Memorial of the European and North American Railway Company of Maine. In Miscellaneous Documents of the Senate, 1st Session, 39th Congress.

Washington: Government Printing Office, 1866. First edition. Entire volume is present but the Railroad item in 37 pp. plus a large folding map entitled "Map of the European and North American Railway, showing its connection with the railways of the United States & Canada; made by direction of His Excellency John Hubbard, Governor of Maine under the resolve of Aug. 20th 1850." 31 x 24 inches. a couple of minor fold-line splits but overall a very good copy of the map. Book is bound in its original sheepskin with morocco gilt spine labels. Leather dry, some scuffing and cracks along hinges (covers till attached). The European and North American Railway Company was chartered by the Maine legislature in 1850 to construct a railroad to an ice free harbor in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia in order to shorten ocean voyages between North America and Europe. The company was incorporated in 1853 with John A. Poor as president. Building plans languished for years but were revived in 1864 when funding was secured. The company received credit of $1,000,000 from the city of Bangor to build the line and was also granted rights to timber and land owned by the state of Maine on the Penobscot and St. John Rivers. In 1864 the European and North American also acquired the rights, roadbed, right of way and all other property of the Penobscot Railroad Company. This railroad had been chartered in 1847 to build a railroad from Bangor to Milford but work had ceased by about 1858. The European and North American continued this work, and the line opened in 1871 in Maine.