Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-02-23
K. and P. Railroad.

In view of the exceeding irregularity of the
trains on this road the present winter, the uni
versal enquiry is, ''What's the matter!" Not
road in New England, probably, has been so
uncertain and fluctuating in lis operations, as
the Kennebec and Portland, for two months
past Not one-haf the lime since the Is, day
of January 10 say the least, have The trains
been up to time, and the mails have been be-
hind contract time 10 about the same extent.
With large amount of freight offering, the
road has not taken half of il /; and at this very
moment, ship timber is being transported be-
tween this place and Richmond and Halowell
by horse power. 50 far as efficiency and reg
ularity in the transportation of passengers are
concerned. the road has lost sadly in public es-
timation lis experiments in carrying freight
the present season, may he considered about as
bad as dead failure. The patience of the
business community on the route has been
taxed TO an extreme point, on account Of diff
cultles and irregularities in the transportation of
freight. The failure of connection of the mail
trains at Portland has played the deuce with
the credit. Of our merchants, who have been
thundersiruck again and again by the sudden
telegram Of nule protested after their drafts
had been in the mail bags lwenty-luur hours.
: We do hot know bat the prophecy made
when railroads were first talked Of ia Maine,
that the great depth of snow and severity Of
Maine winters would prove an insuperabc OBJ
stacle 10 the success Of railroading, was true !;
at any rate, it proves true, so far as the K. and
Portland r. r. is concerned, the present win
ter. The winter has been one of The most Sc
we're for twenty years, and reasonable amount
Of difficulty and detention The public were pre-
pared to endure. But here obstacles pile high
er and higher, so that trouble on The track is
sure result Of a very scanty fall of snow
But other roads in Maine do not make the
elements down east 50 unfavorable for rail-
reading. The trains ON the broad guage roads
have been generally put through though some
times behind time. The Atlantic and ST.
Lawrence road, running almost through the
eternal SHOWS of the mountain wilderness. in
the view of our Kehnebec people a year or
two ago, has been remarkably punctual, and
trains have run with little or no detention.
? We are forced to conclude, then, that these
difficulties with which We have TO contend,
have an origin and a locality here. One man
says our engines are good for nothing-they
have been banged about on an unfinished road
TIL they are unfit for severe winter business
II Inc road had been completely finished up
Ias' summer, and the sharp rises graded 10
IeVei' Inc engines would have been in better
order and able to do more work. Another
says we want more force and efficiency IN man.
age'nen.. lnoeed' The question, "What's the
matter!" is answered in all manner of WAYS
while the public get little or no relief
As we have had The audac,y ,o 60. &c
this, in the minds of some people ,bo hn,
lies experienced are, in our view, 10 bo I,
great measure attributed TO the existence &C
circumscribed and narrow policy instead Of an
expansive and broad one The road, instead
Of being prepared for business, has been con-
tinually driven TO Go business without prepara-
tion. Cars were wanted year ago they are
wanted now. The last season was fine ore
for finishing up the road the work is vet in
the future. If The trials of the present season
do not work out deliverance soon. the stock
holders will be obliged 10 look good distance
into the future after their dividends.