The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-09-18
Who is to Blame

The Boston Journal published under the
above heading the following communica-
ton in relation to an item which is going
the rounds Of the newspapers of this State
Portland, Aug. %, 1873.
To the Editors of the Boston journal:
In q recent issue of the Journal is the
following item:
"ETFEcT OF THE RAILROAD WAR IN MAINE
The refusal OF the Maine Central Railroad to
connect with the Boston and Maine is proving
injurious to the interests of lumber and produce
dealers east OF Portland. who are now obliged
TO transship all of their freight destined for
towns on the line of the Boston and Maine Rail
road. One party ill Lewiston reports that he
will be Il loser this year to the extent of $l5 900
on account of his inability to get his lumber to
market. What is required by the general public
in Maine as elsewhere, is thorough and syste
matte connection Of all roads which enter the
same place, by which freight and passengers
can be conveyed from one section to another
without change of cars.
That statement throws the entire blame
and odium of the existing obstruction upon
the Maine Central Railroad, with what
justice will appear from the following
facts: The Maine Central Railroad brings
treights from Lewiston, or any OF all other
points on its line to Portland. Suppose
portion of that freight is destined to Dover
OF lIaverhll on the Boston and Maine?
Ii SO ordered by the shipper the Maine
Central delivers the freight to the Boston
and Maine at Portland, it is transhipped
and forwarded. the Boston and Maine pay
inc the charges of the Maine Central ac-
cor,ling to custom. But if the shipper,
wishing to avoid the cost of transhipment
at Portland orders the lot forwarded via.
South Berwick Junction, the Boston and
Maine although compelled by law to re-
celvc ii nj that point and carry it on, WiU
MT lnY the charges thereon. BY retuSals
of this sort that corporation has suffered
bill Of the Eastern Central line of 100000
to accumulate against itself. OF course
the EasterIl-C entral line cannot go on
doing business after this sort, and is obliged,
accordingly to decline reight from interior
Maine for the Boston'and Maine towns, ex-
eept it he ordered to be transhipped at
Portland
The Boston and Maine Railroad by its
policy says to the farmers, manufacturers
and lumbcrers OF this State, ''You shall
not reach points upon our road except you
have your produce transhipped 70 our cars
reach our town via the Berwick junction
Will not pay the charge on its carriage to
those points, and by consequence, will
prevent its being carried to those points"
As regards towns ON the Boston and Maine
ctSt of the Junction. every one of them
has been fully accommodated for thirty
wears by the Portland, Saco and Ports
mouth road. The Boston and Maine di-
rectols, by their outlay of $4,000. 900 on
THAR -ta III, ba,-n
new town.
The thorough and systematic connec-
ton OF all roads" etc, of which YOU speak
in your closing sentence, is precisely what
the Maine Central begged and entreated
the Boston and Maine to make with itself,
in conjunction with the Eastern. Time
and again conferences were had, and COM
mitttes met and agreements by them We're
reached only to be frustrated by the d.
rectors of the Boston and Maine They
insisted upon two dollars per head for
every passenger using their line to Boston,
while the Eastern line accepted one and
half dollars, for every through passenger
taken from OF delivered to the Maine
Central. On freight they must have
$3.50 and $500 per ton, where the East
ern was content with 50 Their figures,
if acceded to, meant paralysis to the in
du>tries Of this State and bankruptcy to
the Maine Central Railroad For this rea-
son the Maine Central made arrangement
with the Eastern line alone for the through
business to and from Maine Into this
arrangement the Boston and Maine is now
endeavoring to force itself. What its claims
are is evident enough from the statement
just made. Certainly the Journal did not
speak with its usual circumspection when
it referred to the troubles here to the ere
tuSIl OF the Maine Central Railroad to
connect with the Boston and Maine" That
is 4 small part of the case If the Boston
and Maine will pay its Just dues on freight,
trouble will cease l..