The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-08-30
The Railroad Laws Of Maine.

We have received volume edited by Hon.
E. f. Webb of Watervlle, containing all the
public and private acts and resolves relating
to Railroads in Maine, with references to de-
cisions of the Supreme Judicial Court, digest
of the decisions of the court in relation TO rail-
roads and copies of mortgages, deeds of trust,
leases and contracts made by the various rail-
roads in Maine and now in force
The volume was greatly needed and is ex-
ceedingly valuable, pot only to lawyers and
railroad men, but to all who may have any,
thing to do with railroad legislation. We have
10 general laws ader which raiiroal corpora
tons have been formed, and in consequence
there are special laws and resolves relating to
every company, scattered through our volumes
of special laws, from the organization OF each
company to the present time-embracing in
some cases period of nearly forty years. And
when it is remembered that there are but few
sets of all our special laws it will be seen that
it has been difficult task for any one not III
timately acquainted with the history of rail-
ooad to trace the legislation relating to it, and
ascertain the laws in sforce in regard to it at
the present time.
Besides this, some of our railroad corpora
tons have been formed by the foreclosure of
mortgages or by the consolidation of other
companies, and thus we have several whose
charters cannot be found in our laws, unless
one is acquainted with the history of each
company
Mr.. Webb has arranged the corporations in
alphabetical order, grouping together under
the name of each corporation, all the legisa-
ton relating to it. For example, under the
head of "Atlantic aud St. Lawrence Railroad
Company" he gives all the laws relating to
that company in chronological order, includ-
ing those authorizing the city to loan its credit,
and then gives the contract with the P. S. and
P. Railroad Company, the trust mortgage of
1851, and the leases to the Grand Trunk Rail-
way Company.
The charters and laws of the compares
making up the Maine Central, and of those
leased to or operated by it,, with the contracts
of consolidation, leases and other contracts, are
given in connection with a brief history, in
such manner that the mutual relations of the
various companies and the Maine Central can
be readily ascertained. Following the char
tiers and other special laws, are all the general
laws relating to railroads Except the Revised
Statates) ever enacted by our legislature, and
the digest of decisions.
At this time, when the relations of railroads
10 the public are matter of such general dis
cusson and interest, this volume is especially
valuable; and information which has hitherto
been attainable by only very few, is now
placed within tina reach of all. 1t is for the
benefit of both the public and the railroads
that their mutual relations as established by
the laws, should be fully and generally known
and-thanks to Mr.. Webb-we now have the
means of knowing them. The volume is pub
lished in admirable style, in all respects, by
Messrs. DRESSER MCCLELLAN & Co., of this
city, and was printed 6y the Portland Publish
ing Complny