The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1886-12-22
Our Extra Train.
4 SURE THING IL TIE SPRING.

raised at the meeting consisted of MessrS.
$. j. Walton. II. s Steward, X. W.
Brown and 5. W. Gould, but MreWaltan
at the last hour found himself engaged in
a case that he could not in justice to his
client leave, and j. O. Smith was pressed
into the service by the committee, to fill
the vacancy,
Mr. Tucker met the committee, gave
them a gentlemanly hearing and talked
the matter over freely and thoroughly
with them. The Chairman of the Con-
mittec who was supposed to be loaded
not being present, the committee was on
ly prepared to enter into a general dis
cussion of the points at issue. The wind
had been taken out of their sails, some-
what by the statement published last
week, that the Management would put on
the train, the principal thing
asked for in the petition signcd by =
large number Of our business men. This
Mr. Tucker assured the committee was a
true bill, and that the train should be put
on when the spring changes were made.
probably in May. This train will leave
Waterville and run over to Oakland in
time to take passengers that come down
on the morning train from North Arson,
returning to Watcrvile in time to coli
meet with "Jcwctt's" train and arriving
at Skowhegan about ll.l5 \. NJ. Return
ing will leave Skowhegan about La, ar
irving at Watervillc in season to connect
with "Jcwett's" train to Portland and al
so run to Oakland. This will give pas
scnger> opportunity to leave North Arson
in the morning and arrive in Skowhcgan at
ll.lj A. NJ. Passengers can also leave
Skowhegan at 40 L. NJ connect with the
afternoon train up ON the Somerset road.
But above all it will give Skowhcgan a
second direct train to and from Portland
and Boston, and also will give US the
morning papers from Bangor and Port
land at noon, instead of at & O'Clock in
the evening.
This arrangement, with the exception
of the time it is to he consummatcd, is 50
satisfactory to our citizens that the com.
mittee could do nothing but urge Mr.
Tucker to bring it about at an earlier day
if possible. This he said would not be
practicable and he could not do it Tho
extra train would be run at an expense oil
$500 per month and he did not expect i
to pay at first, but hoped to "buld up
business around the train" and mike i
pay in time.
The matter of the early morning freigh
from Wateryille leaving at an Garlic
hour viz: on arrival of the Pullman
train, was talked over. Mr.. Tucker bel,
that it was decidedly for the advantage
of Skowhegan to have that train run int,
the town as at present, giving an earl
morning train from Watervilo, Fairfield
Somerset Mills and Pshons Ferry, int
the town and it must be an advantage l.
the village. If it is run at an earlier hou
it will only accommodate through pas
sengers from Boston and Portland, as II
local passengers would get up in tn
night to take it, unless it was case q
absolute necessity. The committee hel
that large part of the travel from Bo,
ton and Portland would be by this trail
if the change could be made 1t wa
such saving of time that usincss me
would use this train almost wholly,
| Il. Il 1
vile, and that the people at Wateryil
and along the line would be accommoda
ed by the proposed 10. 30 A. NJ train frol
Watcrville. Mr.. Tucker said he though
it would be decidedly against the inter
ests of the town and not so well for IL
road to make the change, but he woul
made up, if the citizens of Skowhcga
say so.
The afternoon freight out Mr.. Tuck,
said should leave Skowhegan at as late a
hour in the evening as could be done an
make the necessary connections at Waite
vile to advantage. He thought it migl
be arranged so as to arrive at Watervi
at O'Clock in the evening, thus maxim
better connection with the Night Pull
man to Boston.
The matter of freight tariff was d
cusscd somewhat The committee sal
they realized that small places, whel
there was no competition, must neccssar
ly pay portion of the tariff of the MOI
favored larger places where there is wat,
competition, but thought that the smallC
places were paying too large fraction {
this now when it costs double the none
ported from Danville Junction or Por
land to Skowhcgan than from those point
to Bangor. Mr.. Tucker said the Bango
freight rates we've necessarily put at
price at which the road could get its Shar
of the business, the amount at that poir
was so large that the road could afford t
places is not increased by the correspond
ingly low figures at Bangor and othe
points where there is II alter carriage, tina
the road had reduced passenger tariff ant
would the freight tariff, just as soon as i
was possible to do so.
The point was raised that Norridge
wock, Madison and Arson receive lowe
freight rates from Portland, over two
roads, than SkOwhcgan over one. Mr.
Tucker said if this was the case, it wa,
something over which the Maine Contra
had no control He assured the committee
that the freight tariff was as low now as
the road can live under and pay very
small amount above the running expenses
of the road in the way of dividends to the
stockholders who had, until within a very
few years, received nothing on their in.
vcstment
John B, Foster.
I. Ia hot Il