Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-27

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day afternoon Superintendent Brow
spoke for ths Bangor and Fscsssqsis read.
He bfossht mary fscts 70 tie sttsn1ion q
the committee 70 show that she rates Of far
On that foed we're IN al respects reasonable.
He thought n would be IN exceedingly
unvise thing 70 undertake 70 hold . fsii.
fssd Up = N iron rate Of ffeishss or fares
lie thought that II vas 10 the intefestp 81
the communities served by the roads TIA,
thsse matters should be Ieft to the rni,,oed
usrssss, leaving them opportunity 70 sct
With discretion in the vsrions interests tina,
might call for confederation along thsi,
lines.
Hon. Seth NJ Carter said he appeared in
bshalf Of the Maine Central Railroad "a
present some resson ~hy Its measurement
thought the Haipes bill should NOT ps,s
He did not believe there VS. any need q,
call for spch Legislation - that bill called
for. Every person Who signed . petition
for this measure had personal interes. in
the matter. He hxd no d,ubf but what. II
this bill we're passed, Ard petitions ve,e
cifculsted during the coming two years
they would be abis 70 secure last A. many
names ~ are nov before the committee
for stili further reduction IN rates, Ran.
rosd legislation 10 Q recent kes. Il Il A.
mit,ed that the State has the ,izht 10 Az
this thing, bat the fact Of right il 40 excuse
for doing . thing unlees there u lust reason
for IL. He believed thss sssYe was dsuse,
in the country Of the rates OF railroads
being driven down 70 .uch an
extent ~ % impair their en-
cheney. This vas something that should
be carefully guarded sssinst. It, results
would be far more detrimental to the coun-
try than any other rates that could possibly
be established. Under TIE general law The
whole State was practically thrown open
70 nev railroads. There was all possible
opportunity for competition He did not
believe that the railroads desfrea to or
could maintain unjust or unreasoasble
rates. For that there would be q remedy
in the courts. The sentiment there, tn say
the least, would not be in favor Of the cor.
poration in such case. Wha. better trin-
unal could be desired to settle the question
Of whether or not the rstes charged by
railroads we're within the bounds
Of reason and justice. He thou zht
that section Of the Haines bill wss calcu-
lated to stop development In the State of
Maine. The question Of transportation
wss great problem in considering the
question of the establishment Of new In
dustries. The idea was rapidly gaining
ground that steam power near a market
was preferable to = water power At q dis.
lance. In locating upon q water power
more or less remote from markets the cues
ton Of transportation was very important
consideration. Under such circumstances
it was in the interests Of the State
that the railroads should otter them
all possible Inducements. hauling their
materials for building at . merely NOM
inal rate, and giving them sdvsntxgeou,
freight terms. The rate fixed in tbs bill
Uoder consideration WAS maximum rate.
A railroad had TO meet composition by VA
ter snd other roads and meet the needs Of
III. public. The bill apparently recognized
the fact that small roads could not run nm
der the proposed system but did no. this
fact have Ist AS direct a bearing upon the
Maine Central through its branches. Why
should branch road be put upon a basis,
when under the Maine Contra, railroads
cbntrol, that would no. be sppliet to the
road IL operated upon one Independent
basis The Maine Central rail
road issuss great mary kind, Of
tickets which have been adopted to meet
the needs Of the travelling public The
surplus Of the road was not cash surplus.
1t consisted in part perhaps Of rolling stock
and Of land and other property which the
road had been forced to purchase for the
proper conduct of its business. The road
should be strong enough to do its work
efficiently and to the best Interests of the
State. lie felt that the proposed bill, if
passed, would largely reduce the earnings
OF the road which he believed were
none too large. What the public
most desired was facilities, and thi.
was just what the Maine Genital
railroad had been constantly en-
gagged in furnishing the people Of the
State. No effort had been spared to meet
in every possible way, the needs of the
public and furnish it with every possible
convenience. Mr.. f. Z. Timberlske sp-
pesred as the attorney of the two small
roads in his section. He though. the
question was serious one. He did no,
think one or two days was sufficient time
for the committee to give to the considers
lion Of this matter which was one thst A.
fccted all the material interests of the
State. His brother HsiDes had defined in the
a railroad to be, but If he would come into
ipuahf tD Npblh hhA thht
a road through the hills and rocks and
SHOWS there was quite different thing from
running ii on paper. The gentleman
claimed tina. the bill would not effect little
roads, but he claimed there was more teeth
IN il for lizzie roads than for large ones.
Judge A. II. Walker Of Bridgton raid
that he did not come before the committee
in consequence of the bill they were con-
H. l.
was built IL passed to the east Of his town,
Bridston. Later, when the Portland &
pgdensburg was built it went almost
as far TO the weet, leaving a stretch
of country without any railroad IA
ciities. BY local enterprise, = narrow
gauge road was built from Bridgton to
Hiram to connect with and become con
II outor to the White mountain division of
the Marie Central railroad 1t was built
by great effort and at much sacrifice. The
road WAS built under the general law. and It
was sixteen miles long. This road could
not permit the pssssge OF any legislation
that would tend to make 1t impossible
for the large lines to continue existing ar
with the smaller and feeding
lines. He urged the committee to consider
not only the direc, but also the indirect
OF tue measure Winch was
under consideration.
Judge Wing appeared as director of
tho Rumford Falls railroad and spoke
against the IIsines bill lie thought 1t
would result unfsvorably TO the small
roads, since il cut of from them the rebate
from the larger roads which Ii was nscesss-
rs and right that they should have. The
httle roads get 3 great many benefits from
the larger ones, especially during the sum-
nler season. He thought the public was
in general satisfied with the management Of
railroads. in the State. He read letter
from Hon. William l.. Putnsm Of Portland
protesting against the law. While the road
which he represe nted-the Boston Maine
would not be directly sfected BY the pro
visions Of the bill, yet IL felt that it would
he check upon the development OF the
State. He declared it impossible that any
legislation aimed at the larger roads in
Maine should net seriously affect the email
roads.
Mr.. Joseph F. Chute Of Portland, men,
Der Of the Maine Commercial Travellers
Association, an Organization with men,
bership of over three hundred and fifty,
spoke against the Hsioes bill. He said
there were only Il members of the or
vanizstion present when the resolution
favoriug the Haines bill was passed and
i've were opposed to it,
Lawyer Charles Woodland Of Bangor.
said he appeared before the committee in
the interests of the Canadian Pacific and
Msiue Central railroads. The Canadian
Pacific had expended some five or six mill
lions Of dollars in the pact few yesrs in
NJ oh IN sir-tp 10