The Portland daily press., 1872-01-15
CONDITION OF THE ROADS.

The Commissioners give detailed account of
each road in the State from which the following
is condensed:
Androscoggin Railroad This road with its
tributaries and leased lines is III miles long.
The track of this road, with the exception of
the IL miles between Crowley's and Leeds
Crossing, was in good condition in November.
This IL miles has been neglected in its track
md bridges. 1t is complained that the Sabat-
tisville bridge, to which attention has been call
ed every year. is a weak structure. 1t has been
repaired, but should not remain longer than
next spring before being rebuilt They also re-
mark that the bridges at Wilton and West
Pennington are both high, the timbers small
and not well braced. They are doubtless safe
for light trains and low speed, but should
wheel get off or slight jar occur from other
mlshap the consequences might be disastrous
to the bridge and train The earnings of the
road for the year ending June 80, 1871, were
$2S2, 93O,O5; while the expenses were $3.50, 54944
The growth of the business of the road is shown
by the fact that in 1860 the earnings of the
road amounted to $34, O3351 The bonded debt
OF the Androscoggin proper is $425, 200, and the
Leeds & Pennington $685., ZOO, all of which is
now guaranteed by the Maine Central Compa-
ny, which has recently leased or consolidated"
the line.
Portland, Saco Dc Portsmouth Railroad.-This
road has been kept in fair condition of repair;
all the repairs suggested by the Commissioners
were promptly made. During the year 1888 tons
of re-rolled rails with fish Joint, and 6231
sleepers have been laid. The road is well bal
lasted and Drained but higher excellence is
suggested. In this connection the Commission
ers speak of the depot accommodations at Port
land, saying ''a patient public will wait another
years assurances of better accommodations
with an anxiety which we hope the road will
soon relieve by the erection of station buildings
becoming the locality, and reasonably conven-
lent to travellers" The earnings of the road
for the year ending May 81, 1871, were $685.
4305S, and expenses and renewal account S445.-
S69SO, leaving net $1S2, 56O.7S
European North Anaerican Railroad-The
portion of this road in Maine is ia miles in
Tenth. The part of this road between Bangor
and Mattawamkeag is in the main in excellent
condition. 1t is, however, suggested that some
track stringers over culverts should be of larger
timber and the trestle work approaches to the
Oldtown and Orono bridges should be replaced
with masonry. The portion from Mattawam-
keag to Vanceboro is not fully completed though
the cars run over it very smoothly. Considera-
BILE work needs to be done yet in widening cuts,
replacing wooden culverts with stone. &c
There are not sleepers enough nor of so large
size as desirable. The company, however, will
put their road in first class condition early next
season. The bonded debt of the company is
S1,OO0,000 to the city of Bangor and So, 100000
OF its own bonds secured by the road and lands
donated by the State. The lands are held in
trust by Senator Hamlin and j. Edgar Thomp-
son of Philadelphia, the proceeds to be used as
a sinking fund. The Commissioners speak in
the most flattering terms of the future of this
international link of railway
Portland Dc Rochester Railroad. This road
has been greatly improved during the year. Ten
OF the eigteen miles of road this side of the
Saco River have been re-laid with new rails
and 1858 new ties placed in the track. The
business of the road has greatly increased and
the directors are encouraged by the most graft
flying assurances of its prospects in the future
The Commissioners add:
This road, with its connections opens anoth-
er avenue to Boston and the West and has it's
advantages for local and through travel that
inspire confidence in its usefulness and success
Indeed, it is claimed that when its connections
are all formed that it will save some twenty
miles, III distance between Portland and New
ork,-besides avoiding the inconvenience of
transit through Boston. If this be So its di-
RICHNESS of route between so large cities and be-
tween the East and West, must tell surely and
strongly in its favor and insure it, and soon, a
large volume of travel.
The bonded debt of the road is $1,050,0OO
The gross earnings of the road for the year end
ing Aug. 81, 1871, were $s5,5699O. The expen-
ses were S5i,95246; net earnings S3O.617 "a:
being an increase in gross earnings of 81, 14s7o
Boston Dc Maine Rditrood.-Within Maine
there is but % miles. Track and rolling stock
in good condition. The earnings of the road for
the year ending May 81, 1871, were $780,
92256, being sos, lin excess of the previous
year. The company is now building an extern
sion to Portland
Portland DC Oxford Central Rdilroad.-Thi
road extends from Mechanic Falls, where it
connects with the Grand Trunk, to Canton, 27I
miles. Judging from the report, it is in sadly
dilapidated condition in nearly every respect.
The Commission has been anxious about the
"Pottle Bridge" for two years, till at length the
company, not needing its promises to rebuild,
it was deemed necessary to take measures to
stop passenger trains running over it, and to
that end obtained an injunction from Judge
Appleton, Sept 10, 1871, to prevent the running
of trains over the bridge, which was granted,
and no trains have since been run. In connec-
ton with the application of the citizens of
Hartford Centre to have depot established |
there the validity of the act of the last Leyis-
lature authorizing the Commissioners to hear
parties and locate stations where needed. In
this case the company did not locate the depot
as ordered, and the Commissioners applied to
the Supreme Court to enforce their order The
corporation appeared and objected to its en-
forcement ON the ground that the law of 1871 |
was in conflict with rights granted in their char
ter
Maine Central Railroad the Maine
Central proper This road has been extended
from Danyillc Junction to Cumberland, la