The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-15
Railroad Monopoly i'm New Hampshire.

In Governor Harriman's Inaugural Address
there occurs a striking exhortation to the Leg
islature to firmly and jealously guard the iron
highways Of the State against the abuses OF
mismanagement and the Capitalization of polo-
er in any one line to the prejudice of weaker
lines and tie public interest" The war which
these words presaged has already begun. On
"Wednesday, 18th inst five petitions bearing
on an average, more than hundred names
apiece, were presented to the New Hampshire
Legislature, asking tor relief from railroad
monopoly On the same day Mr.. Stearns, of
Ringe, gave notice in the House of a bill "to
prevent railroad monopoly" The monopoly of
which these five hundred and more New
Hampshremen complain, is briefly but very
clearly set forth in the petition, which we copy
below: lih ''-A- at.
To the Senate and House of Representatives of
the State Of Neao Hampshire: -is ~
Respectfully represent the undersigned. cit
izens of Windham and vicinity that the Man
chester & Lawrence Railroad was oriaiu2Ily
chartered, after years OF successful opposition
before the Legislature by the Concord Railroad
and others interested in having monopoly OF
travel and transportation from and through
Concord to Boston; and the NJ 4 Il. l'oau as
intended, both by the Legislature ana tnose
who constructed said road, TO open an auui-
tional thoroughfare to Boston and prevent
Concord Railroad, without rNauy, 10 impose
sunh fares and tariffs as they chose, ana as are
nor+a;n aIways TO be the consequence OF unre-
strained monopoly
o4sd Inv an independent board OF direction, un-
aentroiled by other corporations interested IN
encnmbering travel and business over the same,
II accomplished for the public what had been
exnected, while its stockholders received ade-
ouate and satisfactory dividends.
In 1861 the Concord Railroad, evading pro-
vision of the law designed TO prevent monopo-
Iy. by which one railroad was prohibited from
taking O lease of another railroad for a longer
period than five years without The approval OF
Governor and Council, succeeded in obtaining
4 virtual lease, and entire control of the NJ. Il
L. Road for twenty years, by putting the lease
in C peculiar form and calling 1t bushes:
contt act; and this contract or lease has since
been extended for fifty years, till the year 1911
uutii winch time the NJ. & l.. Railroad is to bt
run, opee ated and controlled by said Concort
Railroad.
In January, 1865, the Concord railroad en-
| tered into contract with the Nashua & Low
| ell and the Lowell and Boston railroads, te
| shut up, as far as possible all use of the M q
| l.. road, and ferce travel and transportation
| over their own roads, at such prices as they
| should see fit to demand. rms contract wa
| TO run thirteen years, and mas Oeeh tn opera
| ron two wears and in consequence OF It's pro
I r-;e;one and OF the manner ill which the Nj.
| T. road business has been managed by th'
Concord road, all freight over said road has beel
| shpt off no cars being now run for through
freiGht over said road, while freight is refuse,
TRANSPORTATION TO or trom Boston by the wa
of Lawrence. Passenger travel over the sam