Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-02
Remarks Of Mr.. Kell0ch, of ThOmast0n,

In House of Representatives, Wednesday, Feb. 25,
on bill ian act relating TO railroad connections" "
Mr. KELLoCH said:
Mr.. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House: =
This is a matter to which have not per-
haps given SO much attention as some
other members of this House; but so far
as have examined. and Investigated the
merits of the question, and have given
them, think, careful and deliberate
consideration, am forced to believe that
it is my duty, as representative of por-
ton OF the citizens Of this State, to protes ct
against the passage of this bill. l have
endeavored to obtain from various sources
the necessary information to direct my ac-
ton to-day upon the question now before
US, for certainly, the interests involved are
such as to make it the duty of every man
to inqnire whether, if he vote one way up
on this question, that vote will be right
and in the interests of those whom he
represents, or if he vote the other way, it
will be wrong and against these interests.
l have examined the past history of this
subject, but have not been able to gather
any information that warrants my voting
in favor of this measure.
We have, extending from Bath to Rock
land, what is known as the Knox q Lin
coin Railroad which was built at the ex-
pense of the tax payers who live in the
several cities and towns along that line.
In the town Of Thomaston which l have
the honor to represent upon this floor, we
have debt of S188, 200, created in the in
terests, and for the construction of that
railroad, and this large debt rests wholly
upon the town, and for the security Of the
holders of our bonds, the real estate Of the
town is mortgaged. Aside from this debt
there is large amount of stock held by
private individuals, from $40, 900 to S25,-
600; and in view of this, it is certainly my
duty to know what my action is to be in
the premises. am satisfied, so far as
have been able to inform myself, (and l
have not been dilatory in my efforts in
this directiOn), that ii we vote for connec-
ton to-day, such as this bill contemplates,
it will affect our interests in the Knox &
Lincoln road in such a manner that the
traveller who stats from Rockland and
goes to Boston, will be obliged to pay for
his passage over that road fifty cents more
on his through ticket to Boston than he
now pays, and our freights will necessari-
ly 60 up in similar ratio. They will ad-
vance from forty to sixty cents per ton.
At present we have an arrangement with
the Maine Central Railroad which is graf
tuitous on their part, by which we are thus
favored. And why Because of the COM
petition between the Boston & Maine, and
the Eastern railroad. If you force con-
nection by giving this bill passage, and
compel the Boston & Maine and the Maine
Central railroads TO connect at Portland
where the Boston & Maine desires to con-
meet itself with the Maine Central, we can
perceive. and for good reasons, too, that
our freight bills will advance; that our
passenger tariff increase, and our roads,
like the Knox & Lincoln, in the same con.
dition and dependent upon stronger and
richer corporations, for protection or fa-
vor, will be made poorer than they now
are. More than this, we believe that,
judging from the status Of the parties di-
rectly interested in this question, the two
railroad corporations whose interests are
directly and at once disturbed by such a
law as this, that the ultimate object fthis
bill, if enacted, will be consolidation of
these two roads, and all other roads now
bound to the Maine Central, or to which
have not the slightest doubt on this ques-
llOu vi NC WIZ are III tuC
interest of the Knox Il Lincoln road, have
endeavored heretofore to secure as good
terms as possible with other connecting
roads
We have held consultation with the Bos-
ton Il Maine people. There have been
consultations between us and the friends
of the Eastern Railroad. Nothing defin-
ite has been accomplished, except it be
the very favorable terms of the latter road
which have existed between us for some
months. While our local fare from Rock
land to Bath is only 81, they allow us as
our part of the money received for a
through ticket, from Rockland to Boston,
$3.50, and while we receive more than
Our local fare, $3.50 for forty-nine miles,
the Maine Central receives but seventy
cents from Bath to Portland. a line not
much shorter than that of the Knox d Lin
coin, and the Eastern gets from Portland
to Boston, distance OF one hundred and
ten miles, only $l,50. The Boston and
Maine do not and will not transport our
passengers over their line for this sum OF
money; but they charge us 81. If they
would do this then perhaps, putting
aside the question Of consolidation, we
could discover some reason why con-
nccton such as they ask for should be
made or granted. They will not do it.
There are members of this House who
are not unfamiliar with the course of leg
islation last winter upon the question OF
granting a charter, a railroad charter from
Bath to Portland. We may be little sem
sitive, perhaps selfish, but we have not
taken advantage of any man OF class OF
men. We came here last winter as rep
resentatives of the people and influenced
by the agents of the Boston 4 Maine Rail-
road Company, and in the interests of the
Knox 4 Lincoln Railroad, as we supposed,
and were made to believe by the friends
of the Boston & Maine, gave our assist
ance by vote and by influence. for char
ter, in the interests Of that road, that they
might come in under it, and extend their
road from Portland to Bath and thus make
connection with us. We supposed that
link would be our salvation, and we be.
lieve this to be the case to-day, that our
salvation depends upon that link IN the
Shore Line railroad. After securing with
out much opposition that charter in the in
terests of both roads-the Boston & Maine
and the Knox & Lincoln, our people
seemed to be satisfied. But in few days,
or weeks at most, they were convinced that