Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-25
NO. 48.

of Aroostook. Massachusetts, had at the last
census, eleven times as much railroad to the
square mile as Maine had. When Maine
has eleven times much railroad as she
had at the last census, or in ether words
5,l92 miles, then she will have rail-
roads enough, and there will be no need of
competition to stimulate their building. We
are indebted to the spirit of rivalry for alargc
portion of our railroads. This very Portland
Kennebcc Railroad was built because the
Hon. Ruel Williams and others were not will
ling that Augusta should be cut off or sur
rounded by the Androscoggin & Kennebec
Railroad, now part of the Maine Central
Railroad. The Piscataquis Railroad owes its
existence to the fact that the Dexter New
port Railroad threatened TO divert the trade
of that county to Portland. 1t cost nearly
81 900 900, and all the funds were furnished
by Bangor except $4,000, raised in Piscata-
quis county The Somerset Railroad was
stimulated by the Maine Central Railroad in
competition with the Portland & Kennebec
Railroad and the Belfast & Moosehead Rail-
road would not probably have been built, had
not those two companies competed for lease
ofit, offering livery fav orable terms, which en-
abled the parties interested to ensure its COM
p!etion. Sir, we need. we greatly need to rely
upon the principle of competition to develop
the capacities of Maine, but consolidation
utterly paralyzes that principle so far as re-
lates to the increase of railroad facilities.
But the petitioners say that they ask for no
additional grant of power, that their right to
lease their two roads by virtue of the statute
of 1856 gives them all the real power they de-
SIRE That power to lease was given as an ap-
pendage to the act for the consolidation Of the
A. X, and ?. & X. Railroad, now the NJ. C..
Railroad. 1t extended only to what is now
the M. c. Railroad the p. & X. and s. & K
and the Androscoggin Railroad. 1t attracted
little attention at the time. 1t was sec. 10 of
an act the nine previous sections being devot-
ed to consolidation. That power to the ex-
tent therein granted certainly would not now
be given without strenuous opposition. The
people are now, which was NOT the case then,
awake to the danger of these great monopo-
lies. But it is sufficient to say that these two
| great companies have found such obstacles to a
lease that they have not availed themselves of
the power for fourteen years, and they never
will. The privilege is a dead letter, and for all
practical purposes does not exist. A bill to con-
solidate all the railroads in the State is very
different thing from the unused and practically
III available power to lease contained in that
sec. 10 of the law of 1856. 1t is we'll known
that sec. of that law is the only portion of it
which was ever debated in the Legislature,
and was the subject of much controversy be-
tween the two roads. That the M. c. Rail-
road started its repeal in 1857, and continued
the controversy in the p. & X. Railroad year
after year in the Legislature, until in 1862 its
repeal was effected.
| They say again that they have argeed to run
together (not by leasing,) have made a
contract SO to do, and shall do so whether this
bill is granted or not. should like to see
that contract. 1t has not been exhibited to
the Committee to my knowledge. II they say
it is signed will not deny it, but why not ex
! hbt il? | doubt not that these gentlemen by
their control of stock can induce its ratifca-
ton by the stockholders. That contract was
not made or at least was not proclaimed till
after the Sept election. 1t is one which the
same parties who made it can unmakc at their
pleasure. believe it was made for no other
purpose than to influence this Legislature.
For what other purpose should they draw up
such formal document, with the intention of
course to abandon it in two or three months, or
as soon as they were enabled to con-
solidate under this bill. Further have no
faith that contract of that kind can by any
possibility have any binding force in law;
because it interferes with the principle of COM
petition. 1t is against public policy, and
therefore void. Let one party bring an ac
ton for the breach of such contract, and
they would soon know that they had
no standing in the courts. If such a con-
tract on the part of the Directors were bona
fde, it should be brought before the stock
holders for ratification. The M. c. Railroad
meets on the 23d inst. and there is no allusion
to such contract in the notice of the meeting,
nor am aware that the p. & X. Railroad took
any action upon it at their late meeting.
cannot think that the Directors of the NJ. c.
Railroad at least would consider even the
forms of law complied with as to a contract of
so much importance without a ratification.
The stockholders have no right TO act upon
any subject not embraced in the notice of the
meeting. There is too much reason to believe
that contract is humbug got up for special
purpose.
They say again that there is no competition
as to fares on railroads now. Everybody
knows that the competition at KendalPs Mills
and Lewiston has always been great Certain
l am that one of the Directors of the NJ. c.
Railroad informed ME that they made great
mistake in not accommodating the Lewiston
people as to rates, and thus have induced them
not to extend the Androscoggin Railroad to
Brunswick. The Lewiston people have saved
hundreds of thousands of dollars by that ex-
tension. Why are the rates on the railroads
reduced the moment the steamboats, begin to
run in the spring? Go into any depot station
4 and look on the walls. Every variety of maps
{ in costly frames, and without frames, each
ones road with its connections delineated in
conspicuous heavy black lines, embellished
with every device of advertisement, setting
forth the cheapness, safety and virtues of the
rival roads contuses the imagination, and sets
Judgment at defiance. The truth is, that there
is no business known to man in which compe-
tiOn is so great as upon railroad. To state the
contrary is to presume the audience idiots.
They say again that their interests and the
interest of the public are identical, that their
interests is to make freights low in order TO get
more business. No doubt the Goulds, Fisks,
and Drews would say the same. The state
ment is in no sense correct. The interest of
! the Companies is rather to do smaller bus-
ness at a large price than very large business
at small price. Great amount of traffic
wears out the road and necessitates expensive
repairs. The Hon. Josiah Quincy gentle
men of the highest repute and unsullied char
acter, who has given as much attention TO rail-
roads probably as any man in America, and
, who has made great efforts to establish cheap
2 freight system, has examined this matter very
/ thoroughly, and in an address before the Boston
5 Board of Trade Oct. l6, 1867. speaking of the
r Western Railroad he alluded to former ad-