Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-25
RAILROAD WAR.
Fight Between the Boston & Maine and
tue B. c. & M R. r.

The following witnesses were called Tues
day forenoon by the plaintiffs in the bill in
equity of the Boston, Concord 4 Montreal
railroad VS. the Boston < Maine.
Patrick Kelly Of Lake Village testified
Was foreman of Lake Village section for 20
years discharged II year ago under Boston
x Lowell management. My orders were
not to take ont ties that wouli last year
Couli,.t get new ties when asked for them
When quit most of the ties were very
poor, maHy Of them were Old cedar ties taken
or some other track. Many rails have been
cracked by heavy locomotives. Don't con-
slider track safe for fast train.
Cross xamlDed.-lIad no broken steel
on my section after new stock was laid.
Had some broken rails in Lake Village yard
where the track was laid with iron, re-
placed them by pleciug after what spare
rails | hal were used up. Hal no accident
on my section uu,ior the Low, II management.
John Coughlin of Lake Village, testified
that he had worked on the section since 1867,
for the last four years AS foreman of Laconia
section. year after the Boston < Lowell
took possession, the section men were re-
luced from four to three; three were not
enough To take care of it. In the last two
years couldn't get what ties were needed to
keep the road in condition was told that the
company didn't have them; asked for three
thousand ties last fall, haven't received them
yet
Cross cxamined.-Twotho thousand ties would
put my section in good condition. Frost is
not yet all out of the ground. Expect To get
the ties. While have been foreman there
has been no accident by reason of broken
rails or condition of track.
Fred 5. Whiting of Concord, testified
X Montreal ten years; run from Concord to
Woodsvillc. The track is very poor in some
places and good in others. From Lake Viii
lage to Ashland Hill is the worst piece of
track. The morning air line train south was
tierailed last winter near Warren Summit
Depot by broken rail. Think fifteen or
twenty miles of new steel ought to be laid,
then the rest of the road could be put in "A
good condition.
Cross examined winter was the
worst for our railroad ever knew. The
bridges are the best we ever had. Iron is
not good as in former years,
Fred A. Clifford of Concord, testified
Have run locomotive from Concord to
Woodsyille fifteen years, opposite to Mr..
Whiting, from Lake Village to Ashland Sum-
nit The ends of rails are battered badly.
Think fifteen or twenty miles of new steel
between Concord and Woudsville would make
the road safe for all trains.
Cross examined. The Boston & Lowell
has made great Improvements in bridges.
New steel was laid lat fall between Warren
Summit and East Haverhill, and more is
nov being laid Consider the track safe for
my train. Taking bridges and everything
into account. think the roads condition this
spring as good as usual at this time of year.
tai M IN, tb,,I
condition of the rails.
Leonard Morrill, of RumDey, testified
Have been locomotive engineer on the Bos-
ton Concord & Montreal six years Up to
February Is, lsss. ran express between
Concord and Newport VT Since then have
run freight between Concord and Lake Viii
lsge. Thought the time too fast for express
considering the heavy train.
Cross examined. Any track in winter
would be rough. Running time between
here and Woo1sville-two hours fifty-fve
minutes. Made time always.
John Carey of Weirs, foreman of the sec
ton, testified that he had not had help
nough to keep the road as it should be
Tnere are many bad ties and rails with bat
tere a ends. Had orders from the roadmas-
ter TO replace bent aud broken rails with
pieces. Have been furnished with $50 ties
for this season.
Crosse xamined: Frost isn't out of the
ground vet enough to permit putting in ties.
Never had an accident due to track on my
section Have hal all the help needed in
winter
At the afternoon session the hearing be-
fore the committee taking testimony in the
equity suit of the B. c. 4 NJ. X r., VIM
CasNe eli. foreman of the Warren summit
section years. testified that he found be
tween 100 and l27 broken rails on his section
the past winter, nearly all within a distance
of three fuurths of mile in piece of woods
here the ground was frozen solid The
cause OF the break was that the rails were
too hard.
10 athan \. Lang of Dalton. second
hand of the section, testified that the track
on his section was mostly in pieces from SIX
to twenty-eight feet long. The track men
were not furnished with iron. He said that
no new rails hal ben furnished for two
! years. There we're two derailnents
owing TO ba jpi,.ts last wiut.r. there were
/ three broken frogs 0u the section. One was
broken when furnished. 1t was found nee
essary 10 cut the plates open to use the
halves because enough were not furnished
/ by the road"
4 VIM X. kimball of Plymouth testified
have been an engineer 80 years and ran pas
singer train between Woodsyille AID Con-
cold. The track between those places is
rJugher than was ever known since the new
steel track was laid. | consider the road in
safe condition for summer business. Twen-
/ ty miles of new rails should be laid. Had no