Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-18

snd fares reasonable. l krow of no VA
better thaa to have them put in the hand
OF some power under the eoot1cl Of thi
Legislature. do not say anything abou
tbs individual members Of this committee
make 10 reflections upon the members o
this committee; you'd not stand here an,
make reflections upon any member OF thl
Legislature, whatever | might think abou
them. but have serious suspicious ,hs
their thoughts ara very much biased an;
prejadiced BY influences not in the interes
OF the public. know some members o.
tbs committee would have been glad to hsv,
recommended this bill - whole. bus til;
power of this monopoly has grown 90 gees
that il is impossible to get u,en to acs i'm
partially as upon any other matter of legis
isuon. do net say these things in spiyi
OF hostility against any railroad company
or course they can eonst,us it IS they
please. do not csse how they construs
it. l have no friends to reward or enemie:
to panish. have taken mare Of yoar time
than perbsps l am entitled 10 in this matter
aad | simply ask that you will opeu thi.
bill and see IL you cannot recommend some
Of its provisions.
Mr.. Moore of Camberlsnd-Mr. Presi
dent and Senators: In advocating the
acceptance OF the report OF the committee
on railroads, l shall briefly in reply to the
senstor from Kennebec give to you the
reasons why the committee have reported
adversely upon the bill. Uader the pro-
visions Of the bill. now before the Senste
We are asked to plAce the power to make
rates fox our railroads, in Msine absolutely
Ia ha IA 0e hnu tnS v~ttp nsA
sionsis Of the State. This bill calls for a
radica, change in the whole business man.
sgement Of the railroads of Msine. The
committee therefore should be convinced
lH that the people demand the change,
which this bill calls for and. Cd that the
railroads are now making unjust AID
unreasonable charges to the people, before
they recommend the adoption Of any "snti
railroad laws"
That the people Of our State should have
full opportunity to express their views
upon this bill, your committee advertised q
hearing upon the bill in all the leading pa
pe,s of the State for some four weeks
This resulted in bringing before your COM
mittee two gentlemen who favored the
passage OF this Law, one being the suthor
Of this bill and the other commercial
traveller. The special grievances which
these tso gentlemen had, or which they
laid before the committee were. that in
their opinion, the rates were too high upon
our Maine railroads, and that the power to
regulate and reduce the rates made by our
railroads ough. to be plsced in the hands
Of the railroad commissioners.
For the information of the LEGISLATURE
your committee have ascertained what rste =
our Maine railroads are charging the peo-
pie of our State, and also the rates charged
by some Of the principal roads of New
England, that you may compare the same
with what the senator from Kenne be C
terms unjust and unreasonable rsles Of our
Maine rosds. The rates on the Maine Cen
,fsl Railroad for mileage tickets is from
two and cne half cents to three cents per
mile. Long distance ''limited tickets" are
sold at about two and one.hnlf csnts per
mile. The average rates of fare received
from ali passengers during the last tiicsl
year by the Maine Central Railroad was
about two ard oDe-shiri cents per mile The
local rates under the new tariff now
in print and to be issued by the
Maine Central Railroad, shows that none of
The local rates will be above 5 l-2 cents per
mile. The average rate charged by the
Boston & Maine railroad, the gigantic moa.
opoly referred to by the senator of Ken
neoec, for the past year was fraction less
than cents per mile. The average rate
on the New York & New Epgs railroad
was l-l2 cent per mic. The average
rate charged on the Boston & AIbsny rail
road was u fraction more than cents per
mile. The average rate charged on the
Old Colony railroad was 2I-10 cents per
mile. Nov in view of the immense
amount Of local travel which the above
mentioned roads have, and when you take
into consideration the sp.rsely populated
territory through which large portion of
our Maine roads pass, think that you must
come to the same conclusion, which your
committee have reached, that the rates
charged By our Maine roads are neither un-
j nst or unreasonable, especially when conf
psrsd With the rates Of other New England
roads
The senator has cited the western states
ss a sample of rates where The rates have
besn regulated by railtosd clmnlissiorers
Of those stst5s. Look at the following:
The Burlington, Cedar Rspids and North
eIs Railway average is 2, 2,565; the Central
Iowa average is 2. 525; the Chicago, Rock
Island aod Pacific average 2 So; Chicago,
Milw aukee aud st. Paul aversgs 24I5;
the Chicago, Iowa and Dakota average
2 1893; the Chicsgo and North Western
svsrage 290; Chicago. 81. Paul and
Kansas City average 2 %; Dubuque s1d
Sioux City average 9 554; Chicago, Saats
Fe ard California, 2.l62
The Senator in his remarks ssys he is
willing that our Maine roads should pay
+ air dividends. find oy the reports that
tue dividends of TIE Maine Central have at
no time been more than ti1 per cent; nnd
the Grand TRUNK has not earned divi-
1end upon i,s Maine line since 1t vas built.
Oar Maine roads are giving the public,
from $50 to 1000 miles of unproducuve
train service per day for the accommods-
fion OF the public, and with the view of
building up the cl.ies and towns along the
lire Of their roads. This fact convinced
your committee tina. our Msiae roads are
neither unjus. or unreasonable in their
train service to the public.
The increass of our population and val
uation Of our cities and towns along the
line of our railroads, compared with the
growth OF the towns OF our State, off the
line OF railroads. chow conclusiveiy tha.
our railroads have dealt literally with the
patrons OF the ir Toads. Take the senator 9
own city for an example.
VALUATION.