Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-19
BOs TON AND MAINE AND EASTERN
RAILROADS AND THE STATE
OE MIME

|
PEACE CAN DO FOR MAINE, FOR THEMSELVES
AND BOSTON, BY OPENING NEW TERRITORY
AND PROMOTING SETTLEMENT, MANuFAo-
TUREs, ETC.
BANGOR, Sept. ~, 1878.
TO the stockholders of the Eastern and the
Boston and Maine Railroads.
In addition to the midnight train of the
Eastern Railroad, ten passenger trains per
day are despatched from Portland to Boston
over the Boston and Maine and Eastern rail
roads. The return trains number the same.
Five times daily two trains start out from
Portland, one upon each road, at precisely
| the same moment, from the stations on the
| opposite sides of the same street, and for
many miles run on parallel routes, intermit
tently, indeed, within biscuit-toss of each
| others cars. Upon inspection it appears that
| neither train is full SO far as regards the
| transportation effected, one locomotive, one
set of train hands, and half the number of
vehicles would suffice. Either one of the
trains could do the through business. The
way business could be well accommodated
with alternate trains upon the roads, certainly
to South Berwick Junction, and very likely
to points considerably further west. Mean
time each road maintains full corps Of high
paid officers. Each in part already has, or
proposes to have, millions invested in timinal
| facilities, in locomotive houses, repair shops,
depot buildings and grounds, wharves, dock
room, etc. facilities that, as prepared for one,
would suffice for both. Each road, rs mat
tiers now stand, is expanding large sums in
extra advertising, in agency work, for writer's,
legal counselors, ''runners' and other func-
tionaries, small and great, differing in gifts
and offices, but alike in being each and all
the most extensive of their class. Counting
over no other items of outlay than these, the
wasted extra expenditure of the two compa-
MES, operating as they now do, will not fall
short of half million dollars per year. The
| natural result of this is seen in the depreca-
ton of Boston and Maine stock by thirty -four
dollars per share, and of the stock of the Eas-
tern road by nineteen dollars per share
This is but the beginning. The directors
of the Boston and Maine Railroad are deter
mined, it is understood, to push their line
through to Bath. The Maine Central, now
working in alliance with the Eastern road,
will oppose this with all its force. The en-
suing session of the Maine legislature threat
enes to be little else than IA drawn battle
betwixt the contending hosts of the rival lines.
The best lawyers, the most adriot lobbyists,
the old-line politicians, anxious one and all
to turn an honest thousand apiece, will be
retained for service, fed and housed and
wined all winter at the best notes.-the total
cost of the campaign running up at the loves,
l estimate, even supposing no votes to be bough,
outright, to 800, 900 for the roads concerned
Suppose the Boston and Maine procure theii
charter, and build thirty-f -four miles of parallel
line to Bath. What is effected by it? II
would add TWO millions to the four million
: dollars of debt incurred in the extension to
, Portland. Like that extension it would open
= not a single new town. Il would create no
new business, and give no needed facility to
= the old. Once built, the war would then be
: shifted to the possession of the roads further
East. These roads would doubtless get glad
:, deliverance from their troubles by the means
: at the cost of the stockholders of one or the
G other of the Boston lines. In the meantime,
and all the way along, as the endeayor should
; be continued 10 force passage eastward, num-
Y berless opportunities would be afforded the
opposing party to throw Instructions in the
way, to multiply difficulties and costs, legion
. by name. II successful at last in forcing
through to Lands End, the duplicate line,
then there would be saddled upon its stock.
: holders the monstrous bill of getting Though
r. under such conditions. Upon the stockhol-
ders of the other line the cost of opposing and
battling their rivals, of building counter
branches and cut-ofs, and upon both, the
expense of operating two lines where the
business would justify but one.
Granting all this accomplished no man IA
milliar with the history of railroads in this
two lines would ultimately come to an agree
ment. They might, or might not consolidate.
But as the freight agents OF the New York
Central, the Erie, the Pennsylvania Central,
and other trunk lines popularity regarded as
competing" meet together twice yearly, and
agree upon tariff of rates from the interior
to the seaboard, precisely SO would these
competing" roads adjust the rates to COM
mon standard. They would be so adjusted,
| hot f1a Ia nfM Maj, a
obliged to pay seven per cent, upon all the
money, the half score million dollars more or
less, wasted in the long contest and in build
| ing parallel lines from which no substantial
benefit could ever be derived. These roads
must make peace some day. Reason will re-
assert itself when the inflammation of passion
shall have had time to be reduced by the de-
pletion of the pocket. The State of Maine is
most deeply concerned that their warfare
cease now, before other millions of useless
debt are gathered for its people to pay. 1t is
for you, stockholders of the Boston and Maine
and Eastern Railroads, to declare that it shall
cease forthwith. Nothing is to be hoped from
your board of directors. They are no better
than stark mad They have become SO deep
ly interested in the 'battle" that they can see
and hear nothing else, and think of nothing
else.
Consider the case. Your roads must always
| constitute ire grand cnannel5 OF c0mmunlca-
ton betwixt this commonwealth and the bust
ness centre of New England. The outlying
provinces to the east, moreover, a magnificent
domain in extent and capacities for wealth
and population, must always remain, so far
as business intercourse shall enlarge, in i'm
portant part, your territory. Boston has been
scattering her money over the distant west by
millions, in region remote, the profit of
whose growth must be divided with other sea-
board communities. Here to the cas-. are ca.
liabilities of development large enough to
satisfy the amplest ambition development
that will inevitably add to the wealth and
power of Boston 10 largest measure and to
other trade centres of New England in their
proportion. In Maine alone you have field
: larger than New Hampshire, Vermont, Mas
n sachusetts and Connecticut, together. This
, territory possesses more good land than all
u the rest OF New England combined. Oflands
unsettled there are $4,000 square miles, or
about 9,3l6,000 acres, of which 3,I53 600 are
in Aroostook county. Speaking of tract Of
the latter lands, containing about one and a
half million acres, MIR. S. l.. Goodale, one of
q highest authorities upon such questions. esti
mates their productive forra at ton