The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-29


tiers forfeited for manifest abuses of its rights
and privileges. 1t mey require further legsla-
tIon to make the forfeiture practically ettectlve.
The Commissioners say that it is due TO tne
ofhcials OF the road to state that they navee al,
ways expressed desire to have it repaired and
put in good condition, but they seem not to
have the necessary funds.
BOSTON AND MAINE RAILROAD.
Since the date of the last annual report the
extension of this road has been completed to
Portland, A miles in Maine. The Commits
sioness speak in the highest terms of the man
ner in which this extension has been constrct-
ed. The amount expended upon the extension
up to September so, 1873, was So 941, 1922 Co.,
Much remains to be done in and about the city
of Portland
The bonded debt of the Boston & Maine is
$1,227 800; stock paid in, $6.921, 274.52; gross
earnings for the year ending. September, 30,
1873, s., 300, 093; net earnings for year ending
September 80, 1873 $572, 6S; earnings from
passengers 81, 1902 100 So earnings from freight
$500, 512. Al number of passengers carried
tequal to. 81 100, 456 for one milel 5,0oS,o74;
number of tons of freight carried, 520,72
There has been added to the rolling stock the
| past year IS passenger and parlor cars, l bag
| gage and III freight cars, and one snow pillow.
| Total, 400 freight, 120 passenger and parlor
| cars and SO locomotives.
| There has been laid Including that laid on
the extension) 5000 tons of iron and 100 tons
| of steel rails. There have been six passenger
| depcts and four freight houses built in Maine.
| PORTLAND AND ROCHESTER, RAILROAD.
The Commissioners are pleased to be able to
| report the continued improvement of this road
and its increasing value as one of the import
ant avenues of business to and from the city of
Portland. The road is also assuming a pros
| pective importance as one of the through lines
| from Portland to New York.
| The gross earnings of the year have been$142,
$3.50, an increase over 1872 of $11, O09.61. The
expense accounts have been $40, 1886; net
$40,97543. The capital stock of the road is
1896, Ill so; city of Portland bonds, A, $780,
000;ciLy of Portland bonds, 1885,, 800; Portland
8 Rochester bonds, $3.50, 900; bills payable,
Passengers carried, 1886; tons IF freight
| carried, Ga, 400.
| PORTLAND, sACo AND PORTSMOUTH RAILROAD.
This road is pronounced as being in it's usual
| good and safe condition 1t is now operated by
the Eastern Railroad Company. The rolling
stock is first class in every respect. and no pains
| have been spared in keeping it up to the high
est demands of usefulness, safety and comfort.
| CONSOLIDATED EUROPEAN AND NORTH AMERI-
| CAN RAILWAY.
| By the lease of the Bangor and Piscataquis
road the consolidated European and North
American railroad embraces $50 miles of rail-
road, 1852 Of which are in Maine. Its road and
rolling stock are in good condition. Freight
and travel have largely increased. When the
Piscataquis road is extended to reach Canadian
travel and traffic, as is said to be in early con
| temptation. and the Riviere du Loup when
opened as far as Tobique, if no farther, already
| completed to Woodstock. and already making
| its contributions to the consolidated European
and North American sensibly felt, will, more
than any individual enterprises, swell the vol
| ume Of business upon the main line.
The European and North American Railway
| Company still retains the lands donated to it
! by the State, being about 100000 acres. The
road claims about 260, 900 acres more, which the
State land agent thinks it is not entitled to I'M
der the legislative resolve Of March 5, 1868.
The bonded Indebtedness of the road Jan. 20,
1869, is $1,O00,000 from Bangor to'Winn; March
! l, 1869, 100000 from Bangor to Vanceboro' !;
| $4,000, 900 debentures from Vanceboro' to st.
John; 1922 900 from Bangor to Guilford on the
| Piscataquis road. The $2,OOO,0OO of March 1,
| 1859, are secured by mortgage upon the lands
| donated by the State.
The earnings of the consolidated Europ an
| and North American were in 1872 fabout $780,
600; in 1873 about $6520OO; estimating por-
| ton of Observation-Disclosures $4,000.
| GRAND TRUNK RAILROAD.
| The Commissioners have been unable to get
the important business statistics of the road,
|
| provements having been made during the last
two or three years, and greater ones are pro-
| posed during the coming summer. The gauge
| of the Canadian portion of the road has been
changed the past season from feet inches to
the prevailing gauge of the country, 4 feet, 8
IL inches, and it is understood that the gauge
will be changed between Montreal and Port
land some time during this year.
The capital stock of the division between
Island Pond and Portland is So, 900, 600; funded
debt, $3,484,000.
| HOULTON BRANCH.
| This is a branch of the New Brunswick and
Canada Railroad, embracing three miles in
| Maine. The branch is good piece of road,
but the main road needs more gravel and bal
last The Commissioners say: "Perhaps no
town of its size in the State has more wealth
GREETED t abhsa uH1oalsSsa hforesis6t Of It's
citizens had not seen their interest in a rail-
road looking toward commercial centres and
the ancestral hearthstones of the State to
which they owe allegiance rather than in di-
version of their business toward provincial
towns ana INTO foreign government.
KNOX AND LINCOLN RAILROAD.
There have been several Improvements, adj
ding largely to the business of the road. The
cost of 1.-THE road, intending extension to tide
water at Rockland, is about 2,7O5 5O2 IS; bond
ed debt, 81, 1896, 900; stock paid 1851 ,655. Liza
blities are more than balanced by bills. re-
ceivable and cash on hand.
The Commissioners are unable to give bust
ness statistics of the road
PORTSMOUTH,, GREAT FALLS AND CONWAY.
This road is also controlled by the Eastern.
and its length of track in Maine is AZ miles.
ST. CRoIx AND PENoBscoT RAILROAD.
The track of this road is in fair condition.
but needs gravel and new ties, which deficien-
ces are being supplied. An effort is making to
extend the road to Grand Lake stream, or to
connection with the European and North
American road. The principal business of the
road is In transporting manufactured lumber
from Barring to tide water at Calais. No re-
port OF the finances of the road has been made.
ACCIDENTS
The Commissioners say that fewer accidents
than usual have occurred the past year, and
the roads have been managed with consdera-
Die care for the safety and lives of passengers,
SUGGESTIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE
In conclusion the Commissioners feel them
selves to be justified in rendering an opinion
that our Maine railroads, taken as whole, will
compare favorably with those of any other New
England State.
The report states: ut may be worthy of
iCSIoidGiNc COuSiueTdClOn WleCner the Railroad
Commissioners should not be required to settle
much larger portion of the differences that
arise between citizens and the railroads and
between different railroads. and thereby pre-
vent.the interference of these differences with
the time and customary business of the cour is,
with an advantage, also secured, of personal
examination, sometimes necessary, and of more
practical knowledge than the court may always
have. Too frequent application to the Legsla-
ture might perhaps be thus somewhat prevent
ed. Applications upon matters that expe-
rienced and practical men might settle as we'll.
with an advantage of more leisure to attend to
them and which now take up much of the
time of the Legislature, are sometimes pressed
upon members with an unpleasant importantly.
The assessment of damages for lands taken by
the location of rnirou1; tho right ung road
under its charter to connect with another, and
upon what terms and conditions; the allowing
one road to connect with another, where tie
right is not given by its charter, but not pro-
hibited by that of the road to be connected
with; might not these aud kindred questions
now vexing the courts and annoying the Legis-
lature, as well be referred to the Railroad Com
mssoners, with provision for appeal to the
Court in any case where the right to trial ia
. o. and MI