JULY The Islander Magazine 1981 The Trolley That Never Ran by Gladys O'Neil branches to Seal, Northeast, and soon came from the summer Drawings by William Crocker Southwest Harbors. The Ellsworth residents, who fearful that the peace Few people today realize that and Mt. Desert Railroad Company, and quiet of their lovely island was automobiles were first allowed on when acquainted with this action, about to be threatened by the Mount Desert Island 1915 Prior withdrew their application when re- automobile, were now faced with to that year, the only means of quested to do so by the Transit Co. the possibility of an electric railroad. reaching the island were by steam- At first the trolley plans were Many people felt that the pro- boat, ferry, or horse-drawn vehicle generally received with enthusiasm, posed trolley was just another by way of Ellsworth. This degree of although it was confusing to the scheme to keep automobiles off the isolation was cherished and even town's people that the men who had island. The Bar Harbor Record, the fostered by the summer residents of been opposed to a railroad on the town's weekly newspaper, siding the famous "Cottage Era". island were now those ready to con- with the proponents of the trolley, In January of 1907, a group of Bar struct such a road. Most of them, stated that the electric railroad Harbor residents quickly formed a corporation known as the Mt. Desert Transit Company. The directors were Fred C. Lynam, Robert Amory, John S. Kennedy, Clement Newbold and George B. Dorr, a man who later would become known as the father of Acadia National TRENTON Park. All of these men with the ex- ception of Fred C. Lynam were well known summer residents. It seemed natural that Mr. Kennedy, being one of the most experienced and in- fluencial railroad men in the coun- try, should become president of the organization. This sudden action of the group was taken upon learning In 1907 the citizens of Trenton hoped that this structure would be a that the Ellsworth and Mt. Desert vital link in the Ellsworth-Mount Desert Island trolley system. Railroad Company had applied to the legislature for a trolley charter. however, seemed to believe that the would serve many and annoy few, Apprehensive that other plans road was a necessity and that it while the automobile would serve might not protect the island proper- would be of great benefit to the en- few and annoy many. ties, they decided to intervene. They tire island by connecting the towns. immediately went about the The Transit Company assured It would also provide a much more island residents that their line would business of establishing an electric convenient way to reach the trolley line of their own between have the very best equipment and mainland in the winter than crossing Ellsworth and Bar Harbor, with that it would be built as expeditious- the bay by steamboat. Opposition ly as possible. The road was to be 3 operated by an overhead trolley line traffic requirements only. up all misunderstandings concern- supported on wooden poles placed The scheduling planned called for ing the company's plans. The com- at the side of the track. This line a car to leave each terminal point pany then published two leaflets; would also carry feeder wires, the every hour and to maintain a speed Letter on the Railroad Situation by telephone or telegraph wires and of approximately twenty miles per George B. Dorr, and Statement of signal lines necessary for the road's hour. This would make the running Mt. Desert Transit Company by the operation. The cars would be about time from Ellsworth to Bar Harbor directors. fifty-five feet long and each car about one hour. would be heated and lighted by By August surveyors were working electricity. To supply the electrical on the line into Bar Harbor. It was power to operate the line, a twenty rumored that they were unable to year contract was drawn up with the find a suitable route that would not Union River Power Company. cross several prestigious estates; the Wharves were built at Southwest Hinckle, Auchincloss, and McMillan Harbor and Bayside to handle properties and the Kebo Valley Golf freight. Large tracts of land were Links. An aroused group of cottagers purchased, including sixty acres of even went so far as to propose the Thomas Emery place at Salisbury disposing of their homes if the road Hulls Cove trolley terminal- Cove. Six pieces of property were was built. Arthur Addison of dream, a hope, but never a reality. bought on High Street in Ellsworth Washington, D.C., circulated a to be used for a large depot where paper of protest against the building People who were worried about Maine Central Railroad tracks could of the trolley line. It was signed by a the scars on the landscape were run onto the Transit Company's. large number of summer residents. assured by Mr. Dorr that the greatest The Bar Harbor terminal was to be He also wrote a long letter stating his of care would be taken in laying out at Lindall Park. The land once oc- reasons for opposing the project. His the road. The route would avoid the cupied by an Indian encampment letter was printed in area newspapers public highway as much as possible, during the summer was purchased and was answered by Elliot Benson as well as all valuable property and for forty thousand dollars. The sta- representing the citizens of Bar Har- summer residences. Indeed, the line tions at Southwest Harbor, Ellsworth bor in favor of the trolley. would be scarcely visible. Mr. Dorr and Bar Harbor were to be rather George Dorr wrote a letter ad- was convinced that the island could plain structures, designed for the dressed to the public to try to clear (cont. on page 32) Frenchman's BAY BOATING CO. ACADIAN WEST ST., BAR HARBOR NEXT TO MUNICIPAL PIER TEL. 288-5741 Boat Schedule and Prices NATURALIST CRUISE (2 hrs.) 8:30 a.m. VIP SIGHTSEEING (2 1/2 hrs.) 3:15 p.m. Daily 2 hour Naturalist Sea Cruise runs in conjunction Daily 2 1/2 hour cruise covering estates, Ocean Drive, with Acadia National Park Naturalist Program. Cruise lower bay islands, Seal Harbor, Rockefeller Compound, of island and bay, includes geological and historical facts Bear Island and Egg Rock Lighthouses, and through the of islands, sea, and wildlife - birds and marine life. Porcupine Islands. Adults $5.50, children under 12 Adults $5.00, children under 12 $3.00, under 5 free. $3.50, under 5 free. Reservations advised. Reservations advised. SUNSET CRUISE (1 hr.) 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. SIGHTSEEING (1 hr.) Daily 1 hour Sunset Cruise. Cocktails available. 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Leisurely cruise among islands, upper bay, and other Daily 1 hour cruise of islands, upper bay estates and points of interest. Adults $3.75, children under 12 other points of interest. Adults $3.75, children under 12 $2.25, under 5 free. $2.25, under 5 free. SIGHTSEEING (2 hrs.) 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. HALF-DAY DEEP SEA FISHING 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Daily for 2 hours, 25 mile eruise of Frenchman's Bay On the Dolphin. Fishing 10-12 miles from Bar Harbor, covering parts of Ocean Drive, outer bay, islands, upper 4 1/2 hour trips. $12.00 per person includes rod, reel and bay estates and other points of interest. Adults $5.00, bait. Reservations advised, will cancel at 8:45 a.m. children under 12 $3.00, under 5 free. No children under 8. Subject to change without notice. 4 The Islander Magazine Trolley Progress on the road was going (cont. from page 4) well and it appeared possible that not long remain isolated from direct part of the trolley line would be connection with the railroad systems completed by the next summer. A of the country and he believed that piece of land in Bar Harbor was torn the Mt. Desert Transit Company up and prepared for the laying of would build its road with more at- the road bed. As time passed tention to the details desired by however, the directors realized that both permanent and summer the cost of the project was going to residents than would anyone else. exceed the amount that they had an- The directors avowed that they loved ticipated, and exceed it by a con- the island and would do only what siderable sum if they were to abide was best for its future. by their promise to keep the line off Evidently, these assurances from of the highway and almost entirely Mr. Dorr and the directors of the on their own property. Two million Transit Company allayed the fears of dollars more would be needed to the people, as plans for the project build and operate the system. This amount seemed too much to invest in a project whose potential for pro- fit was uncertain. After prolonged deliberation, it was decided to aban- don the enterprise. Mt. Desert Island would have to get along without a trolley line. In June 1908, the Transit Com- pany and Mr. Kennedy presented Lindall Park, which was to have been Designed by giants of Bar Har- the site of the Bar Harbor terminal, bor's summer society, today all that to the town to be used as an athletic remains of this terminal is a field. miniature replica. This would seemto be the end of continued. the trolley story, but in 1975 several To get their train across Mt. small models of the proposed trolley Desert Narrows, that short stretch of stations were found in Boston, water that separates Mt. Desert Massachusetts and were purchased Island from Trenton on the by Mary and Fred Hodes, antique mainland, it would be necessary to dealers of Newcastle, Maine. Some build a bridge. Since this structure of them were complete with waiting would be over navigable salt water, room benches, ticket counters, and permission was sought and received information centers. Someone, from the Federal Government. Such unknown today, had faith in the a bridge would increase the cost of development of the trolley line and the whole line by $2,200.00 a mile. a great imagination.