Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-17
Railroad Hearing.

| hearing took place yesterday afternoon
before the railroad committee in the Senate
| Chamber, on the petitions for a charter for an
act Of incorporation for a railroad from Lew
iston to Danville junction to connect with the
Grand Trunk road, to be known as the Lew
| iston and Auburn railroad company.
The petitions were represented by Hon.
! Nelson Dingley, DR., who argued at length
/ the necessity OF closer connection with the
Grand Trunk road by the citizens of Lewiston
and Auburn, on account of reaching the
| West, from which comes their products, on
account of their Oxford county trade, on ac-
| count OF their business with Portland, and for
other reasons. He contended that by com
petition lower passenger fares and reduc-
ton in freight tariff would be the result The
proposed road he said would be five and a
half miles in length, and if it was built it
would insure lower rates and other advan-
| tages.
! Judge Rice of this city, President of the
Maine Central railroad, on being called upon.
replied to the gentleman who had preceded
him.
lie said that he came here without any pre-.
| vious knowledge of what had TRANSFERRED. He
came here as the representative of large
corporation passing through Lewiston and
Auburn, of which they had been appraised that
he was the chief executive officer, to hear the
nature of the complaints that were to be of.
fered. He was aware that the citizens of
Lewiston and Auburn contributed largely to
the Maine Central corporation, and that their
contributions were important elements to its
success.
He disclaimed making any opposition to the
proposed road. If the citizens of Lewiston
and Auburn required extra railroad facilities
and conveniences, he certainly would be the
last to oppose such desire. Those places
are justly entitled to great consideration, and
the success they have met with in their
growth, progress, and accumulation of
wealth, should be contemplated with great
pleasure.
In 1867 the Androscoggin company pre-
sented a petition to this legislature to connect
their road with the Grand Trunk in Danvilie
or Minot, as the gentleman had said. But he
did not say that the charter they then obtain
ed, the company held in their hands from 1867
to 1871, during which time they did not move
finger. Their charter laid on the statute
book a dead letter. No shovelful of earth
was laid on that charter to carry it into effect.
In 1871 the legislature was asked to grant a
parallel road by this same company. This
request which was given, was q modification
of the 1867 charter. The complaint was
that this Androscoggin road, starting in
Pennington and coming down and connecting
with the Maine Central road, by some mis-
| understanding had no4 been justly. treated,
| and they asked for an outlet TO the Portland
Kennebec road. In 1871, the Maine Cen
trail and p. & X. Il. r. became identified and
were operated together. Thus the Andros-
coggin road found itself connected with q
road in alliance with the Maine Central, and
finding themselves between these two roads
they asked for an independent outlet and OBJ
tanned il. 1t is not now the Androscoggin
company that was in a condition to be. stran-
gled as was then claimed, but it is the Maine
Central that is in danger.
Judge Rice asked the committee, before
| they interfere with such a corporation as the
Maine Central and grant the petition of these
parties, to examine these facts with care.
| How are the people of Lewiston and Au-
burn situated as to their railroad facilities?
Are they reasonably accommodated, and are
the rates reasonable When he became con-
nected with the Maine Central road, one OF
the principal objections urged against that
road was that it was connected with the Grand
Trunk railroad, and was announcement. There
was break of gauge between Lewiston, Bos-
ton and the great central marts of produce,
which compelled large portion of freight to
be sent by water, or by transhpment. The
question was asked, do you intend to change
the guage of the Maine Central to conform
with the gauges Of the country? DO you in
tend to make a narrow gauge? We had but
one answer. We shall endeavor to afford
every advantage and facility in our power,
and he asked now, have we not done it? Dur
ing the past year have we not done everything
to accommodate to the greatest extent2 We
have obviated difficulties which have been
raised We have been obliged to extend our
road at cost of 5000, 900, to give close and
intimate connection with Western roads with
which Lewiston and Auburn have business.
We have changed the entire gauge from Ban
gor, and have increased our rolling stock to
meet the requirements of those two localities,
and without transhipment or delay have laid
down their freight at their very doors. In
view of these facts, is not the Maine Central
road entitled to your consideration? Without
some urgent cause, should you authorize a
rival and competing road to place in jeopardy
the success of the Maine Central?
He would ask the petitioners whether in
view of what has been done last year, in view
of the large expenditures which the faith of
the State is pledged to protect, is it not cruel
to say the least, with all the improvements
made by the Maine Central, now to build a
railroad to participate in the business for
which these Improvements have been made
1t has been suggested that the citizens Of