The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-11-07
TIL Portland e. Roche.ter r. r..

~ RhuCuchtef - H.
Mr.. EDIToR:-Among the doings OF the city
council at their meeti & on Monday evening
the matter of the Portland & Rochester r. r.
deserves more than passing notice.
For some months past the P. & r. Railroad
has been soliciting business between this city
and Boston at considerably lower figures than
the rates charged by the Boston & Maine or
Eastern Railroads or via the steamers of the
Portland Steam Packet Company, the
three last named lines being direct ones
between this city and Boston, while the P. &
r communication with Boston ia over three
different railroad lines. viz. the Portland &
Rochester, the Worcester & Nashua and the
Boston & LEVEL, distance of some thirty
miles longer than via the other routes How
then does it appear that the latter named line
is 10 situation to offer to the public less rates
than those by the direct lines? The explanation
given by the managers of the Portland & Roch-
ester Road is that they do not care a pins
worth for the Portland aud Boston business,
that they do not hope to maintain any consid =
cradle share IF such business, but since they
have certain grievances at the western end of
their line in the way of competition
by the Boston 8 Maine and Eastern
r ,ilroads they are determined to denaoralize
the rates between this city and Bos-
ton until the other mentioned roads shall have
Withdrawn their annoying competition. With
out wishing to go into q long explanation of the
causes of The quarrel, We would venture the
inquiry as to whose expense the Portland s.
Rochester Railroad are carrying on their war;
fare, and in whose Interests is such course
pursued? The figures, as given at the city
government meeting on Monday evening by a
member of the common council, at which the
| Rochester is now doing business, are not far
from correct, and they show cOnclusvely that
| the business is being carried on at material
| loss. We are inclined to think that most of
the so called grievances are in the interests of
| the Boston & Lowell R., or possibly in the
| combined interests of the Boston & Lowell
and Worcester & Nashua Railroads aud these
latter are using the Portland & Rochester to
| fight their own battles with. But be this the
Case or not, we return to the question OF, at
whose expense is this warfare being carried
on? A few of our merchants who will avail
themselves Of the demoraizlng rates be-
tween Portland and Boston may applaud the
81 uation and pray for its continuance, but for
those who have to pay the bills for such
costly policy the feeling is far different. To
operate railroad costs money There are cars
aud engines to be built aud kept in repair, a
| road bed to take care of and men to be paid for
| the service of the road. To pursue the war
| path on the part of the managers of the Port
land & ,chester r .ilroad, since our city is the
largest stoekhoder 10 the road and is RESPONSE
Bile for its bonds, is only to render to the lax
payers of Portland their stock in the Said road
of still less value than it is at present.
Our city fathers should look we'll into the
matter and decide between the plausible stories
of glib railroad managers ADD the Interests of
the CITY. Fortunately the people of our coun-
try are getting their eyes open to the subject Of
"rinss" and p 'wers misused, and they are de-
termined to know about matters that are of
vital interest to them.
It has been argued BY some OF our traders
that in July last combination was formed
between the Boston & VI aine and Eas ern Ill
roads and the Steam Packet Company by which
freight rates we're considerably advanced.
The facts are that previous to July competi-
ton had existed between the Eastern, and BOs-
ton and Name roads for busine-s between Port
laud and Boston, AMI as u result, the rate of
freight mad fallen to So 90 per ton. This low
rate applied to all classes of freight, aud both
heavy aud light goods were carried as above
After some mouths trial of this tariff the Bos-
ton and Maine aud ,stern 70 'ds realized that
they were losing money by the operation a0d
could afford to transact the business no longer
on the same terms. As soon as he tariff was
revised some of our traders who had BEEN chuck
liog over the former low rates and who had
probably DOT thought of reducing the price OF
their goods to consumers n cOos. qaence of sach
low rates of freight. felt much chagrlned at the
advance 10 pr ces; but they soon found reliet at
the bands of the Portland and Rochester Rail-
road who. notwithstanding that the Eastern
aud Boston and Maine Roads found that they
could DOT afford to transport between this city
and Boston at $500 per ton, are nov soliciting
business at ST. 90 per ton. 1t is the duty of our
City fathers 20 look well into the so-called grev
ances Of the Portland and Ro chester Railroad
at their western terminus, and see whether or
not it is policy to play into the hands of the
Worcester and Nashua, and Boston and Lowell
Railroads aud rob the citizens Of Portland to
pay for it, TAX PAYER.