Clearly, this route from Me- 
 gantic Lake in the sweep of its command- 
 ing importance transcends all local inter- 
 ests and prejudices and rises to the Itjvel 
 of a State enterprise, around vhich all 
 party passions should be hushed, all per- 
 sonal aims disregarded, to which should 
 be given the generous and hearty encour- 
 agement of nil who care for the future 
 prosperity and the commercial welfare of 
 Maine. 
 
)l--3Jr^