The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-05
RAILWAY NOTES.
Portland s. Ogdensburg-Gathering Of
General Managers Of Fast Freight Lines
in the City.


A special train over the Ogdensburg arrived
in this city at $50 p. m. yesterday, bearing the
representatives Of many of the fast freight
lines of the country. The party left Syracuse,
N. Y, to visit the piece of road-sixteen miles
in length-conneeting the Ogdensburg q Lake
Champlain and st. Johnsbury & Lake Cham
plain roads at Swanton, which fas lately been
constructed, and will be opened to business
November 1st, and also to see the facilities al
forded to the seaboard by the lines forming
connection with those roads.
The party we're met at Fabyans by President
Anderson, Superintendent Hamilton and Gen
eral Freight Manager Tolman of the Ogdens-
burg and escorted TO the city. 1t was pretty
cold amorg the mountains, but the company
enjoyed the ride immensely. On the passage
hither from Fabyans, meeting was held, at
which freight rates were discussed, but moth
ing of public nature transpired.
Upon arrival in Portland the party were es-
corted to the Falmouth Hotel, where they had
supper There were present General Mana
gers j. M. Mussen Of the Canada Southern, B.
B. Mitchell of the Blue Line, @. S. Tappan of
the Hoosac Tunnel, George Darling of the
White Line, II. W. Davis of the Midland, s.
d. Caldwell of the Red Line; General Freight
Agents e. NJ Moore Of the Rome, Watertown
& Ogdensburg, It. L. Pomeroy, Ogdensburg
& Lake Champlain. Walter T. Tolman. Port
land & Ogdensburg; General Emigration
Agent A. II. Pride, Chicago & North Western.
and +. g. Bronson, secretary to Mr.. Pomeroy.
A hearty supper was provided by the hotel,
to which ample justice was done, and the COM
pliments were many on the style of the house
and the manner in which it was kept. In fact,
several of tie gentlemen we're surprised to find
so metropolitan an establishment in Portland.
After supper the party were the guests of the
Commercial Club, and left in their special car
(which was attached to the Pullman) for Bos-
ton, at a. m. to-day.
Standard Railway Time.
The efforts now making to bring about les
ser number of standards by which the railways
of the country are being operated, is meeting
with great success. the management Of no less
than O000 miles of railroad having consented
to the scheme. Not much headway, however,
has, up to the present time, been made in Sc
curing the consent of the roads of New Eng
iaAuB Due dc bhcAO nOW oOOAAo W 10 uioPo0isAOH
upon the part Of the officials OF these roads to
join in the change, it is quite probable that the
new standard will be adopted for this section
of the country as we'll as elsewhere. At pres
ent there are some fifty different. standards in
use by the roads OF this country and Canada.
The new system proposes to reduce this num-
Der to five, which are to include the stretch Of
country from Nova Scotia to the Pacific coast.
The first standard will include the country
through which the Intercolonial Railway OF
Canada operates, with its central meridian 600
west from Greenwich. The next will include
New England and New York, with meridian
75o west from Green wich, as the central point
The adoption of this scheme would require
the Boston roads to set their present standard
of time backward just 16 minutes and ii the
railroads Throughout New England adopt the
new standard the result would probably follow
that all of our watches and clocks would soon
be changed to the same standard. Otherwise
there would be considerable confusion in busi-
ness and other circles. The third standard
will be arranged to cover the region extending
from Pennsylvania to the westward, with me-
ridian 900 west of Greenwich, for central
point. The other standards would have 105o
and 1909 west of Greenwich for their central
meridians. The advisability of the adoption
of the new standards is SO apparent to all rail-
road managers who have given the question
consideration that there is little doubt of their
coming into general use.
Knox & Lincoln.
On Wednesday of last week, the Railroad
Commissioners made an official examination
of the Knox & Lincoln railroad. They rwill
report it in greatly improved and excellent
INN ,fc IN
progress and unfinished, the Commissi oners
found no occasion to make single su question
or requirement of any other repairs or change,
the first instance in which this has been the
case with any road examined this season. Some
five miles of steel rails have been laid during
the summer, beneficial change in location is
being made at Thomaston by which the line is
shifted from trestle to solid ground. Bridges
have been strengthened, and large amount
of ballasting has been done. Steel rails nave
been unprecedentedly low, so that the directors
have felt justified in, or rather in duty bound,
to take advantage of the market, and make
considerable purchases, though by doing so
payments to the towns from the earnings will
be reduced for the present. Their action will
meet general appreciation. We learn that
about forty thousand dollars will be divided as
net earnings, against ffty-two thousand dollars
in 1882. The business of the road has been
quite satisfactory, and as good as could have
been expected. At length those who opposed
the lease to the Maine Central are becoming
sensible of their folly, since they see the shore
line from Bangor to Sullivan in rapid process
of construction, with a certainty Of completion
in the n m he of the o0n1ino Whau
finished the Maine Central will offer the in
dueements of despatch and fine accommoda-
tions to draw travel, and will obtain it. Had
the Maine Central obtained the Knox & Lin
coin, the shore line would not have been built,
and all the advantages which it will afford
would have been put on this line. The blum
der must be apparent to the most stupid oppos-
er of leasing. 1t is pity that the consequent
ces of their mistaken course should have to be
borne, not by them alone, but by those who
did what they could to effect lease or sale.
Eastern Bonds.
The recent advance in Eastern bonds was
due probably to the fact that as a result of the
twelve months operations ending Sept. 1, the
trustees of the bondholders are to receive
$4,000 to be applied toward the redemption
of the bonds As the bonds are unobtainable
at par the money will have to be placed in a
sinking fund. The fact that the road has done
SO well the past year should give additional
value to the bonds. Whatever the future of
the Eastern, leased to the Boston & Maine or
not, an increased value for the bonds seems to
be assured If leased, the guarantee of the
Boston q Maine will be secured. And in case
Ia attempt is made to purchase bonds suffi-
cient to reduce the debt to ten millions, a con-
siderable advance over present quotations
would be likely to follow.
Grand Trunk.
AT the semi-annual meeting in London on
the 25th inst, shareholders of the Grand
Trunk Railway are to be asked to sanction the
purchase OF certain shares and bonds of the
Vermont Central railroad; also to approve of
the construction of proposed branch railway
connecting North Shore and Grand Trunk. A
scheme for working the Midland & Wella nd
will also be proposed.