The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-05
THE AFFAIRS OF OUR IRON ROADS
Proposed Legislation Concerning
the Dangerous Grade Crossing.
Senator haInes's Bill to Regulate
Fares Adversely Reported.
Notes OF the DoIngs OF the Maine
Law Makers.

AUGUSTA, March 4.-An important bill,
reported by the railroad committee. and now
on its way in the House, relates to the sub
ject Of grade crossings. AS this relates to q
question Of Importance TO towns and rail-
roads alike, the full text of the bill. as re-
ported by Col. Moore and subsequently
amended. is here given:
An act additional TO and amendatory Of chapters
$40 and 3l2 OF laws OF 1855. relating 10 rail-
road crossings.
Section i-section "a Of chapter IS as amended
by chapter $40 OF laws OF 1885 Is hereby
amended so as to read as follows;
Section 27-TOwn ways and highways may D3
aid out across, over or under any railroad track.
ways, except that before such way shall be con
sstrncted the railroad commissioners, on appnear
wherein such way Is located, or Of the parties
owning or operating the railroad, shall upon mo-
be permitted to cross such track at grade there
with or not, and the manner and condition Of eros
maintaining 50 much thereof as Is within the lin.
its OF such railroad shall be borne BY such rail-
road road company @ or oy the city Or town IN which
between such company and city or town as may
be determined BY said railroad commissioners.
Said commissioners shall make q report In writ
ing OF their decision thereuDon 10 the supreme Iu-
dieial court at us next succeeding term 70 be held
in the county wherein such crossing Is situated.
and shall also make report Of such rulings.
proofs and proceedings as either party desires OF
as they deem necessary for a full understanding
of the case The presiding justice at such term OF
court may accept reject or ree0mmit said report.
or send the case to a new commission. or make
such other order or decree as law or justice may
require, and 10 his ruling or order either party
may file exceptions. Tho final adjudication In
such cases shall be recorded as provided In sec
ton thirty of this chapter
Costs may be taxed and allowed to either party
at the discretion Of the court.
Section 2-Sectlon 2S OF chapter 81 Of tho
laws q 1855 Is hereby amended so as to read as
follows:
Section 2s. Railroads may cross highways or
tognways In the line OF the railroad. bot cannot
pass along them without leave OF the town, but
when railroad Is hereafter laid out across a
ed so as to pass either over or under such way.
unless the railroad commissioners after notice
and hearing authorize crossing al grade.
Before entering upon the construction OF any
railroad the manner and conditions OF erOsdne
shah be determined as provided BY section n Of
chapter 10 as amended. But no crossing Of a
street In city not highway shall be made with
out the written consent Of the mayor and alder
men,. Crossings not 50 made, are nuisances and
may be so treated and the directors Of railroad
corporations making them are personally liable.u
Section 3.-Hlghways and other ways may Be
raised or lowered for the purpose Of permitting
railroad to pass over or under same or the course
OF the same may be altered 80 a. to facilitate
such crossing or TO permit "a railroad % pass az
coz commissIoners mis- and pfoceeding as provided BY
sec. n. Of chap. rs as amended BY thlsact, and
for such purpose land may be taken and damages
awarded as provided for laying out highways and
ether ways.
The railroad committee have reported ad-
versely Senator Halnes's bill 70 regulate
railroad fares, etc. Senator Haines com-
plains. that the committee have been too
slow In considering the bill; and does not
conceal his dissatisfaction. He Is good
fighter and knows no such thing as backing
down after he gets started. SO there may DO
some debate over the railroad question yet.
Notes.
Senator Freeman's labor bin establishing
penalty for intimidation will become
law. Mr.. Lo0ney stopped 1t In the House az
the request OF some labor organizations who
wished il amended so the penalties would
apply to employers as well az employees Mr..
Looney found that the bill had been so
drawn as to apply to both, and let II go
along.
The free text book bill is making big
fight, though the statements as 70 the sire OF
the lobby opposing II seem TO have been ex-
aggerated. There are three or four agents
at work to defeat the bill and on the other
hand there are agents at work advocating 10.
The bill gets Its main support. however,
from enthusiastic members Of the education
committee like Clason Of Gardiner and
members Of the legislature who
believe that every town should be compelled
TO furnish free text books. The opponents
Of the bill, who believe the present law,
which leaves the matter optional with me
towns, to be well enough, are tenacious OF
their opinions, but are hardly so aggressive
as their opponents.
The following bill has been reported from
the Insurance Committee: Chapter
three hundred and seyenty-three OF the Pub
lie Laws Of eighteen hundred and eighty-hve,
entitled AN Act exempting Masonic, Odd
Fellows, and other relief associations. from
the operations Of the statutes relating to life
Insurance. is hereby repealed"