Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-29
The Railroad Outrage.

EDITOR KENNEBEC JoURNAL-The railroad
reform backwards. is peculiar, and it is really
reshing to see newspaper with pluck enough to
attack a corporation, especially railroad. These
are not the times for modes of conveyance TO adj
vance on the hitherto high tariffs There is a
cat under the meal somewhere. You charge this
increase to the Maine Central r. r., while the
impression is given out here, that it all orgna-
ed with the Boston roads! If you are correct
in stating that the Boston roads only receive
Slj0 between Porlland and Boston on through
tickets, and we are correct-Ed.l certainly the
advance is an outrage. To illustrate. a ticket
from Damsrscota to Boston before the rise was
$500, to Portland 81 The Knox and Lin
coin and the Maine Central therefore, while car
ryIng passenger from here to Portland for 81 90
local fsre) get $3.50 a through Boston tick
ct. Since the rise, the fare to Boston increase ed
20 $3.50, bat to Portland remains unchanged
SO that these two roads, X. 4 L. and NJ. c., get
81 90 more on Boston ticket than they receive
on the local rate to Portland! y Again. n. & l..
fare to Bath Sl.00 Bath to Augusta as reduced
u .25. while for a through ticket from Damaris.
Gotta to Augusta is 81 j0!!
Really, things are sadly mixed. Our people
are slow to believe that either the X. j. l.. or
the NJ. c. railroads have done this, and are in
clned to think it comes from the Eastern and
Boston & Maine, and that they get this extra
charge which they probably think they need to
off set their losses by the late controversy and
opposition.
The people are forced to this conclusion from
the fact, that these railroads in Maine, have too
much reason to try to accommodate the people,
and especially the X. & J.. where the tax payers
are the owners and supporters of the road II
the Legislature at its next session, should see fit
to fix rate above which the railroads should not
be allowed to charge for local fares it would he a
great thing. To this end let it be hoped that
every member, when be receives the usual bali
fare offer from these roads, spurn it, and keep
themselves in mauful position, to act upon
their best Judgment when the matter comes up,
| and not be in situation to feel that they are un-
der any obi cations to any corporation.
Far better would it be, if the members feel the
need of such allowance for their constituency
| to contribute this amount, Saved by this bride
yearly offered) and have their representatives act
| freely, without favor or affection.
| We already hear of move to utilize some OF
| the sixty odd steamers employed along the coast
| Of Bristol and Boothbay two or three months
| yearly, by putting them en- route between Round
| Pond, Damariscotta, Wisscasset and Boothbay to
| to Portland.
| The project seems to be, a fast going steamboat
/ to ply between Wiscasset and Portland, touching
| at Boothbay and Squirrel Island, and from there
| smaller steamers W i'll he adapted to the purpose
to intercept the Wiscasset and Portland boat a
Squirrel Island, taking passengers TO and from the
points above named. -
Dalnariscotra, Oct. 2e, 1877. sJt