The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-02-02
A GREAT RAILROAD CONTEST.

i A GREAT RAILROAD CONTEST.
This week is witnessing, at Augusta, q
strife Of the railroad powers of the state and
of the avenues leading out Of it. in magnitude
such as has never before been seen in Maine.
The contract which for nearly twenty-five
years has existed between the Portland Saco
and Portsmouth Railroad, to transport the
freight and passengers of the Boston and
Maine and the Eastern Roads into Portland,
has been terminated by the action of the for
mer. There, however, exists an understand
ing, it is said, between the two roads con-
stituting the shore line, by which they will
work tremendously, while the Boston and
Maine is to be left '' out in the cold" The
latter corporation, very rich and powerful
one. proposes to reach the source of business
at Portland by road OF its own over the IN
tervening thirty-five miles. 1t is now on the
ground at Augusta, asking for a charter to
cross the track of the 2. s e. p Railroad, at
Berwick, and run to Portland between that
road and the shore, at an average distance,
| probably, of less than six miles from it, The
arguments presented by the petitioners are
the very sound ones that they will thereby
break up monopoly which is harmful to the
State Of Maine, and gives !. competing ronte
that the business is abundant for two roads
now, and with the increasing traffic and trav
ell over the great thoroughtare, will soon be
Indispensable The assertion of the friends
of the present road that the charter is not
sought for the purpose of building under it,
but a. 4 means OF cOercing the +. 5. Il 7.
road into favorable contract, is met by the
assurance that the strongest guarantees will
be given that the road shall be built at once.
This state of things places our friends of
thu Maine Central in an embarrassing posi-
ton. The shrewd and long headed individ-
uals who manage that corporation have long
nursed certain ambitious projects Of railroad
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT which reach as far as a
consolidated line from the eastern boundary
of Maine to Boston, with its headquarters
on the kennebec The wires which have
been quietly and patiently laid in furtherance
Of this project are sadly deranged by this
new aspect Of things. The Central man
ayers are called upon to declare under which
king they serve. If they declare for the new
road, they are confronted by the fact that the
old one is their only present western outlet,
and they know too well what the power of
special rates. is not to have a care about
getting upon the rack that they have so often
prepared for others On the other hand,
should they take into close communion the
old line, the power of the Boston and Maine
Company will speedily be felt along the line
of the Knox and Lincoln, aud Bay and River
roads to Bangor, and in a new route from
Bath to Portand-thus creating a rival line
to the Maine Central, that will compete at
Bangor for eastern business Perhaps the
Boston and Maine managers have read the
glowing reports Of Judge Rice concerning
the Bay and River road, when parallel routes
were not so much abhorred, and think they
can perceive profit in this direction
In view OF all these entangling consdera-
tons, the Central people have already de-
clared their neutrality on the question. But
it is more than conjectured that before this
week is past, their hands will be detected in
opposition to the Boston and Maine extern
sion. The dread Of parallel routes is very
strong upon the two corporations, since con-
soiidation.
There is no Disgusting the fact that great
apprehension is felt in Maine that the power
OF great railroad monopoly may work inn
mense public injury. 1t is conceded that
managed with liberality and Justice, business
may be done cheaper and more expeditiously
over one extended line than over several
shorter ones 1t was hoped that the practical
consolidation of the Kennebec and Portland
and Central roads would develope purpose
to manage with liherality. Instead of that.
almost its first act was to repudate contract
with the Belfast and Moosehead Road, fairly
entered into and faithfully performed on the
part of the latter,and 30 approved by the hon
orable referees named in the contract The
universal voice of tho State condemns the act
as one, not only of bad faith, but of sadly
mistaken policy.
If the prayer of the Boston and Maine
road prevails, as we believe it will, and think
it should, and injury to the Central road re-
suits. it will be due in a large measure to
public apprehension of the designs of the lat
ter sharpened by the proof given in the case
of the Belfast contract.