In the late sixties, the first excitement concerning a railroad arose.
The land was surveyed from Augusta to Bangor, passing through Unity,
but the project failed to materialize. The farmers, however, were tired
of hauling potatoes and other produce to Belfast and Fairfield. They
grew restless, capitalists began to get interested, and a survey was
made for a road to be known as the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad.
For some time it was a question whether the road should pass through
Unity or Troy, and surveys were made through each town, under Col. A.
W. Wilds. Before a decision was made, there was much excitement. Unity
called a town meeting and voted to take thirty thousand dollars’ worth
of stock if the company would locate a station within one-half mile of
the town pump, and sent the company a record of its vote.
Several public-spirited citizens had, prior to this action by the town,
signed the following paper:
The undersigned, being desirous of having the Belfast and Burnham
railroad built through Unity, do agree to pay to Chas. Taylor,
treasurer of our railroad association, each subscriber being a member
thereof, the sum set against our names, for the purpose of paying for
the right of way across the lands of such persons in Unity as cannot
be persuaded to give and relinquish their damages for the right of
crossing their land. Albert F. Watson, $20.00; William Taber, $25.00;
George Clark, $25.00; J. R. Taber, $25.00; James Fowler, Jr., $25.00;
Chas. Taylor, $20.00; Ruel Mussey, $20.00; John T. Main, M. D., $10.00;
Eben Thompson, $20.00; Josiah Harmon, $20.00; Jefferson Bartlett,
$20.00; Stephen Dyer, $25.00 and right of way through his land; N.
C. Knight, $5.00; Alfred Berry, $10.00; Joseph Chase, $20.00; B. B.
Rackliff, $10.00; G. E. Linkfield, $10.00; Jonathan Stone, $10.00;
Harrison Chase, $20.00; John Crie, $5.00; Simon Connor, $10.00; E. E.
Hall, $5.00; H. B. Rice, $10.00; Daniel Starkey, $5.00; S. S. Coller,
$5.00; J. R. Munroe, $5.00; C. E. Mitchell, $20.00; R. M. Munroe,
$5.00; Shepard Giles, $2.00; Samuel Stevens, $5.00; John Royal, $5.00.
When the town made its offer, this paper was withdrawn.
The railroad company replied that it would not accept the town’s offer,
and it looked as if we should lose the road. Unity people thought they
had made a good offer, and when the company refused to accept it, they
immediately called another meeting and rescinded their vote, in which
they had offered to take thirty thousand dollars’ worth of stock, and
directed the clerk to forward to the company a record of their doings.
It was finally decided to build through Unity, and the company called
for the thirty thousand dollars. The town refused to pay, and left
the matter with Lawyer Artemus Libby (later associate justice of the
Supreme Court). Mr. Libby offered to leave it to the Supreme Court to
decide whether the railroad had cause for action or not, to which the
company agreed. A verdict was rendered for the town. Consequently,
Unity and her people had nothing to pay.
The railroad was opened in 1870.