Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-10
TIE IRON WAYS OF MAINE.
rhirnsh RRsrt d Tho Stats llllnad
Commissioners.

rhiTneth Rqsn d tho Stats llllnld
Commissioners.
The Most Successful Year Of Manage
ment and Recstpts Ever Known
The Railroad Commissioners. in OBS ming
their thirtietn annual report allude to the
fact that not sithstanding q unfavorable sea-
son for summer travel in Maine,
the returns from The several railroads show
an increase in business both of passengers
and freight earnings over any previou. year.
This fact. taken in connection With another
quite remarkable vne. viz that outside OF
This State railroad earnings have generally
fallen below their average, 10 most crafty
ing, and greatly tends to show that in Maine
he year has been one of prosperity, NOT
only To railroads but 10 the people OF the
State generally.
OFFICIAL IssPEeTIos.
As required BY Las the Commissioners
have made two official examinations of the
tracks bridges, yiAducts. culyerts. and roll
sto"k of the several railroads in the State
This require meat was made in order To Sc
-urs the safety a vi convenience Of all rrav-
ers on railroads bi til. Commits. ler. say
tnssii no EFFORT was N sic to render their ro4 Il
cafe on the part of their respective MANAGERS
: is doubtful if State supervision would alon.
secure this end. To secure safets demands
-ueh constant va chfuiness add care o.
ne part Of the road management. no OH
rizl board could ever give. Sill the las im
posing State inspection is a wise and pru len,
Ine. The earnings of come roads ART
limited, barely sufficient to meet running
expenses, that managers might be tempted
almost forced, to slight he Condition of their
roads and postpone needed repairs and re
newals beyond the limit of safety, we're it
not that State inspection compels them to
this duty Thus the law must always have Il
salutary influence in stimulating railroad
managers To keep their respective lines in
safe condition.
NEW RAILROADS.
What was formerly known as the Interna-
tional Railway has been leased by the Cana
dian Pacific Railway, and is now being com
pleted by said company. This road from the
line of the State 10 a connection with the
Bangor and Piscata9us Railroad at Green
vile, a distance Of skye ght miles has
been completed This section Of the rad
was inspected October 1926, and permission
was granted its manager to run a train over
the line
The extension of the Somerset Railroad
from North Arson to Bingham, distance of
ak miles, has been completed and permission
granted 10 run passenger trains as far as the
depot IN Embden.
NEW RAILROAD CORPORATIONS.
Two new railroad corporations have been
organized the pas, year under the provisions
OF the general law. /. The Lake
Grove Railroad, from the city
of Auburn to East Auburn, a distance
of about three miles. 2. The Dexter and
Piscataquis Railroad. from Dexter to Fox
croft. a distance OF about sixteen miles.
The former company was approved June u i,
1888 the latter October "a. 1883. The
location Of the route of the last named road
was approved November 10, 1888
HEATING AND LIGHTING PASSENGER CARS.
In accordance with instructions from the
last Legislature, the commi siOners made an
examination into the several improved modes
of lighting and heating cars, report of
which was included in the annual report Of
the Commissioners for 1887. In that report
the Commissioners suggest the passage Of a
law similar TO that of the State of Msssachu-
sets requiring that no passenger car on
any railroad shall be lighted by naptha, nor
by an illuminating oil or fluid made in part
of napths, or which will ignite at a tempera-
ture of less than 800 degrees While no
serious accident has occurred during the past
year in consequence of the methods general
iy used for heating and lighting cars.
the same danger from this source still
exists as formerly, and no material
change has been made in the methods men
toned in the report of 1887. Some of the
~ealthier corporations have adopted methods
of steam heating; but others yet use wood
and coal stoves which are source of danger
in case of railroad accidents, that many per
sons may be roasted alive. Hence the Com
missioners recommend and urge such legisla-
ton As will compel all railroad corpora
tons, within reasonable time, TO adopt
some of the safer methods of heating and
lighting passenger cars"
CROSSINGS AT GRADE.
The growing dangers attending the multi
plicity of grade crossings in and near our pop
ulous cities and large villages, lead the Com
missioners to give very careful examination
per cent of all railroad accidents in this coun-
try. occur in cons. quenca of grade crossings
or from trespass upon the tracks; and not
outstanding this nigh percentage, the ill.,
crease of trains and of travel both on our
railroads and on our streets and highway
due TO an advancing p pulation and increase
of business, the danger of or ,de crossings
becomes more imminent and apparent each
year.
Sill these grade crossings are incrs asing
ca h year, and no adequate power is con-
ferred upon the Railroad Commissioners OF
the courts TO prevent them. In view of all
the facts, and of existing conditions of tn.
railway economy and the laws, the Com
missioners say:
In view of the fact that grade crossings
are rapidly II multiplying in this State by the
laying out of highways and farm roads over
railroads, and IN the belief that there should
be some specific and comprehensive over
sight for such an important matter, we would
suggest such an amen iment to section q of
chapter $40 of the Laws of Name, 1885 as
would prevent a highway. farm road or
street from being laid across a railroad
without the written consent of the Railroad
Commissioners. who should be empowered
TO fix the manner and condition of such
crossing. and to apportion the expense there
of equitably. and to compel the making safe
any existing grade crossing which NAV be
reported or represented as especially blind
and dangerous; even 10 requiring the con-
struction of an over bridge or an under pass
in the place thereof
CONVERSATION OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
Several pages of the report are next taken
up with tn, matter of the compensation of
the Commissioners, which is but a republica-
ton of the re port of 1887, under this heading.
The various changes in the laws governing
the Board, from the date of its first crea ion
in 1855 to the present time are given in full
or in abstract and the recomme Ddations of
the report of 1887 are repeated and enforced
This recommendation is that under existing
circumstances, the State should assume the
burdens of paying the Board Of Commission
ers for discharging the duties, which, by
law, are required of them; and il should be
such salary as would enable the Board to
devote their whole time to it." The Com
missioners say that the compensation now
fixed by statute is entirely inadequate,
RAILROADS IL MAINE
The following table gives a schedule of
all the railroads in the state, with the mum
Der of miles and fractions of miles of each
and the total number of miles operated BY
each company named, whether leased or