The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-22

Excess of Boston & Maine rates 80 per cent.
The programme of the Boston and Maine
now is-"War to the knife with the Eastern
and Maine Central railroads, force a connec-
ton at Portland, break up the contract for the
cheap transportation of freight, form new
combinations and thirty-three per cent higher
tariff, and bleed the State of Maine to buy ten
per cent. dividends on the four million dollars
Extension" The Boston corporation will
probably have to wait some time before it re-
ceives the aid of the Legislature of Maine in
carrying out this fine prospectus. The people
do not forget what corporation it is that in the
days of the weakness of the Maine Central
laid upon it burdens too heavy to be borne.
They do not forget what corporation has used
the profits wrung from the labor of Maine to
Unfortunately augment its own dividends and in
crease the value of its stock. They remember
what corporation has persisted in demanding
excessive rates on through business between
the State of Maine and its grand market, Bos-
ton. They remember what corporation now
owes the Maine Central and Eastern line Sill
600 of freight and passenger money which it
refuses to pay. They remember what corpora
ton has, in connection with its Extension"
consummated gigantic stock-writng opera-
ton without a parallel in the railroad history
of New England. These facts the people of
Maine will not forget.
The question of the reasonableness of the
freight rates of the Maine Central railroad
need not be further argued. The simple fact
that those rates for the year 1872 averaged but
As cents per ton per mile is sufficient for all
who consider the character of the region
served its extent, sparsity of population, and
other conditions. Nevertheless 1 shall take the
scope and weight of which, in evidence, the
discerning public will not fail to observe
First, the average local charges of the rail-
roads OF Massachusetts for 1872, as reported by
the Railroad Commissioners, some twenty-six
in all, were Sal cents per ton per mile, or over
20 per cent above the Maine Central figure
Second, the average local charges of the
twenty-five railroads of Connecticut for the
same year, even when combined with and re-
duced by the through charges, were 4.53 cents
per ton per mile, or a fraction above the merely
local rates of the Maine Central. If the local
rates could be separated from the through
rates their excess over the Maine Central's
would be found to be not less than of the
Massachusetts roads,
Thirdly, the average local rates of the New
Hampshire and Vermont railroads are materi-
ally in excess of those of the Maine Central.
though have not the figures at hand for quo
tatiOn.
These facts. covering almost the entire rail-
road system of New England, are sufficient, if
mistake not. to outweigh whole columns of
rhetorical philippe and wholesale denunciation.
To argue with such facts is quite different
matter from setting in contrast the highest To-
cal rates for short distances on one road with
average through rates for the whole length of
one other road. There may be art in such de-
bate as that but it is the art of the pettifopger
and the demagogue. The earnings of the
Maine Central have not been used to nav ten
per cent. dividends on stock. They have
hitherto been wholly absorbed in meeting chr
rent expenses and interest on bonded debt. and
in making such improvements Jas would enable
the road to serve the State of Maine with
higher efficiency and at lower cost
The real object of this violent attack upon